handbrake turns off daytime runing lights - can it be disabled?

[roryhewitt]

Dear all,

Does anyone know exactly where the relay is which turns off the daytime
running lights (DRL's) when the handbrake is applied.

I live in San Francisco which is, as you probably know, pretty damned
hilly. Consequently, I quite often need to use the handbrake on hills
to avoid rolling backwards (common practice when driving a manual
transmission, but not as common with automatics). However, when I do
this, it looks to the guy in front like I'm flashing my lights at them.

Is there any way to disable this 'feature'? I'm assuming it's a simple
relay somewhere near the handbrake lever, but I'm not sure.

Thanks,

Rory

p.s. I have a 2002 Outback Sport

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

Dear all,

Does anyone know exactly where the relay is which turns off the daytime
running lights (DRL's) when the handbrake is applied.

I live in San Francisco which is, as you probably know, pretty damned
hilly. Consequently, I quite often need to use the handbrake on hills
to avoid rolling backwards (common practice when driving a manual
transmission, but not as common with automatics). However, when I do
this, it looks to the guy in front like I'm flashing my lights at them.

Is there any way to disable this 'feature'? I'm assuming it's a simple
relay somewhere near the handbrake lever, but I'm not sure.

Thanks,

Rory

p.s. I have a 2002 Outback Sport

One idea would be to leave your headlights on. They will go off when the
car is turned off.

or look around here;

http://www.lightsout.org/disable.html


Carl

 

[mulder]

Dear all,

Does anyone know exactly where the relay is which turns off the daytime
running lights (DRL's) when the handbrake is applied.

I live in San Francisco which is, as you probably know, pretty damned
hilly. Consequently, I quite often need to use the handbrake on hills
to avoid rolling backwards (common practice when driving a manual
transmission, but not as common with automatics). However, when I do
this, it looks to the guy in front like I'm flashing my lights at them.

Is there any way to disable this 'feature'? I'm assuming it's a simple
relay somewhere near the handbrake lever, but I'm not sure.

Thanks,

Rory

p.s. I have a 2002 Outback Sport

If you look in the passenger kick panel area next to the glove box,
you will see a 10-pin rectangular connector plugged into a module.
That is the DRL control unit. If you unplug that connector the DRL
function will be disabled and the headlights will come on only when
you turn on the headlight switch.
It may be easier to find the connector if you remove the glovebox.
With the glovebox out you can easily see the module itself, it will
have a sticker on the side that says "Unit DRL".