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Dicky1961

Member Since: 25 Mar 2022
Location: South Yorkshire
Posts: 144

J77 wrote:
DRLs and side lights are the same thing on premium and matrix vehicles, only difference is if the rear lights are on or not

They aren’t the same for the reason forest172 said, but the whole point about this topic is you can’t manually select the sidelights and drive, you can only select them for parking.
Personally I want to be able to use my lights as and when I see the need to.
In certain lighting conditions ( not dark enough for headlights) the auto system puts the lights on and off “Willy Nilly” and for short sporadic periods.
There are times when I think I need sidelights on but the car doesn’t sense it needs any lights on, and times when the car puts the headlights on and I’m thinking why!!!
Auto lights are fine, but there’s times that I want to be in charge.
Sidelights have always been a basic function of a car.

26th Sep 2022 6:35pm

blackwolf

Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17333

2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey

I'm so glad I'm not the only person who has zero tolerance for cars which refuse to allow legal and sensible use of sidelights. I'm also very intolerant of people who on learning this tell me "you shouldn't drive on sidelights alone"! There's a word for these people but this is a family friendly forum.

How can you remain legal when reversing during the hours of darkness in a modern vehicle with auto headlights? I've not yet met a car designed by someone smart enough to turn off the headlights when reverse gear is selected. How does a software engineer in some European factory know more about my driving conditions than I do. Ridiculous. How do these systems get through type approval?

Has the world gone entirely mad?

26th Sep 2022 7:47pm

Defendit..

Member Since: 09 Aug 2020
Location: 's-Hertogenbosch
Posts: 421

So after almost 18 months, this problem isn't solved yet. See my earlier post.

https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic77970.html

In the CCF this should be changeable, who can take a look ?

By the way, for me sidelights are the American Orange and Red lights on the left and right side of the car. No Mud flaps for my 90.!
-----------------------------------------
P300 S MY21 on air, adv.+ offroad pack, DRL+fog, Dinamica Suedecloth + Ebony headliner/Cross Beam- Many Mods..

29th Sep 2022 6:51am

LR Nuts

Member Since: 10 Aug 2022
Location: UK
Posts: 1092

" ...... for me sidelights are the American Orange and Red lights on the left and right side of the car."

That may be your view, the Orange and Red lamps ...... are Marker Lamps, not side lamps.

I had them fitted on a Disco 300 I had years ago.

I also had the Orange and Red (front and rear side facing) lamps working on my Disco 2 Td5.

Further I added a Red (rear side facing) lamp to a FL2.

I believe side lamps, marker lamps and DRL are all getting confused, or integrated ??

29th Sep 2022 9:19am

forest172

Member Since: 01 Nov 2012
Location: derbyshire
Posts: 355

2013 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 SW Santorini Black

I`ve just taken delivery of a D250 HT and you can turn the sidelights on and turn auto off. It then doesn't override your choice 2015 90SW Heritage MY16, 2016 90SW XS MY16 (123rd b4 the last build) & RRS HSE MY15

10th Oct 2022 11:23am

Dicky1961

Member Since: 25 Mar 2022
Location: South Yorkshire
Posts: 144

Finally got an answer from LR regarding my sidelights problem.

“Sorry sir you cannot manually select the sidelights to come on and stay on, and It’s not something that can be configured either. You’ll just have to live with it”

Utter rubbish design.

13th Jan 2023 9:47pm

forest172

Member Since: 01 Nov 2012
Location: derbyshire
Posts: 355

My my22 90HT had a dealer update and now I can use the sidelights as you would expect 2015 90SW Heritage MY16, 2016 90SW XS MY16 (123rd b4 the last build) & RRS HSE MY15

13th Jan 2023 9:50pm

Dicky1961

Member Since: 25 Mar 2022
Location: South Yorkshire
Posts: 144

Hi forest172, can you give me any guidance as to what the update involved with your car?
Does your car have the premium led’s the same as mine?
Seems ridiculous that one dealership can and another can’t solve the problem.

Cheers Dick

13th Jan 2023 9:59pm

forest172

Member Since: 01 Nov 2012
Location: derbyshire
Posts: 355

Yeah I have signature DRL, not matrix. My car asked for an early oil change so I took it and they said it also needed an update. I’ve never mentioned the sidelight problem. But since it’s been in I can now turn the side lights on and drive just with those on. Before the car used to keep changing to lights on / DRLs on if I turned the sidelights on manually. Something definitely different 2015 90SW Heritage MY16, 2016 90SW XS MY16 (123rd b4 the last build) & RRS HSE MY15

13th Jan 2023 10:03pm

Dicky1961

Member Since: 25 Mar 2022
Location: South Yorkshire
Posts: 144

Thanks for that. I’ll have to try again next time I’m in the service department.

13th Jan 2023 11:11pm

steam_simon

Member Since: 24 Sep 2022
Location: London
Posts: 82

blackwolf wrote:
I'm so glad I'm not the only person who has zero tolerance for cars which refuse to allow legal and sensible use of sidelights. I'm also very intolerant of people who on learning this tell me "you shouldn't drive on sidelights alone"! There's a word for these people but this is a family friendly forum.

How can you remain legal when reversing during the hours of darkness in a modern vehicle with auto headlights? I've not yet met a car designed by someone smart enough to turn off the headlights when reverse gear is selected. How does a software engineer in some European factory know more about my driving conditions than I do. Ridiculous. How do these systems get through type approval?

Has the world gone entirely mad?

Spot on, and yes.

15th Jan 2023 9:04pm

JonathanP

Member Since: 01 Jun 2024
Location: Barnard Castle
Posts: 22

1998 Defender 90 300 Tdi SW Caledonian Blue

Hi

Just to let you know my 110 D250 X Dynamic SE ( according to Topix with Headlamps, Matrix LED, Signature ) Manufacture July 2023 but is a 24MY, still has Side lights that are switched off when the DRL's come on. I bought it as an ex demonstrator on 06 June 2024, apparently with the latest software, but managed to use the infotainment system to do another update to the car last week and it still switches the side lights off.

No idea how to keep them on. You can see the green warning lamp on the dash switch off after you have driven a very short distance. The rear lights switching off have been witnessed on separate occasions by my wife and I as the car is driven down our street

19th Jun 2024 10:31am

LR Nuts

Member Since: 10 Aug 2022
Location: UK
Posts: 1092

I have posted this before on a different thread......

What you require is to cut into the rear lamp cluster, where you will find a 5-wire cable form that links the two circuit boards which control the smaller and larger lamps.

I can NOT advise anyone to do the same, as if you don't know what you are doing you could destroy both sets of lamp clusters.

Sorry.

Click image to enlarge

19th Jun 2024 4:08pm

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