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DRL DIY? Anybody do this?

12211 Views 13 Replies 8 Participants Last post by  dykaar, 
dykaar
Not to hijack my own thread, but I gotta convert the existing (US) headlight controller to (Canadian) DRLs. YIKES ($338.71):

DIY Auto Parts eCommerce Site

This puppy is the whole controller, fusebox and cable concentrator. I guess the good news is that if I can remove the car from the unit, I can prolly ohm out the connection to keep the parking lights on when the car is powered on, maybe in parallel with radio power (i.e. something thats off when the key is out). The manual alludes to the Canadian DRLs including all the lights that the "park" setting includes, so I'm guessing the factory did the same thing.

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dykaar said:
Not to hijack my own thread, but I gotta convert the existing (US) headlight controller to (Canadian) DRLs. YIKES ($338.71):

DIY Auto Parts eCommerce Site

This puppy is the whole controller, fusebox and cable concentrator. I guess the good news is that if I can remove the car from the unit, I can prolly ohm out the connection to keep the parking lights on when the car is powered on, maybe in parallel with radio power (i.e. something thats off when the key is out). The manual alludes to the Canadian DRLs including all the lights that the "park" setting includes, so I'm guessing the factory did the same thing.
Click to expand...
Don't get too far ahead of yourself.

The radio can be manually turned on when the key is out, so it's not powered as you think.

The cigarette lighter is, though.

diy auto parts has a good selection, but not always the best price, might as well check with duvalmotorcars.com also.

Take care and enjoy the ride,
Greg
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e-420
If you want to experiment, these headlight controller units are usually available on ebay from mercedes dismantlers for about $50. Patomac german auto parts is a good source on ebay.

eBay Motors: MERCEDES W210 E300D E320 E420 E430 HEADLIGHT SWITCH (item 370140008771 end time Jan-09-09 12:19:21 PST)
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ohlord
don't bid

against yourself on ebay.:eek:
if you need something from potomac go to the 800# at mbpartsonline.com and buy the part outright. UPS 15bucks? for a 10 ounce lamp switch:eek:
:bowdown:
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dykaar
Sigh. The ebay auctions says Patomac won't ship to Canada, and since they only ship UPS, I can guess why: UPS has been piling on fees for every package they deliver, and billing the recipients after delivery. They may have changed their behavior recently, but since I stopped using them, I wouldn't know.
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B
dykaar said:
Not to hijack my own thread, but I gotta convert the existing (US) headlight controller to (Canadian) DRLs. YIKES ($338.71):
Click to expand...
dykaar, did you convert it? Do you have any DIY for that?
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dykaar
drl diy

My bad. I did. I powered the fuses in the fusebox on the driver's side fuse box, the one up high on the side of the dash. I used the cigarette lighter to supply power. I'll try and get some pix. Its the wife's ride, so it'll take a while to get access.


Regards,

doug
Waterloo, Ontario Canada, eh


86 951 (https://reg.pcaucr.org/forum/post.jsp?postid=2393)
01 E320 (W210) 4matic Wagon
00 540i-6
94 855 turbo Wagon (sold in 09)
85 535i-5 (sold in 07)
83 944 (sold in 86)
I apparently only buy cars designated by numbers
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Franasia
gregs210 said:
The radio can be manually turned on when the key is out, so it's not powered as you think.

The cigarette lighter is, though.

Take care and enjoy the ride,
Greg
Click to expand...
Radio will stay on for only an hour without key. Too bad US spec cars get a switched cigarette lighter. It's always powered on global vehicles.

Cheers
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dykaar
Not too bad for me. I took advantage of the fact that the lighter poewers down with the key in the off position to power the DRLs. As the guy who did the inspection said, he just wants to see some sort of lights come on with the ignition.

-d
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Hirnbeiss
I'm fairly certain that on the M-Class the DRL's were a software only change. Is it definitely not the case on the W210?
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dykaar
N71 DRL Jumpers.JPG

OK kidz here is the picture. The car is a 2001 E320 4matic wagon, so YMMV. All the usual caveats apply, and even though I DO have a PhD in electrical engineering, that impediment did not prevent me from completing this project.

The picture shows the fuses associated with the N71 light control unit and the location of the jumpers. The idea is to power the lights from a 12V source that is powered whenever the ignition is on. The only one I could think of is the cigarette lighter. (I first tried powering the wire leading to the lights, but that gave me a malfunction indication on the dash.)

The N71 is the guts behind the knob that controls the headlights and it has its own set of fuses. To access the fuses you have to pop off the plastic cover on the end of the dash on the drivers side. The cover has metal clips, that poke straight into recepticles in the dash, so try to lift the cover straight out to avoid breaking the clips.

The fuses are #7, Right parking/tail lamp side marker, and #10, Left parking/tail lamp side marker. You pull the fuse and apply power to the output side. And yes the other lights listed will also be on, but no you won't get a malfunction indicated on the dash readout, so its all good.

The pink wire dissappears inside the dash and is soldered onto the cigarrette lighter. So, yes the lighter now has less amps it can deliver before blowing the fuse, but the circuit, which now includes all those DRLs is still fused, and thats a good thing.

The connectors I used are spade lug stand-offs, thats why the top of the connector looks like a spade-lug socket, because it is. You could also use a plain spade-lug connector, but be aware of the height constraint: you gotta leave enough room to put the plastic cover back on.

Also note the side of the fuse socket that you're going to connect the power to: one side is the switched 12V from the N71 (the unused connection), and the other leads out to the lights (the one that is powered by your external 12V source).


Regards,

doug
Waterloo, Ontario Canada, eh


86 951 (https://reg.pcaucr.org/forum/post.jsp?postid=2393)
01 E320 (W210) 4matic Wagon
00 540i-6
94 855 turbo Wagon (sold in 09)
85 535i-5 (sold in 07)
83 944 (sold in 86)
I apparently only buy cars designated by numbers

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dykaar,
Thanks a lot for your solution!
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iluvjesus
A very original DIY, thanks.
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dykaar
I had the car into the dealer in Fla after I bought it, and they were unable to get the DRLs on via any software switch, much to the service rep's surprise. If there's a trick, I'd love to know it.
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