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Home > General & Technical (L663) > Auto lights - switching off when they shouldn't?

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LR Nuts

Member Since: 10 Aug 2022
Location: UK
Posts: 1156

LR Nuts wrote:
.

.......I have a spare pair of the LED rear lamps for the L663, they are more difficult as everything is enclosed and sealed. It might be easier to drill the rear DRLs in the fog lamp cluster, although these are lower level lamps than I would like. I have a spare set of those also. Time to go in the workshop and play

Been at the bench today and worked out the wiring to give REAR DRLs. I have them working. You will need to have trained in gynaecology to get at the two wires needed, after drilling into the red plastic upper filter. NOT a job for the faint-hearted.

There are 5 connections of the interlink cable between the Main PCB (larger one) and the Secondly PCB (smaller one).
Two wires need to be cut and joined together with a third lead, which will then connect to an ignition positive feed from the boot fuse box.

I have only done this test on a spare lamp cluster. Will do the clusters on my vehicle when I get the time. Then I will take step-by-step photos.

Click image to enlarge

It's the lower two of the black wires that need cut.

Click image to enlarge

This gives you Rear DRLs

Click image to enlarge

Then DRLs plus sidelamps.

Remember when ignition is 'on' so will the DRLs be 'on', when ignition is 'off' you ONLY get side lamps on larger lamps.

I may fit a relay so when ignition 'off', ALL rear side lamps are 'on', when they should be.

25th Sep 2023 4:38pm

Moo

Member Since: 01 Oct 2021
Location: UK
Posts: 1407

That's impressive. Really keen to do this.

Eiger Grey MY23 D250 SE with bits. Known as Noddy.

25th Sep 2023 4:47pm

Retroanaconda

Member Since: 04 Jan 2012
Location: Scotland
Posts: 2656

Can’t you just put your lights on manually in those situations where the automatic function isn’t appropriate?

25th Sep 2023 5:12pm

LR Nuts

Member Since: 10 Aug 2022
Location: UK
Posts: 1156

sadly not.

LR decided what they, not the customer, thought was wise.

25th Sep 2023 6:49pm

Retroanaconda

Member Since: 04 Jan 2012
Location: Scotland
Posts: 2656

I don’t understand, why not?

Just today I turned my lights on manually as I was in mist and then low sunlight. They stayed on for the whole journey, and don’t switch off automatically.

25th Sep 2023 7:01pm

blackwolf

Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17459

2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey

I abhor the current trend to make it impossible to drive with sidelights and not headlights, and have trouble understanding how even a moron can think it is a good idea.

It is, for example, illegal to have your headlights on whilst reversing and yet it is no longer possible to reverse at night legally. Not to mention that if you regularly drive on single track roads where reversing significant distances due to oncoming vehicles is a frequent occurrence, reversing with your headlight blazing at the vehicle you are giving way to is both inconsiderate and offensive.

Unfortunately we seem now to inhabit a world where important decisions and laws are made by people who lack the cognitive bandwidth to make any decisions of consequence. It seems to be getting worse with every passing year.

25th Sep 2023 7:18pm

Retroanaconda

Member Since: 04 Jan 2012
Location: Scotland
Posts: 2656

But it’s not impossible. If I turn the headlights off and just have the sidelights on they stay that way for quite a while, more than enough time to reverse to a passing place for example. I live 10 miles down a single track road and do it regularly in the winter.

I do completely agree that it would be much better to just have full control over what the lights do, but there’s a lot of misplaced drama here given they will actually do what people are wanting.

25th Sep 2023 8:11pm

blackwolf

Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17459

For clarity I have no experience with the new Defender, I was basing my comment on what was in the thread plus my own experiences with other modern cars (VW/Audi/Skoda) which won't let you drive on sidelights if it is dark.

25th Sep 2023 8:51pm

Moo

Member Since: 01 Oct 2021
Location: UK
Posts: 1407

blackwolf wrote:

Unfortunately we seem now to inhabit a world where important decisions and laws are made by people who lack the cognitive bandwidth to make any decisions of consequence. It seems to be getting worse with every passing year.

In so many ways.

Eiger Grey MY23 D250 SE with bits. Known as Noddy.

25th Sep 2023 8:56pm

Retroanaconda

Member Since: 04 Jan 2012
Location: Scotland
Posts: 2656

Dicky1961 wrote:
Yes that’s right, there is a sidelights position on the stalk, if you select sidelights and then pull away in the car, when you reach about 10pm they will go out and revert to front drl’s only. If you select sidelights whilst already driving they will stop on for a while until the car decides to revert back to drl’s only or until you stop and then pull away again then the car reverts to drl’s only. So by default there is not an option for sidelights.

This is not correct. I tested it this morning, pulled off the drive and turned the switch to the sidelights position, at which point the sidelights came on and remained on for the whole of my 40 mile drive to work.

In a situation where it’s dark enough for the headlights to be needed it will turn them back on after a while (as I described above) but in daylight conditions it will quite happily sit with side lights only for as long as you want.

27th Sep 2023 8:57am

Dicky1961

Member Since: 25 Mar 2022
Location: South Yorkshire
Posts: 145

Dicky1961 wrote:
Yes that’s right, there is a sidelights position on the stalk, if you select sidelights and then pull away in the car, when you reach about 10pm they will go out and revert to front drl’s only. If you select sidelights whilst already driving they will stop on for a while until the car decides to revert back to drl’s only or until you stop and then pull away again then the car reverts to drl’s only. So by default there is not an option for sidelights.

Hi Retroanaconda, I can assure you that how I have described my cars behaviour is exactly how it behaves.
I have been back to the dealership with this and the technicians have been out in it and they don’t have any answers. JLR say it can’t be changed. I just drive with them set to auto now. Don’t like it just lump it.

27th Sep 2023 9:25am

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