The 2013 Toyota RAV4 small SUV has a number of appealing features and one perplexing peculiarity: Daytime Running Lights that don’t always turn on throughout the day.
Daytime running lights (DRLs), a straightforward safety feature, increase vehicle visibility throughout the day by dimly lighting the low-beam headlights. In the majority of cars, this occurs automatically and without the driver’s intervention. (See our review of the Toyota RAV4.)
In truth, only a small percentage of vehicles with DRLs offer a mechanism to disable them, and when they do, the preference is typically changed via an on-board computer menu. The new RAV4 features a headlight switch, though, that essentially ensures your DRLs are off. There are four settings on the rotary knob at the end of the turn signal stalk: off, daytime running lights, parking lights, and low beams.
The issue is that turning on your daytime running lights is a hassle if you wish to use them. Almost all other vehicles with this equipment automatically turn on their DRLs.
The common scenario is as follows: After driving at night while using your headlights, you park the vehicle and turn them off (since they don’t turn off on their own). Unless you made a deliberate decision to switch the switch to the DRL position the following day, you wind yourself driving with the DRLs off. That, in my opinion, is unclear and impractical.
While it’s less likely, other Toyota and Lexus products may also operate with the DRLs off. Their headlight control switch includes an Auto mode and a DRL-off option. That’s a little better because the switch automatically turns on the DRLs and it can stay there for as long as you choose. Even those owners might not be aware that their DRLs are turned off while they drive with the headlight switch off.
Daytime running lights are supported by Consumer Reports, and in our road testing, we assign points to the vehicles that feature them. Additionally, some insurance providers offer rate reductions for vehicles with DRLs. We might need to reconsider how we handle situations where DRLs are essentially cancelled or are “optional.” We believe that insurance providers ought to be aware of this.
According to Toyota representatives we’ve spoken with, there are times when turning off the headlights is preferable, such as when entering a military base. In addition, there might be another button that disables DRL. Or even more simply, let the headlights shut off as soon as you put the car in park.
Toyota is ultimately responsible for redesigning their headlight switch so that no one may accidentally turn off their DRLs.
In This Article...
Can I drive while using my DRLs?
In a sense, you might say that your low beam headlights that turn on during the day are your daytime running lights. Your vehicle will be more visible when they are on. A computer module and a sensor that detects ambient light turn on the majority of them. When you turn on your ignition, they may occasionally turn on automatically.
Generally speaking, they use less electricity than your headlamps. They may occasionally be installed as a strip of LED lights next to or above your headlights. They could also be your low beams, fog lights, or other specialized lights that use less power.
They first showed up on imports into the country. They eventually found their way into cars produced and sold in the United States, and they have been there for a while. They were initially deemed necessary in Canada in 1989, and today they are a standard feature on the majority of cars. In 1993, the American National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave them the go-ahead.
They turn on and off on their own and dim when your headlights come on. They do increase the safety and security of drivers. Some states mandate that you turn on your lights whenever you enter a tunnel or a work zone on the road. Although some claim they could shorten the lifespan of your normal headlights, most people believe the extra safety is worth the risk.
My DRL light turned on, why?
For any specific information pertaining to your car, see the owner’s manual as each manufacturer does things a little bit differently.
Typically, when the DRL light is on, the computer has identified a problem. The DRL light will turn on briefly after you turn on the engine or until you let off the parking brake. After the system confirms that everything is operating as planned, this light should turn off. Usually, a bad light bulb is to blame, although relays and fuses in the circuit might also result in problems. To alert the motorist when the lights are on, be in mind that certain systems will leave this warning light on.
Do DRLs deplete a car’s battery?
Do you mean that the battery drains because the Day Running Light (DRL) function in the BS4 headlamp is always on when the car is running? The answer is no. It uses LED lamps, whose power to effect the battery is extremely low. You can still get it fixed or replaced if a problem arises while it is still under warranty.
Battery drain while operation is a concern. You may request a new battery while still covered by warranty.
Yes, however you won’t notice much of a difference if you replace the little parking bulbs in your headlight with LED ones.
How can my DRL light be fixed?
It’s simple to check if your headlights, fog lights, or taillights are broken. To check if they are operating, you simply turn on the switch. However, the switch for the daytime running lights is not always present. If the weather is not sunny, checking the DRL is the simplest task.
Examine the ambient light sensor.
The dash contains the ambient light sensor. It utilizes automatic lighting features, reads the ambient light, and determines whether to switch on the headlights or the daytime running lights depending on how dark it is outside.
The sensor, which may or may not be in the center of the dash, resembles a half-dome.
Make sure there are no obstructions blocking the ambient light sensor by checking. If something is blocking it, the sensor won’t be able to detect the light, the DRL won’t function, and the headlights will wear out more quickly as a result.
If it’s not sunny outside, shine a very strong light on the sensor to examine it. A flashlight could still be required if bright lights inside a building or in a place like a garage are insufficiently bright.
Check to see if the headlights are off with the key turned on and the flashlight over the sensor. When there is light on the ambient sensor, the headlights shouldn’t switch on, indicating that the sensor is functioning.
With a helper, check to see if the DRLs are on.
When the transmission is in Drive, Reverse, or Neutral, the DRL will activate. Having a helper keep an eye on the headlights while you are doing this is beneficial. Chock the wheels if you don’t have a helper to prevent the car from rolling away.
For the DRL to turn on in some vehicles, the engine must be running, while in others, the e-brake must be released.
Check to determine if the DRL are functioning while the car is in an environment where they will activate.
Check the bulb, socket, and switch if only one DRL is functioning.
One daytime running light that is the only one not functioning most likely has a burned-out bulb or a faulty switch. If the bulb is black or the filament is burned out, which indicates that it needs to be changed, remove the socket from the lamp.
Check to determine if the socket burned or melted because DRL can operate for a very long time; if so, replace it. Check for melting at the bulb’s contact point.
DRL lights are they automated?
When the engine is running, daytime running lights (DRLs), which are mounted on the front of cars, automatically turn on. Additionally known as daytime running lights.
The objective of the DRL, which should not be mistaken with headlights, is not to improve visibility for drivers on the road or around them. The DRLs’ primary objective is to improve how well other drivers can see your car on the road.
DRLs are frequently manufactured using LED lights rather than halogen headlight bulbs because they are not intended to illuminate the road. LED DRLs emit a bright white light, are energy-efficient, and have a long lifespan.
Can DRL be used at night?
DRLs are essentially bright, low-powered lights that operate continuously while your car is running and are already a familiar sight on British roads. They typically use LED technology. The goal is to make it simpler for other road users, like vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians, to recognize your presence on the road. LED DRLs are typically fitted into a car’s headlight clusters and stand apart from the dipped beam lights.
They are separate because, although being brighter than traditional dipped lights, they shouldn’t be utilized while driving at night because of the increased risk of blinding oncoming vehicles. Due to this and the absence of daytime running lights at the rear of the vehicle, DRLs should never be utilized in place of dipped headlights in low light situations. The rear of your automobile won’t be illuminated at all unless you turn on your headlights when the light levels start to decline.
How should daylight running lights be colored?
We shall first define each of these lights’ precise meanings before revealing how city light, low beam, and daytime running lights differ from one another.
Driving light
When an automobile is parked in a dark street, city lights are turned on to illuminate the area. It is not recommended to use these lights while driving. It should emit white or yellow light.
Low beam
When visibility is poor, such as when it is dark out, dipping-beam headlamps must be activated. These lights are also known as “standard” lights. These lights improve road surface illumination and increase vehicle visibility. These lights are not just for usage at night. These lights can be utilized not just at night but also in low light during the day. Consider a downpour. You must disable your dipped headlights before using your front fog lights. Are your lights automated? the following day, take close attention. In the nighttime, dipping-beam headlamps will automatically turn on; this does not happen during the day. As a result, always make sure your dipped headlights are on when there is low visibility during the day. White or yellow light must be produced by diplights.
Daytime running lights
As was noted earlier, daytime running lights increase a vehicle’s visibility throughout the day. You and other drivers are safer on the road as a result. Use daylight running lights responsibly. In low visibility, it does not take the place of dipped headlights and fog lights. Daytime running lights can only be white, unlike city lights and dipped headlights. Although they are not required, daytime running lights will make your situation safer.
The difference
Conclusion:
- When parking in a dark street, you should only use your parking lights.
- Daytime running lights increase the visibility of your car during the day.
- When vision is low, both during the day and at night, such as when it is pouring, dipping beams must be employed.
What hues are permitted for daytime running lights?
This week, I got an email asking if there was a legislation that forbade cars from having blue LED front lights. Yes, such a legislation exists.
White or amber is the only color that may be legally displayed on a vehicle’s front, including the headlights, turn signals, and running lights. Only red or amber tail/brake lights and amber turn signals are permitted to be visible at the rear. No other hues are authorized, and it is also prohibited to equip any bulb with a permissible color that can be seen from a prohibited angle.
Lighting is illegal if it interferes with the driver’s vision or has the potential to be distracting. Any additional colors that are fitted on the car must be hidden and unlit when it is on the road or in a public space.