7 replies to this topic

[Haz93]

Just thinking about new cars with DRL's and noticing that they dont all have separate sidelights. I was wondering if this was legal and came across this on the halfrauds website

http://www.halfords....tegoryId=245215

So if you have DRL's below the headlights and they dim when the sidelights should come on, then you can use them instead of the sidelights?

Just wandering if anyone else has heard about this

[Pidu]

Dimming is not the only requirement. DRL lights must be approved as sidelights and need to have proper marking - RL (for DRL) and A (for sidelights). If they have both markings and are properly connected it is legal to use them as sidelights. Not sure about UK, but in PL, DE and few other countries only 2 siedlights are allowed, so if you fit aftermarket lights like this and car's headlights have sidelights you need to remove bulbs to stay legal. It is even mentioned in Hella and other manufacturers aftermarket DRL manuals.

[cuke]

Hi, that's how my focus uses them.
Chris

[Haz93]

Just had a read through this topic I found on talk ford

http://www.talkford....no-side-lights/

Saying that the current mondeo has no sidelights, just dimming DRL's and that's perfectly legal.

So would that mean that the DRL's I have fitted would be substantial if I remove the sidelights? I only say this because I can't find any sidelights that match the DRL's and xenons. The led sidelights are too blue looking and personally I think it would look better without them. My DRL's dim when the sidelights are turned on so they work just like the mondeo ones

[Brigante]

Kind of on topic. I've been looking at some black head light units with built in DRL's.

They don't come with side lights, and when I asked the seller on it they said the DRL's act as the side lights.

This ties in with previous comments about having one or the other, and if you fit DRL's you need to remove your side light bulbs to stay legal.

[artscot79]

i dont get the fascination with them the motorcycle association has brought it up in eu courts now they admit the test info was false and flawed i think within a year ir so drls will dissapear altogether as for drls as sidelights what happens when the constantly used leds burn out how mych will it cost to replace the unit? Its not ad if you can pop into a petrol station and pick one up

[DJ_Andy_M]

i dont get the fascination with them the motorcycle association has brought it up in eu courts now they admit the test info was false and flawed i think within a year ir so drls will dissapear altogether as for drls as sidelights what happens when the constantly used leds burn out how mych will it cost to replace the unit? Its not ad if you can pop into a petrol station and pick one up

In my opinion we should adopt the american way of doing lights personally (with the exception of red tail indicators, people can't even be bothered to ensure their brake lights work these days!). Amber sidelights, (though in the US, they're not sidelights, they are parking lights, and you cannot legally drive with just those on!) these mark out a car/bike so much better, plus amber is the colour the eye responds to the fastest if what I read is correct, and "day running lights" should use the dipped beam at a reduced voltage. This reduces glare, but makes the car still visible to people.

I did notice the MK3 focus in the US has the same headlight design (bar the corner markers) with separate 501 amber bulbs rather than using the indicators.

Just an example of what I mean about indicators:

OFF:


ON:

[giwrgos_ath]

(with the exception of red tail indicators, people can't even be bothered to ensure their brake lights work these days!).

Sorry for the off topic, but i cannot understand this thing. How hard is it for the EU to enforce all manufacturers to use dash warning lights to inform drivers about blown break lights? I had a '91 Mazda 323 (Familia) and even though i was the basic version, it had such warning. Plus blown break lights are really common, and they pose a serious threat for road users.

Some manufacturers have it (Audi and VW i think), Is such information available in the diagnostics of focus?

Haz93, are your DRL road legal? have you passed MOT?