Yesterday, Thursday, November 3, 2005, is V-DRL Day :usa: for LX owners - the day the mystery as to why very few cars were able to have DRLs (Daytime Running Lights) enabled was finally solved.
Ever since DESIREE posted his success with having his DRLs enabled I've been trying to get mine to activate as well. Two visits to my very accomodating dealer, involving a total of 3 StarSCAN units and a couple dozen attempts were fruitless - DRLs showed enabled in starscan but would not function in real life.
Why would a few cars enable and others not was the mystery.
Last evening, as I was reviewing the list of changes to the latest CD update to starscan, version 6.03, the mystery was solved - the latest CD update to starscan, released 9/19/05 contained, among many other improvements, a fix to the DRL enablement option. Mystery solved: Those who had been successful had been enabled with an updated starscan unit, those of us for whom DRL enabling was a frustrating failure were using starscan units that were lacking the 6.03 update.
Today, at 7:15 AM Arizona time, with a starscan unit that proudly touted its 6.03 update in the upper RH corner, my tech & I successfully activated DRLs on my 300C. The process is simple: Enable, Disable, with accompanying tones & warnings lights, Enable. Done deal. Works good, lasts long time.
So head to your dealer with a dozen Krispy Kremes, a smile and "version 6.03 CD-only update" stenciled on your eyelid. You should come away a happy camper.
EDIT: DRL function details added:
With engine running, the DRLs will be illuminated anytime that the car's headlights are not on regardless of the position of the light switch, whether day or night. They cannot, in fact, be commanded off via the light switch, only replaced by head lamps.
Temporary disabling of DRLs:
Some owners have indicated a need to briefly disable DRLS, such as slow cruising through holiday light displays where the city requires parking lights only be illuminated.
A slight amount of parking brake pedal movement will extinguish the DRLs. On my car that occurs at about an inch of travel, to the first notch that will hold the parking brake pedal down. On my car there is no brake drag at that position, BTW, verified by rolling the car.
You'll know for sure your DRLs are off when the red "Brake" warning light, lower RH section of instrument panel, illuminates. It's instantaneous - as the Brake warning light illuminates, the DRLs extinguish, so no external "checking" to verify is required.
Caution: While no drag was apparent at the point in parking brake pedal travel where the Brake warning light came on and DRLs went off when I tested my 300C, one should only temporarily disable the DRLs via the parking brake when parked or in a low-speed parade, etc. Having the parking brake pedal depressed, even slightly, at speed could potentially result in significant friction-induced heat.
2d Edit: For those of you who may have missed it over on the FAW/Tech Forum, here's the checklist to print and present to your tech, hopefully with you at his side verifying the steps, one by one, if required:
Here, for easy reference by any Mopar service writer or technician with access to the StarSCAN tool, is the Technician's Checklist. Suggest you print a copy for presentation to your service writer.
Technician's Checklist - Daytime Running Light (DRL) enabling:
1. Verify your StarSCAN unit has been updated via update CD to version 6.03 or higher and displays "6.03" (or higher) in the upper RH corner of the display screen.
2. Enter Vehicle Preparation menu.
3. Select DRLs.
4. Select Enable (Note: some vehicles may already show Enabled, if so select Disable, then re-Enable.)
5. Select Disable. You will hear an alert chime and see various warning lights appear on the instrument panel.
6. Select Enable.
7. Start engine. Manually select headlamps to Off with light switch*.
8. Visually confirm DRLs on (High beam lamps partially illuminated). Note: DRL will extinguish with turn signal blinking, selected side. This is normal.
*Note for forum users: The instruction to manually de-select headlights (switch not in Auto or Headlight) is included to insure that the headlights won't be on during the attempt to visually verify that the DRLs are enabled. With the headlight switch in Auto and the car inside a service bay the headlights will frequently be on. Headlights always over-ride DRLs, and would thus keep the DRLs from showing - not good if one is attempting to visually verify that DRLs were, in fact, enabled.
Reminder: With engine running, the DRLs will be illuminated anytime that the car's headlights are not on regardless of the position of the light switch, whether day or night. They cannot, in fact, be commanded off via the light switch, only replaced by head lamps.
http://www.300cforums.com/forums/search.php?searchid=339840
Ever since DESIREE posted his success with having his DRLs enabled I've been trying to get mine to activate as well. Two visits to my very accomodating dealer, involving a total of 3 StarSCAN units and a couple dozen attempts were fruitless - DRLs showed enabled in starscan but would not function in real life.
Why would a few cars enable and others not was the mystery.
Last evening, as I was reviewing the list of changes to the latest CD update to starscan, version 6.03, the mystery was solved - the latest CD update to starscan, released 9/19/05 contained, among many other improvements, a fix to the DRL enablement option. Mystery solved: Those who had been successful had been enabled with an updated starscan unit, those of us for whom DRL enabling was a frustrating failure were using starscan units that were lacking the 6.03 update.
Today, at 7:15 AM Arizona time, with a starscan unit that proudly touted its 6.03 update in the upper RH corner, my tech & I successfully activated DRLs on my 300C. The process is simple: Enable, Disable, with accompanying tones & warnings lights, Enable. Done deal. Works good, lasts long time.
So head to your dealer with a dozen Krispy Kremes, a smile and "version 6.03 CD-only update" stenciled on your eyelid. You should come away a happy camper.
EDIT: DRL function details added:
With engine running, the DRLs will be illuminated anytime that the car's headlights are not on regardless of the position of the light switch, whether day or night. They cannot, in fact, be commanded off via the light switch, only replaced by head lamps.
Temporary disabling of DRLs:
Some owners have indicated a need to briefly disable DRLS, such as slow cruising through holiday light displays where the city requires parking lights only be illuminated.
A slight amount of parking brake pedal movement will extinguish the DRLs. On my car that occurs at about an inch of travel, to the first notch that will hold the parking brake pedal down. On my car there is no brake drag at that position, BTW, verified by rolling the car.
You'll know for sure your DRLs are off when the red "Brake" warning light, lower RH section of instrument panel, illuminates. It's instantaneous - as the Brake warning light illuminates, the DRLs extinguish, so no external "checking" to verify is required.
Caution: While no drag was apparent at the point in parking brake pedal travel where the Brake warning light came on and DRLs went off when I tested my 300C, one should only temporarily disable the DRLs via the parking brake when parked or in a low-speed parade, etc. Having the parking brake pedal depressed, even slightly, at speed could potentially result in significant friction-induced heat.
2d Edit: For those of you who may have missed it over on the FAW/Tech Forum, here's the checklist to print and present to your tech, hopefully with you at his side verifying the steps, one by one, if required:
Here, for easy reference by any Mopar service writer or technician with access to the StarSCAN tool, is the Technician's Checklist. Suggest you print a copy for presentation to your service writer.
Technician's Checklist - Daytime Running Light (DRL) enabling:
1. Verify your StarSCAN unit has been updated via update CD to version 6.03 or higher and displays "6.03" (or higher) in the upper RH corner of the display screen.
2. Enter Vehicle Preparation menu.
3. Select DRLs.
4. Select Enable (Note: some vehicles may already show Enabled, if so select Disable, then re-Enable.)
5. Select Disable. You will hear an alert chime and see various warning lights appear on the instrument panel.
6. Select Enable.
7. Start engine. Manually select headlamps to Off with light switch*.
8. Visually confirm DRLs on (High beam lamps partially illuminated). Note: DRL will extinguish with turn signal blinking, selected side. This is normal.
*Note for forum users: The instruction to manually de-select headlights (switch not in Auto or Headlight) is included to insure that the headlights won't be on during the attempt to visually verify that the DRLs are enabled. With the headlight switch in Auto and the car inside a service bay the headlights will frequently be on. Headlights always over-ride DRLs, and would thus keep the DRLs from showing - not good if one is attempting to visually verify that DRLs were, in fact, enabled.
Reminder: With engine running, the DRLs will be illuminated anytime that the car's headlights are not on regardless of the position of the light switch, whether day or night. They cannot, in fact, be commanded off via the light switch, only replaced by head lamps.
http://www.300cforums.com/forums/search.php?searchid=339840
