Disabling Daytime Running Lights (DRL)

flyin99 · September 23, 2015

It's a purplish pink wire with a stripe if I recall correctly. It's also very thin since it only carries current for the parking lamps-I think it was 20 awg. It's probably easier to identify it as the wire that connects to the fat yellow wire on the other side of the plug (the headlight plug). Anyways I cut the wire, joined it with an 18 awg wire to signal my relay using a butt splice and heat shrink.

I should add you only need 1 relay if you have an HID kit as most HID kits are single input for signal. Because I'm switching the signal wire going to the HID relays I'm not really load carrying so I'm not affecting voltage drop by using one relay/circuit.

So I can get this through my head......lol. From the relay, I'm grounding 85, t off of parking lamp POS wire to 86 and then cut Low beam wire and have one end on 87 then the other on 30.......correct? I'll have to use two relays, I guess, as I'm not using HIDs. Thanks!

RobZ71LM7 · September 23, 2015

So I can get this through my head......lol. From the relay, I'm grounding 85, t off of parking lamp POS wire to 86 and then cut Low beam wire and have one end on 87 then the other on 30.......correct? I'll have to use two relays, I guess, as I'm not using HIDs. Thanks!

86 parking light

85 ground

87 low beam

30 low beam

87a (if applicable-not used)

Yes, two relays one for each side.

flyin99 · September 23, 2015

86 parking light

85 ground

87 low beam

30 low beam

87a (if applicable-not used)

Yes, two relays one for each side.

Appreciate it!

emailj · October 13, 2015

If G (wire) in the headlight plug runs the DRLs, couldn't you install a diode in that wire to render them off all the time..........or (cut the wire and tape it up, if you desire)....?

Also, the wiring manual shows G to be the wire on both plugs (right/left)....

This is what I was wondering, anyone try it? Guessing too simple or too good to be true.

Potts · October 13, 2015

I didn't have time to read this but I'm pretty positive my DRL turn off on my Silverado if I just turn off the automatic headlights function.

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dbcooper748 · October 14, 2015

I didn't have time to read this but I'm pretty positive my DRL turn off on my Silverado if I just turn off the automatic headlights function.

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Mine stay off with auto turned off, until i put mine in gear

Potts · October 14, 2015

Mine stay off with auto turned off, until i put mine in gear

Oh, maybe that's it. I'll have to check my reflection next time I can to see if they are on when auto is off. Didn't think about that.

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RobZ71LM7 · October 14, 2015

I liked the DRL's until I got HID's. It just adds too many cycles to the ballasts and bulbs. I also found it annoying they went off in park. Imagine being in a drive thru or long line and going in and out of park. I'm looking for a clean way to possibly add Osram LED DRL's to my truck.

Potts · October 16, 2015

Mine stay off with auto turned off, until i put mine in gear

I checked my reflection behind another vehicle, and when I turn off my auto lights my DRL are NOT on. I have a 2015

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morrislee · October 20, 2015

I checked my reflection behind another vehicle, and when I turn off my auto lights my DRL are NOT on. I have a 2015

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They are depended on where the vehicle was sold. Canadian ones definitely wont turn off. there is DRL forced on during day time, mains are forced on during night.

xtremespeed2102 · October 30, 2015

Has anyone successfully turned off their DRLs via the BCM?

xtremespeed2102 · November 3, 2015

I just completed the relay mod yesterday. It cost me all of $20 for a waterproof relay. I tapped into the parking light power and used it to signal the relay. The relay simply completes or opens the circuit between my factory low beam signal and the HID kit relays. Everything now works like stock Auto, Off, Parking, Parking & Headlights, the only difference is that the DRL's never come on.

The best part is without DRL's I've now been able to get rid of my capacitor thus simplifying the setup. And now I'm not cycling my expensive HID's everytime I start the truck and go from drive to park.

When you use a turn signal or hazards, do your Headlights flash?

RobZ71LM7 · November 3, 2015

When you use a turn signal or hazards, do your Headlights flash?

Nope. Parking light circuit is low brightness and not the same as the turn signal circuit.

Cowpie · November 16, 2015

What is totally stupid is now GM shoves this DRL and Auto headlight stuff at buyers who don't want it (and are forced to pay for it) and make it a PITA to do anything about it. It is not a government requirement (U.S.) and I detest some nanny stuff using the at risk fallacy that someone, somewhere is too stupid to turn their lights on when it is prudent to do so, therefore the OEM has to force everyone to do it 24 hrs a day. I think with well over 5 million miles as a commercial truck driver with no vehicle accidents, I have figured out the best time to run lights and when I don't need them. And I don't like lights coming on at night or low light when dealing with livestock in the field or hunting. I have learned to understand that the OEM's do not build pickups to actually do anything but be cars on steroids and basic transportation on hard roads. Heck, everything that a pickup would actually be used for (and advertised and marketed to do) is considered severe service in the manual. The OEM's figure that the only thing a pickup will be used for is a daily go to work vehicle or grocery getter, and only used to haul a lawn mower to a repair shop. And they think that all their customers are a bunch of rubes who cannot figure out what a headlight switch is for. Of course, there are those folks, but the nanny state "at risk" fallacy permeates the OEM mindset.