'09 Headlight Settings - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

jbuffethed · 01-25-2012, 10:01 AM

Hey, I'm new here, but I've had my '09 HL base for a year and love it to death.

I noticed with my headlight switch I have the following settings (from memory):

- Off
- Auto DRL
- Parking Lights
- Headlights

I noticed that when I have my parking lights on with the vehicle off, the headlights are off. When I start the truck and turn on the parking lights, the headlights are on as well.

I would light the option of having just the parking lights. I live on a military base and we have to dim the headlights when entering the base. I have to turn my lights all the way off instead of just going to parking lights.

I know there are settings that can be adjusted at the dealer and was wondering if anyone has dealt with the dealer for this or what it may run price wise before I call.

Thanks for the help.

jbuffethed

***sweeneyp*** · 01-25-2012, 10:45 AM

to TN.
Its your DRL's causing them to be on while the parking lights are on. Its a setting the dealer can change. All they have to do is plug a computer into the car and change it. A few people here have done that. If you have a good relationship with your dealership they will probably do it for free. Its just one of the "customizable settings" on the car.

dtown40 · 01-25-2012, 12:28 PM

I didn't think that DRLs were that bright to begin with.

nick1sp · 01-25-2012, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dtown40

I didn't think that DRLs were that bright to begin with.

there's almost no difference between DRLs and regular... really sux.

***sweeneyp*** · 01-25-2012, 01:06 PM

yep DRL's are like 80% voltage to the low beams

jbuffethed · 01-25-2012, 01:19 PM

Yeah, I dont really notice too much difference between DRL and low beams. I just want the option of parking lights. I have only been to this dealer once, so we will see what happens.

JMSinMD · 01-26-2012, 03:55 PM

On my old Camry there was a DRL 'box' that I was able to disconnect under the hood to prevent this.

kingnba6 · 01-26-2012, 04:18 PM

yeah on the older cars i was able to bypass the DRLs but still have auto on lights for when the night comes. i really hate drls. in my HL i just use off and on. most of the time i dont use parking lights but i would prefer the parking lights only work as parking lights and not turn on the drls too

kingnba6 · 01-26-2012, 04:19 PM

i remember a long time ago when i was looking into changing the settings on cars, i think if you have some good sources you can even download a program and connect it with your odb connector and change them yourself

rcan1015 · 02-05-2012, 11:27 PM

I've had my 2012 base HL for six weeks now and have these settings:

- DRL Off
- Auto
- Parking Lights
- Headlights

I haven't had a vehicle with this setup. If I always leave it on 'Auto', does that mean the dash sensor determines whether to just have DRL or to switch to headlights when it gets darker? I've played around during the daylight hours and don't see much difference. On page 205 of the owners manual it has a paragraph that starts with "when only the tail lights come on..." How can this even happen? Is there a way to make only the tail lights come on?

Thanks,
Richard

***sweeneyp*** · 02-06-2012, 12:08 AM

on auto, its going to run the DRL's until darkness trips the main headlights to come on.
DRL off will set everything off, no auto, nothing. they will remain off until you turn them on.
Parking ligths will turn on your taillights (along with your front parking lights and DRL's(if you still have them enabled))
and headlight is self-explanatory

rcan1015 · 02-07-2012, 09:16 PM

Spoke with a Toyota mechanic who told me that the DRL are the high beams at about 80%. When the DRL are on the tail lights are off. He couldn't explain the statement in the manual about "when only the tail lights come on...". Thanks for your explanation.

***05Moose*** · 02-08-2012, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweeneyp

to TN.
Its your DRL's causing them to be on while the parking lights are on. Its a setting the dealer can change. All they have to do is plug a computer into the car and change it. A few people here have done that. If you have a good relationship with your dealership they will probably do it for free. Its just one of the "customizable settings" on the car.

Hey sweeny, thanks for pointing this out.

I discovered the DRL on with parking lights this past Christmas when trying to drive thru the Christmas Light streets (the kind you can either walk or drive with your headlights off). It's safer to have the parking lights on (so tails and side markers are on) but the DRLs stayed on forcing me to go totally dark. Not safe at all IMO. So I had them modify our DRL settings on our last visit. It hadn't occurred to me until reading your post that it could be modified.

jbuffethed · 02-08-2012, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 05Moose

Hey sweeny, thanks for pointing this out.

I discovered the DRL on with parking lights this past Christmas when trying to drive thru the Christmas Light streets (the kind you can either walk or drive with your headlights off). It's safer to have the parking lights on (so tails and side markers are on) but the DRLs stayed on forcing me to go totally dark. Not safe at all IMO. So I had them modify our DRL settings on our last visit. It hadn't occurred to me until reading your post that it could be modified.

Did the dealer charge you to make the change? I haven't had a chance to contact them and have only been to this dealer once since owning the HL.

***05Moose*** · 02-08-2012, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbuffethed

Did the dealer charge you to make the change? I haven't had a chance to contact them and have only been to this dealer once since owning the HL.

No because I'm still in the 3yr/36K mile factory warranty. During the original warranty period, you can have them do almost anything for free (except on things like brakes which are only covered for 12mo/12K miles).