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Can You Run Your Parking Lights As Drl?

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HapHazard Enthusiast

HapHazard

Posted
Posted

"I don't think parking light laws have anything to do with DRLs."

 

"You are absolutely correct. They are two different animals."

 

Actually they do. If you run your "parking lamps" as your DRLs, then you have violated the law against operating the vehicle while moving using just the "parking" lamps. Unless you also have your headlights illuminated, it remains a violation, at least in CA. My son was recently stopped, but not ticketed, for driving his 1978 Cadillac Coupe de Ville with his parking lights on (during the day). The CHP told him he cannot do that, and that was the reason for the stop.

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C. Charles Hahn Senior Enthusiast

C. Charles Hahn

Posted
Posted
"I don't think parking light laws have anything to do with DRLs."

 

"You are absolutely correct. They are two different animals."

 

Actually they do. If you run your "parking lamps" as your DRLs, then you have violated the law against operating the vehicle while moving using just the "parking" lamps. Unless you also have your headlights illuminated, it remains a violation, at least in CA. My son was recently stopped, but not ticketed, for driving his 1978 Cadillac Coupe de Ville with his parking lights on (during the day). The CHP told him he cannot do that, and that was the reason for the stop.

 

I still want to know how this can be the law if there are vehicles that come from the factory using the amber lamps on the front of the vehicle as DRLs.

 

Perhaps the confusion here is that people think wiring the DRLs to use the front amber "turn signal" or "parking" lamps will also illuminate the tail lamps, which is simply not the case.

RayGMC Enthusiast

RayGMC

Posted
Posted
"I don't think parking light laws have anything to do with DRLs."

 

"You are absolutely correct. They are two different animals."

 

Actually they do. If you run your "parking lamps" as your DRLs, then you have violated the law against operating the vehicle while moving using just the "parking" lamps. Unless you also have your headlights illuminated, it remains a violation, at least in CA. My son was recently stopped, but not ticketed, for driving his 1978 Cadillac Coupe de Ville with his parking lights on (during the day). The CHP told him he cannot do that, and that was the reason for the stop.

 

I still want to know how this can be the law if there are vehicles that come from the factory using the amber lamps on the front of the vehicle as DRLs.

 

Perhaps the confusion here is that people think wiring the DRLs to use the front amber "turn signal" or "parking" lamps will also illuminate the tail lamps, which is simply not the case.

 

 

 

Exactly, I think there was more to this stop than just warning the driver about the lights. Sounds like a classic case of stereotyping.

  • 7 months later...
Scott02Z71 Enthusiast

Scott02Z71

Posted
Posted
Sorry the pictures are not the best I left my DSLR at home and I only have a POS camera at the shop.

 

I'm just going to give a brief rundown of what to do and the pics are in order to help you figure it out. I don't have time to write a proper how to right now. Perhaps someone who does the mod after me can do better.

 

This only applies to GMC's. I am pretty sure Chevy's are different but I never looked into it.

 

First remove the 4 - 13mm bolts holding the drivers side fender brace. It connects the fender to the firewall and is above the fuse panel. (Not shown)

 

Then remove the fuse panel cover (Not shown)

 

Next lift up the two handles to release the fuse panel

2.JPG

 

 

Completely remove the fuse panel to expose the plugs underneath

6.JPG

 

 

 

Gently release the 4 clips holding the X1 connector in place. The X1 is the grey one in the passenger front corner.

 

 

4.JPG

 

 

Next flip the harness over and you will see 2 brown wires in position F8 and F5. F8 goes to the left front park lamp and F5 goes to the front right.

 

5.JPG

 

 

Cut the 2 wires.

 

DSC06625%20(Large).JPG

 

 

Strip them and solder in a 6 amp diode to each wire. The band on the diode should be facing away from the fuse panels as shown. This isolates the front park lamps from the rest of the truck so when we supply power to them it doesn't feed back to the rest of the park lights.

 

DSC06626%20(Large).JPG

 

 

Next solder in 2 more 6 amd diodes as shown.

 

DSC06627%20(Large).JPG

 

Next cut the Dark Blue wire coming out of B3 of the X1.

 

DSC06630%20(Large).JPG

 

Next use I used 3m amalgumating tape and 3m electrical tape to seal up the connections, then twist the 2 remaining diodes together and solder the dark blue wire from B3 (fuse panel side) to 2 diodes.

 

DSC06629%20(Large).JPG

 

DSC06631%20(Large).JPG

 

 

Next seal up all your connections.

 

DSC06633%20(Large).JPG

 

 

Now put it all back together

 

DSC06635%20(Large).JPG

 

 

And here is the finished result. As you can see only the front park lamps are on when the DRL's are supposed to be on.

 

DSC06642%20(Large).JPG

DSC06641(Large).JPG

 

 

Here's a shot with the park lamps on to show you they work normally. You can see the rears are on because I have turned the park lamps on.

 

DSC06643%20(Large).JPG

 

 

 

And finally all my lights on at once :)

 

DSC06646%20(Large).JPG

 

 

I know the post is old, but did this have any effect on the turn signals? Meaning, do the turn signals work properly after the modification?

Also, any issues after doing this mod?

 

Getting ready to order me a new 2011 and am looking at putting together my modification list!

 

Thanks!

  • 4 weeks later...
OmarR Enthusiast

OmarR

Posted
Posted
OK, dmaxpower, I have to ask.... where did you get your 6A relays from?

 

I went in to Radio Shack today and all they had were 3A and smaller, and the auto parts stores I talked to looked at me like I was speaking in tongues when I asked if they had any 6A diodes....

 

Any Radio Shack should be able to obtain these:

 

6 amp diode

 

I know the info is a little late, but thought it could help others.

  • 6 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...
a42887 Enthusiast

a42887

Posted
Posted

I tried searching my hard drive and can't find anything saved on this. Does anyone by chance have the photos saved?

a42887 Enthusiast

a42887

Posted
Posted

Ok. So I found the pinout for the truck, and between the original photo-less instructions, my memory, and the diagrams, I have a guide attached. Please note, I am not good at writing for the layman and the guide is best suited for the electrically-inclined. Sadly, the electrically-inclined could likely come up with the same information as I typed out on their own given the same information. Alas, this is the best I can provide, hopefully someone can 'translate' this into a guide 'for dummies' per se. Please note, I put the diodes in a project box, ran wires out the side of the project box, and used hot glue to waterproof the project box. So, all I had was five wires to be soldered to the wires listed, not the actual diodes themselves. I would recommend this route. However, it does work just fine either way.

Instructions.pdf

Instructions.pdf

Instructions.pdf

Instructions.pdf

badfnz Enthusiast

badfnz

Posted
Posted

Like stated above, does this affect the turn signals at all? If the parking lights are illuminated when the truck is on, how is power interrupted when the blinker is put on?

a42887 Enthusiast

a42887

Posted
Posted
Like stated above, does this affect the turn signals at all? If the parking lights are illuminated when the truck is on, how is power interrupted when the blinker is put on?

 

This is the same as parking lights being on. The lights will flash brighter when you turn the turn signal on, just like at night. The difference is that only the front lights come on in the turn signal area instead of the turn signal area, the far edges of the headlight, and the tail lights. Turn signals work just fine.

  • 4 months later...
jtupper Enthusiast

jtupper

Posted
Posted

Quick question. I know this is an old thread, but what do you do with the other side of the dark blue (B3) wire that you cut? Do you just leave it?

  • 3 years later...

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