Yeti Owners Club banner

Day time running lights

6K views 30 replies 12 participants last post by  Trilux 
#1 ·
Good morning to you all from a Dutch guy in Portugal!

Question: Would it be possible to turn on the back lights in combination with the front lights? (as daytime running lights)

Yeti 1.6D 2014

TIA
 
#2 ·
Welcome.

Simple answer is no. There is no function to connect DRLs and rear lights and the options that can be changed by VCDS or Carista only seem to be changing the front DRL lamps to be front fog lamps or low beam lamps. There is probably a reason DRLs are only at the front and maybe someone will explain why if there is.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GFYeti
#3 ·
There is probably a reason DRLs are only at the front and maybe someone will explain why if there is.
I seem to recall (but could be wrong, it has been known), that when first introduced as a safety measure on later editions of Volvo’s 240 series cars, that DRLs were indeed on all four corners. White at the front, red at the rear. Just a slightly brighter / higher wattage version of side or “position” lamps. Somewhere along the line, before national legislation that made them increasingly mandatory in more markets, the concept was transmuted into just front lights.

Dunno what the logic was or is? Could it perhaps be linked with some legislators confusing rear DRLs with brake lights? When they were first introduced? Although that idea begs the question why don’t those same people get confused at night?
 
#4 ·
My first TTRS had only front DRLs but there was an option in VCDS to select 'Scandinavian Mode' which I did for a trip to Norway. Then I left it like that until I sold it.

On my second TTRS the standard arrangement was front DRLs with the rear lights on. This one does have a narrow third brake light across the full width of the boot lid though; and there are options shown in VCDS for its brightness and whether it flashes under some specific conditions.

Maybe it's possible to activate the rear lights by using a relay switched by a supply from the front DRLs and activating a standalone supply from some convenient point or the battery via a separate fuse. I'm not sure if such a hack would cause any issues either with the canbus system or the lights themselves.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GFYeti
#5 ·
Doing a bit more reading and can see that Portugal was an early adopter and it has been a EC requirement for new cars from 2012. As Bryetian says some cars have rear drls as well but this is not a requirement. Interestingly the UK has never introduced a rule requiring DRLs (according to the AA) so after Jan 2021 maybe it will be removed from the MoT test.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GFYeti
#6 ·
The idea of DRL's was that people could see the car coming and they were brighter than normal sidelights. I expect that it was front lights only because at the time it was not economically possible to get the existing rear lights to behave as required.
My father in law had a Volvo with DRL's and when he went through France/Holland/Germany he was made to remove the fuse so they did not light. In 2012 it was a requirement that DRL's were fitted but they did not have to be lit.
 
#12 ·
Kribble - I take that as being part of the EU, or in transition, that they are law within the UK but there is no separate UK legislation that has been passed to make them mandatory on new vehicles. What is quoted is a European Directive which I presume no longer applies after Jan 2021.

The thing I was curious about was if there was no law in force that requires them to be fitted in the UK would the MoT be allowed to fail you for it not working? An academic point perhaps.
 
#14 ·
Errr? The lower quote as I read it, rules out 100% of Yetis from that particular Test? Ceased production in 2017. Therefore presumably all first used prior to 01/03/2018.

So on all but post-Mar-2018 cars, you can have DRLs fitted but deactivated. Although why anyone want to deactivate them I don’t quite follow. Especially as I also understood the OP is about activating rear / tail lights as DRLs, as well as fronts. Sweden style.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GFYeti
#17 ·
Apologies, I seem to have taken this off course. back to the OPs question. Does anyone know if with VCDS you can set up any option that would activate rear lamps with front DRLs?
 
  • Like
Reactions: GFYeti
#18 ·
#21 ·
Had a play with OBDeleven today but couldn't see Scandinavian DRL's or similar. I did it on my old Passat.

So ran through a few other bits.
Close windows and sunroof on rain
Chirp when locking and unlocking
Drivers seat heat always remember
Passenger seat heat remember for 10 mins
Gauge needle sweep.
Teardrop wipers
 
#28 ·
Yes. My old Yeti was a 2013 and had the tail lights working at same time from new. Did 120000 miles.
Present Yeti is a 2016 model, purchased May 2019. Told/asked garage to sort out the tails lights, to be on at same time as any front lights as a condition of purchase. Which they did without problem.

Question: Would it be possible to turn on the back lights in combination with the front lights? (as daytime running lights)

Yeti 1.6D 2014

TIA
[/QUOTE]
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top