Is it a good idea to have both DRL and Headlights on at night? - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

Weeber · 11-13-2013, 07:02 AM

First of all I have tried to search on how I can do this ( have DRL and Headlights dual running at night) but found nothing, how is it done?

Also will it drain the battery quicker? or else why would it be like this from the factory?

Thanks!

nalc · 11-13-2013, 08:01 AM

Unsafe, useless, and almost certainly illegal.

DRLs are not headlights. They are designed with a very different purpose in mind. They exist to let other cars see you, not to help you see. They have no beam pattern to speak of, so they don't put any light down the road, they just create a blob of light immediately in front of you. This does two things - it washes out the foreground so that you can't see as well, and it creates glare to oncoming traffic.

They're two different sets of lights designed for two very different functions, and that's why Subaru specifically designed the car to prevent you from doing that.

BRZfan · 11-13-2013, 08:18 AM

A question that the OP should already know.- assuming he/she is over eighteen. NALC's response should be a final answer. Right on!

daiheadjai · 11-13-2013, 10:46 AM

I was under the impression that you can't have them both on at the same time anyway?

My DRLs go off when the auto headlamps kick in...

chrisl · 11-13-2013, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nalc

Unsafe, useless, and almost certainly illegal.

DRLs are not headlights. They are designed with a very different purpose in mind. They exist to let other cars see you, not to help you see. They have no beam pattern to speak of, so they don't put any light down the road, they just create a blob of light immediately in front of you. This does two things - it washes out the foreground so that you can't see as well, and it creates glare to oncoming traffic.

They're two different sets of lights designed for two very different functions, and that's why Subaru specifically designed the car to prevent you from doing that.

This isn't universally true (though it is true on the BRZ). On my Outback, for example, the DRLs are the exact same lights as the headlights, with the same beam pattern and even the same bulb, just run at a lower intensity.

husker741 · 11-13-2013, 12:32 PM

My DRL strip where the fog lights go on my FR-S dim when the headlights come on. It's DOT approved if they dim.

Weeber · 11-13-2013, 07:07 PM

so this is illegal?

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=m...2F%3B530%3B397

I swear I see many cars who have both DRL and headlights on during the night time

nalc · 11-13-2013, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weeber

so this is illegal?

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=m...2F%3B530%3B397

I swear I see many cars who have both DRL and headlights on during the night time

No, but they dim them significantly. Ours don't dim, and they create too much glare to be operated at night.

11-13-2013, 07:02 AM	#1
Weeber Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Drives: BRZ Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 83 Thanks: 41 Thanked 13 Times in 6 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Is it a good idea to have both DRL and Headlights on at night? First of all I have tried to search on how I can do this ( have DRL and Headlights dual running at night) but found nothing, how is it done? Also will it drain the battery quicker? or else why would it be like this from the factory? Thanks!

11-13-2013, 08:01 AM	#2
nalc Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Drives: 13 BRZ Limited 6MT GBS Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 415 Thanks: 181 Thanked 256 Times in 130 Posts Mentioned: 7 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Unsafe, useless, and almost certainly illegal. DRLs are not headlights. They are designed with a very different purpose in mind. They exist to let other cars see you, not to help you see. They have no beam pattern to speak of, so they don't put any light down the road, they just create a blob of light immediately in front of you. This does two things - it washes out the foreground so that you can't see as well, and it creates glare to oncoming traffic. They're two different sets of lights designed for two very different functions, and that's why Subaru specifically designed the car to prevent you from doing that. __________________ *nalc How to make physical switches for your BRZ HU How to take apart your whole interior

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11-13-2013, 08:18 AM	#3
BRZfan Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Drives: 2013BRZ Premium St Silver Metallic Location: USA Posts: 824 Thanks: 79 Thanked 212 Times in 156 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	A question that the OP should already know.- assuming he/she is over eighteen. NALC's response should be a final answer. Right on!

11-13-2013, 10:46 AM	#4
daiheadjai Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Drives: 2003 S2000, 2008 Fit Location: Toronto, ON, Canada Posts: 1,990 Thanks: 2,584 Thanked 1,154 Times in 688 Posts Mentioned: 3 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I was under the impression that you can't have them both on at the same time anyway? My DRLs go off when the auto headlamps kick in...

11-13-2013, 12:32 PM	#6
husker741 Banned Join Date: Feb 2013 Drives: 2013 Whiteout Scion FR-S 6MT Location: Gainesville, FL Posts: 3,272 Thanks: 1,278 Thanked 4,183 Times in 1,415 Posts Mentioned: 28 Post(s) Tagged: 2 Thread(s)	My DRL strip where the fog lights go on my FR-S dim when the headlights come on. It's DOT approved if they dim.

11-13-2013, 07:07 PM	#7
Weeber Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Drives: BRZ Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 83 Thanks: 41 Thanked 13 Times in 6 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	so this is illegal? https://www.google.com.au/search?q=m...2F%3B530%3B397 I swear I see many cars who have both DRL and headlights on during the night time

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