DRL on when headlights on!

[MercChap]

Hi, new to this site, but have read through loads of interesting tips and pointers already - thanks.

My question regards my DRLs on my 62 plate facelift w204 - with halogens, NOT xenons. Originally I wanted to have them on when my main lights were on at night (at a reduced percentage to conform to regulation) as personally I liked the look, not to dazzle anyone just an asthetics thing. So I trawled through loads of info on here and the net and contacted Richard on here who put me in touch with a company that could do it (cheers Richard). So I drove down and saw them, lovely chap - but alas he tried and came back from the workshop with the news he couldn't get them to work how I wanted, they have all the kit to plug in and rework the internal computer.

A little bit gutted but completely understood that perhaps it just couldn't be done, maybe down to the fact my c class doesn't have intelligent lighting from new perhaps (as I've seen on threads here, where people say they automatically dim and stay on at night on their newer halogen or xenon head lighted w204s).

So I decided if it's just not going to happen I'll satisfy myself some way and pop in some Osram H7 Daybreakers into my dipped beams and that will do if I can't have DRLs - did that Sunday and they look great, defo whiter than I had and nice and easy to do myself, and cheap enough.

When it got dark I thought I'd pop out for a spin and check out the brightness and pull over and have a look from the outside - indeed satisfying - BUT low and behold the DRLs now are on with main headlights!!!!! I seriously have no idea why or how this is now happening - essentially exactly what I wanted from the outset.

This definitely wasn't the case on the Saturday evening prior to changing the halogens. Is the ANY way that doing this could have triggered something for the option to now automatically work??? Richard you know bucket loads about electrical light systems any thoughts...?

My light switch is set to auto as it has done from the day I got it and settings on the dash computer is DRLs on - as again from day I bought it.

I know it seems pointless perhaps me posting my findings as I now have what I originally wanted, but I've seen lots of people asking about DRLs on at night so thought I'd share my situation and hopefully someone can explain how the hell this now is working!!!!

Cheers

 

[tec]

I wanted to have them on when my main lights were on at night as personally I liked the look,

Bring back the days when people wanted lights to see where they are going.

 

[MercChap]

Would you not say that DRLs are 90% a styling thing on new cars anyway? Most have them these days - on in the day and night - reduced percentage obviously - I rather like them. Each to there own I guess.

 

[ash59fifty-uk]

Osram *night*breakers

Think you may find they were just dimmed to 30% because of certain light when you was driving? Richard could get them to work with Star I bet, that's if this wasn't a one-off

 

[MercChap]

No they were definitely not on at night. The Mrs picks me up from the station some evenings and they have never been on prior in the dark. They are definitely on now though. it's just properly odd as to why.

And the chap I saw had Star but had no joy

 

[ash59fifty-uk]

And the chap I saw had Star but had no joy

That chap wasn't Richard lol

 

[MercChap]

True, as Richard recommended the guys I went to see

Anyway I'll leave this up and maybe someone might have an idea why. Might be useful for some people.

 

[richard]

You saw Alfie ! We discussed why this didn't work on Saturday. It looks like it did work though but something else was stopping it from actually working.

Question, does your light switch have an off and separate auto position ? Is it possible it is a headlight switch position thing ?

Cheers

Richard

 

[MercChap]

Hi Richard cheers for replying.

I saw an Alfie or a Mark there was two chaps.

Anyway, my switch has no OFF so to speak, i read on the forum off is essentially P left or right. But I leave my lights in Auto position always.

Thing is when i left the shop i checked my lights to be sure the DLRs were still working in the daylight and they were, i then turned my light switch to the on position (not auto) to see if he hadn't just done me a favour for free, and the DLRs turned off, granted i didn't cover the windscreen sensor, but presumed the mechanism would trigger if you force the lights on with the switch.

BUT like you say maybe he did set it correctly and now I'm thinking maybe he should have covered the screen sensor with the lights ON or AUTO and perhaps it could have shown him it working? Obviously i don't know what he tried to check it as he was out the back.... what do you recon?

Either way its doing it how i want it, and defo dims at night as i checked brightness last night in the dark, and again this morning and that seems to be functioning ok - brighter in morning than in dark.

Is Alfie the older chap? I thought he introduced himself as Mark.

Ill leave it a month and if it stays working ill get in touch and sort the guys out : )

 

[richard]

The young chap is Chris who runs the shop and does some install work. The chap who did your car is Alfie (who is also Mark) - Alfie is his name on the forum . Mark and I do all the coding work. Theres also a chap called Rob who does the bulk of the install work on non-Mercedes and loads and loads of Mercedes work !

Yes, to test it you have to cover the light sensor so the car knows it is dark. I know Mark would be grateful as he's done the work if you could sort it out. It won't just stop, its coded into the front SAM.

Cheers

Richard

 

[MercChap]

yeah been in touch with Mark/Alfie and gonna sort him out end of the month - i bet he will check the sensor next time : )

For people interested with my spec lights and wanting this fix it can be done with a few twiddles on the computer contact Richard or Alfie!

 

[Compston]

Can I ask how much this would cost? And is there anywhere local-ish to Lancaster who could perform such task . Thanks in advance

 

[markjay]

Can I ask how much this would cost? And is there anywhere local-ish to Lancaster who could perform such task . Thanks in advance

You need someone with STAR who know their way around it (there's a myriad of menus there).

The chaps mentioned in this 2016 thread are richard and Alfie and the company that did this was www.comandonline.co.uk in Lightwater (off the M3).

 

[W1ghty]

Can I ask how much this would cost? And is there anywhere local-ish to Lancaster who could perform such task . Thanks in advance

You are a bit out on a limb in that part of the world there for an MB specialist

 

[Compston]

After some searching I've come across a drl relay box that you can wire in- will come on with ignition and dim when headlights are on of wanted seems like this would be the best option. If it would work at £2.50 for 2 and a long wait from china

 

[Larkone]

Surely if you disconnect the DRLs from the system to wire them to the Chinese LED controller your car is going to complain about the missing DRLs. They would still need coding out.

 

[Compston]

Surely if you disconnect the DRLs from the system to wire them to the Chinese LED controller your car is going to complain about the missing DRLs. They would still need coding out.

I was thinking of leaving the existing wiring in and adding the drl controller as a secondary device so that when my lights come on the drl stay on but just dim 30% or whatever it is rather than just turn off ?

 

[Ted]

You might want to add a blocking diode (or two) to prevent current flowing back to the SAM when it is supplied to the device.
Let us know how it goes.

 

[Alfie]

yeah been in touch with Mark/Alfie and gonna sort him out end of the month - i bet he will check the sensor next time : )

For people interested with my spec lights and wanting this fix it can be done with a few twiddles on the computer contact Richard or Alfie!

How are your lights doing? Still working as you want them too?

 

[slade1]

The clue is in the name, should go out at night but don't and they are far to bright.