Fred_Garvin

Currently they dim when the parking lights / headlights are turned on. Any way to prevent this so the DRLs stay the same brightness all the time? Thanks!

WhiteBird00

Note: The LEDs in the headlight housings are not DRLs - they are merely "accent" lights much like the useless lower lights in recent Edge models. They are much too dim to qualify as DRLs. The 13-14 Mustang uses the fog lights for DRLs in Canada where they are required by law. 10-12 Mustangs use the headlights for DRLs when equipped with halogen lights or the fog lights when equipped with HIDs.

I've been looking through the service manual trying to find something simple like a signal wire that could be disconnected to prevent the LEDs from "seeing" that the lights are on but without success. It appears that all lighting is controlled by the SJB (Smart Junction Box) which uses various inputs such as headlight switch, wiper switch, dash light sensor, flash-to-pass switch, etc. to determine which lights should be on and then activates them by providing voltage either directly or through a relay to the lamps. There doesn't appear to be any simple modification that would directly affect the LEDs without also affecting other lights.

Unfortunately, I was also unable to find any separate wire that powers those LEDs. If such a wire could be found, you could disconnect it from the rest of the system and just provide ignition switched power to have them on at full brightness whenever the ignition is on - basically just like DRLs.

LEXiiON

There is a dim wire going to the LED strip. It is PIN 5 in the connector to the headlight that dims the LED strip. Just pull it out

LEXiiON

backin15

I checked mine last night, they did not dim when the lights were turned on. Either the previous owner already pulled the dim wire or this is a feature they added later in the production run. Mine was built in June of '12.

TheReaper

My 2014 doesn't dim. If the car is in drive they stay bright if it's park or neutral they or off.

Gabe

My '13 was also built in June '12 and the LEDs dim when the parking lights are turned on.

Has nothing to do with putting the car in gear. They dim when the parking lights are turned on

Joeywhat

Mine turn off when the parking brake is on. Dim when parking lights are on.

50HHHHH

Yeah mine do not dim and I have a 2014. Like Joeywhat they just turn off when I have the parking brake engaged.

JoeMidnight

I live in Canada and my v6 is equipped with fog lights and they are on during the day, yes. What do you propose are the DRL's for the base model v6 Mustangs that don't have fog lights?

WhiteBird00

It was my understanding that even base model 13-14 Mustangs in Canada came with fog lights for that very reason (unlike US models where fog lights were not standard on all models).

The LEDs in the headlight housing are obviously too dim for use as DRLs (which is why fog lights are used on your car). All 13-14 Mustangs came with HID headlights and it is not possible to use them as DRLs because the input voltage is reduced using PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) and HID lights won't work properly with that reduced voltage. It's fine for halogen lights but not for HIDs. So when fog lights are available, they are used to replace HID headlights as DRLs. When there are no fog lights, using the amber signal lamps is the next most common option.

I'm not in Canada very often. Perhaps you could look for base model Mustangs to see what they use.

JoeMidnight

Yeah, I agree. it would be impractical for HID's to be used as DRL's.


I'm 99.9% positive that the v6 base model tester I drove did not have fogs and I'm positive that I've seen other v6 mustangs on the road here that did not have fog lights as well. I drive about 40KM (25ish miles) one way to work. I always see a handful of mustangs on my commute. I'll keep an eye out and look for one. Doubt I'll be able to take a picture of it though (not unless I have my phone ready and in my hand the whole way home haha)


Actually, I still have the full brochure for the 14 mustang. I'll take a gander and read through that and see how they were equipped!

JoeMidnight

So, it looks like the base model didn't come with fogs. If you got the tech package, you'd get LED Fog lamps.


or the Pony Package or Mustang Club Of America package gave you fog lights.


EDiT: This Brochure is likely an American one. its the only one I've ever referenced. You could be right that all V6's have fogs for DRL's. I'm certain that I've seen some new mustangs that don't' have them. I'll keep an eye out and see otherwise!

JoeMidnight

2013 V6 with no fogs here in Waterloo Ontario.


http://www.autotrader.ca/a/Ford/Must...howcpo=ShowCPO


that's all I could find on Autotraders site

WhiteBird00

So I wonder if they use the amber signal lamps as DRLs for cars with HID headlights but no fog lights. That's what they do on the Edge with its pitiful lower accent lights on the bumper - DRLs are headlights with halogen or amber signal lamps when HID.