Disabling Auto Headlights

Sorry I can't provide you with an answer to the question. However, I
would strongly encourage you to leave it as is. I think day running
lights should be compulsory on all cars, especially at this time of year
(Winter, in my hemisphere!).

Just today I was thinking how much earlier I could see other cars with
their headlights on than those without. I know others have a different
opinion on this, but aside from perhaps replacing light bulbs slightly
more frequently than usual, I haven't heard any convincing arguments
against them.

Cheers,

AJ

 

Hello

I am currently the new owner of a 1991 red Volvo 460. This is the first time
i have owned a Volvo and have a hit a minor niggle with it. Everytime i turn
on the ignition the Headlights come on. I have been told these are referred
to as 'day running light'. What i would like to know is - is it possible to
disable these lights ?????

Thank you for any help you can supply

Stephen Cooper

 

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,

It's different for every model - but hopefully a 400-series owner will
respond.

Best to keep your head down when asking a question like that though -
because lots of people will tell you that daytime running lights are a
safety feature and shouldn't be disabled - or some similar cobblers!

[I assume that you're in the uk from your blueyonder address. Did you see
the Jasper Carrot piece a few years ago about the Volvo which *still* had
its lights on after being crushed into a bale at a scrapyard?]

 

Hi Stephen

As far as I know, these lights should be left alone. I believe its a safety
thing for some countries. Btw if you had asked, I could have told you this
on the phone.

I'll be joining your volvo club before the end of next week!

Regards

Your sister

 

Yes, it seems that in the developing countries, like the renegade
colonies of the Americas, they have not yet figured out how to design a
headlight that does not shine to the oncoming driver's eyes. Here in the
civilized world we have found out that the daytime running lights make
the cars much more visible to other motorists and pedestrians. And we
also have discovered the advanced technology needed to shape the lamp
and reflector in such a way that the light does not blind another drivers.

Unfortunately I do not know the answer the original question, I am just
exercising my liberal spirits, after having imbibed some excised spirits.

kiravuo

 

On Wed, 10 Dec 2003 04:39:07 +0000, Stephen M. Henning wrote: (Regarding
Day Running Lights being other than dipped headlights)

I drive a UK spec 850 and it's as the previous poster said - start the car
at night and there is a low intensity light, turn the headlights on (in
dipped position) and there is the world of difference.

I do!

Cheers,

AJ

 

I disagree I live in the Highlands of Scotland where we have some of
the most narrow winding, twisting, hilly roads in the first world - and
there is _NO_ chance of day running lights dazzling other drivers
(especially as we're talking about daytime here). Dazzling from even
dipped beam headlights at night is a problem, but not day running lights.

I think the confusion seems to be that your car(s) seem to be set up with
the ordinary dipped beam setting being used for daylight running lights.
This is not the case here, on my car at least, and judging from the other
Volvos I see on the roads mine is not an exception.

Cheers,

AJ

 

Ahh, so true that's why I run the illegal but oh so much better E-code
headlights on all my cars.
Dave Shannon
daveshan_at_spamsoneonelse_cox.net (Spring Valley CA)
1988 240 DL 19X,XXX
1984 245 DL 20X,XXX
1984 245T 19X,XXX
'01 Jeep Wrangler Sahara 14K
http://www.homestead.com/volvo2/

 

The idea is that whenever the ignition is "on" the dipped beams are fed with a
reduced voltage so limiting their ability to dazzle. To obtain normal dipped
beams it is necessary to rotate the headlight switch fully to the right. In this
position the headlights are automatically extinguished when the ignition is
turned "off". The fully left position gives dimmed, dipped beams and side/tail
lights whenever ignition is on.

Cheers, Peter.

: Bonnet Lock wrote:
: > Best to keep your head down when asking a question like that though -
: > because lots of people will tell you that daytime running lights are a
: > safety feature and shouldn't be disabled - or some similar cobblers!
:
: Yes, it seems that in the developing countries, like the renegade
: colonies of the Americas, they have not yet figured out how to design a
: headlight that does not shine to the oncoming driver's eyes. Here in the
: civilized world we have found out that the daytime running lights make
: the cars much more visible to other motorists and pedestrians. And we
: also have discovered the advanced technology needed to shape the lamp
: and reflector in such a way that the light does not blind another drivers.
:
: Unfortunately I do not know the answer the original question, I am just
: exercising my liberal spirits, after having imbibed some excised spirits.
:
: kiravuo
:

 

The daytime running lights on my 2000 S40 are just the regular low beams.
If they bother other drivers in daytime, they need to be aimed better. They
must dazzle other drivers dangerously at night.

 

That is true of a lot of roads here, but not most of the ones I drive on -
they tend to be about "one-and-a-half-track" minor roads, which, even if
painted with white (centre) lines, vary from only-just to not-actually
wide enough for two cars to pass without using the verge as part of the
road. The single track roads are probably safer, as most people recognise
the need to slow down/ get off the road to pass, not just close their eyes
and hope for the best at 60 mph!

The sheep are just a *completely* random element thrown in to make our
roads even more "exciting"

I seem to remember that later 850s and s/v70s have a little screw or
switch that regulates the type of day running lights? Probably done via
software on the latest ones I'd imagine. Not that any of this helps the
original poster of course!

I did once have a 340, but it didn't appear to have day running lights -
now and again (mostly if it was wet) the headlights would feebly flicker
on and off but I could never work out if they were meant to be constantly
on or off!

Cheers,

AJ

 

Some countries have hills and crests of hills where when you approach
each other, even the lights from advanced technology countries like
yours blind oncoming drivers.

Some countries have curves where when you approach each other, even the
lights from advanced technology countries like yours blind oncoming
drivers.

It is too bad that all roads in the world are not flat and straight like
they are in countries with advanced technologies like yours.

 

Gee, what kind of a car do you drive? None of my US spec Volvo's which
included 240's, 850's and a V70XC did this. The same voltage is on the
low beams in both the "off" and "on" positions. The only difference is
that in the "off" and "park" position, the high beam switch just flashes
the high beams while in the "on" position the high beam switch toggles
the high beams on and off unless you just move it part way, then it
flashes the high beams.

You can easily test this at night. Just quickly turn the switch back
and forth. You won't see any difference.

 

This feature I believe, is unique to, and mandatory on all cars in the
UK.

--
Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

NOTE: new address!!
Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)

 

That is primarily because they are mostly single-track roads with
passing places. You only pass oncoming cars at passing places. Also,
the sheep on the roads tend to block the lights.

On my USA spec V70XC, I have the choice of using dipped beam lighs as
running lights OR the front "fog lights" which don't help to see the
road in fog but are excellent running lights. To do the latter I turn
to the "parking light" position and turn on the front fog lights. I
just have to remember to turn the parking lights off.

 

In the cities of France they drive around with parking lights on. They
seem to go out into the country with these also, forgetting to turn on
the headlights. Old VWs used to have a small bulb in the headlight that
was used for city driving.

 

Gee, what kind of a car do you drive? None of my US spec Volvo's
which

Mike, could you confirm this? I'm now quite intrigued - is there a UK
requirement that there is a difference between day running and dipped beam?
I don't quite get which "feature" you referenced in your post. The reason
is that my V40 has identical day running and dipped beam headlights -
turning the switch from far left to far right makes no difference in
intensity at all. Infact in the past I have forgotten to put my main
headlights on at night, and only notice this when I try to change to full
beam and they don't remain on (the lights flash instead). I'm mainly
interested as mine's a European import, so there may be a difference between
EU and UK regulations.

Regards,
Mark

 

Near the headlamp switch is there a small recessed slotted screw head?
The manual for my '99 V70 says that on US-spec cars this screw
controls the Daytime Running Lights; a partial rotation disables them.
My Canadian spec car has no such thing but the manual is for both
countries, so it's documented.

This question is heavily discussed on the watercooled vw groups, where
it is well known that a certain fuse can be removed to cut off the
DRLs. (VW has put DRLs on US cars for several years and opinion on
them is sharply divided.) I'm sure I don't know if this is possible on
a Volvo but there are only so many fuses.

(I do believe that on my car the DRLs are implemented simply as the
low beams. Many US marques implement DRLs as low voltage on the
high-beam filaments, which I believe contributes to the complaints of
glare.)

Chip C
Toronto

 

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,

I think this is referring to a requirement known as "dim dip" which existed
a while back - probably in the 80's - but I'm pretty sure that it no longer
exists, because newer cars don't comply.

At the time, the lights had to be wired in such a way that if the parking
lights *and* ignition (but not headlights) were switched on, the headlamp
dipped beam lights would also come on dimly. This was achieved by wiring
them in series rather than parallel under these circumstances. The logic at
the time seemed to be that this was suitable for driving in areas with
street lamps - where the dipped headlights would help cars to be seen
without causing dazzle.

 

They used to do that in New York City, whenI learned to drive in 1946. Not
sure when it changed. In my first trips to Europe in the 1960-70s, it was
common to drive in the cities with no lights, except that they flashed them
when approaching a corner. It scared me, as a passenger.