aCUREa

Here is a mod I did solely for safety reasons. I bought a module that runs the front turn signal bulbs as DRL (daytime running lights). The reason I prefer it over high beam DRL is because the turn bulbs are cheaper to replace. Also, in terms of optics, the front turn signal compartment happens to be very well suited for a DRL application. They are big, wide, and noticeable lamps... much brighter than side markers. They'll light up the whole driveway bright orange at night. Lastly, yes they are legal. Several people have asked me this already... yes they are legal in the US. Some cars have them stock.

http://dastern.torque.net/Mods/DRL/DRL1.html



(I threw the quick-splicers away and soldered instead)

When I turn the ignition on, after 3 seconds or so, the front directionals turn on as DRL. The HIDs are really off in these pics, but the camera flash sort of makes them look lit up.



I can run these with my 1/2 strength high beams (if I chose to turn them on). I really don't use both at once, but I can. Again, the low beams are OFF- camera flash



Lastly, the turn sig DRLs are automatically disabled when the parklights are turned on. They are delayed about 3 seconds when shutting off too.

The blinking functions (turn signal/hazard) still work as they did originally. People have asked me if they still blink. Of course they do... they're turn signals. They're turn signals and DRLs now. So take a look at a quick video of how they work. This is all automatic.

(the person's shirt is up to hide identity, thats all)

^^As you see in the vid, they start with the car. They are delayed for a few seconds. You also notice in the video that one turn signal shuts off while the other blinks- there is a safety reason for that.

Lastly, its possible to run the side mirror blinkers with this module. I show how you can do it on the next next post.

aCUREa

Installation: the module comes with exact instructions and extra wire, and its actually very easy to do. So I'm just posting pictures of the way I did it to show the specific places to tap in our car, etc. The thing to remember about this installation in terms of wire tapping is to simply splice into the various functions regardless of location. So for ex, their diagram shows the parklight and turn signal both share the same bulb, but our car uses two separate bulbs. This doesn't matter- just splice each function, and it works the same.

The module has 8 wires sticking out. Before installing it, I had to find out how much current each of these wires will run. The yellow wire will draw as much as both bulbs together (about 4.6A eyeball estimate), so I used a relay to switch the yellow wire instead of connecting directly to the ignition circuit. The company's instructions say to go ahead and connect directly, but I won't risk it. Next, the wires that connect to the turn signal bulbs' wires obviously run as much current as one turn bulb (about 2.3A eyeball). The other wires run only tiny bits for control switching.

So here's how I set it up. The only differences between my way and the company's instructions are 1) I used a relay to get power directly from the battery for the bulbs, and 2) I grounded the green wire to the frame instead of connecting to a turn bulb's ground wire (a ground is a ground).


I mounted the module here under the fusebox and pointed out the bolt. This bolt holds the module in place as well as acts as the ground.



The relay was mounted here next to the ones I mounted for my last mod

Then the wire tapping was cake. Three wires ran to the other side to tap the turn bulb wires and parklight bulb wire. I just ran them with my halo wires in the same heat-resistant currogated tubing.



For power, I hooked relay terminal 30 to the battery terminal screw in the fusebox. I used an o-ring soldered onto a blade fuse holder.


For the ignition-ON input, I hooked terminal 86 of the relay (coil) to a black/yellow wire that plugs into the underside of the underhood fusebox. It is hot-in-ON and comes directly from underdash fuse#30 to power things like the radiator fan, A/C condensor fan, etc. I also used this wire to power the relays in my high beam mod- same wire.

aCUREa

Side LED Mirror-Blinker Version

I've seen people ask before on TSX forums about running the side mirror blinkers as DRL, and using this module would be a way. If you substitute the front blinkers' wires with the side mirror-blinkers' wires, then obviously it would work the same as mine except the side LEDs, instead of the front bulbs, would run.

I just can't guarantee the side blinkers can handle constant running. I don't know for absolute sure because I didn't do it this way. So this is for you to determine if you want to do this mod. Its likely alright, but I have to cover myself. I'm not responsible for undesirable consequences. Remember that I'm assuming this works based on generalizing from my front bulb install. Has anyone ever run the side blinkers before?

Anyway, like I said, to run the side blinkers, you'll have to use the side blinkers' wires instead of the front blinkers' wires... that's it. However, unlike my install, its probably easier to find these wires in the cabin rather than in the engine bay, so you'll just mount the module and do the wiring under the dash. Finding a place to mount the module and the relay is your job. For this, you won't have to run wires through the firewall. All the functions are available inside.


The module comes with instructions, but they're for generally any make/model. So I'm showing where to find them in an 06 TSX.

LEFT SIDE TURN SIGNAL: MODULE'S PINK and PURPLE WIRES
The module's pink and purple wires connect to the LEFT LED mirror blinker's + wire (red/blue) shown below


RIGHT SIDE TURN SIGNAL: MODULE'S RED and BROWN WIRES:
The module's red and brown wires connect to the RIGHT LED mirror blinker's + wire (brown) shown below. Be careful to pay attention to which side of this plug is the male and female. It matters.


^^I'm not sure how hard it is to reach these wires. I only did the front bulbs, so I wouldn't know. Its on you.

MODULE'S BLUE WIRE:
Splice it into a wire that gets + when the parklights are on. Inside the cabin, just use the cubby light or glovebox light + wire (its red/black).

MODULE'S GREEN and WHITE WIRES:
Just ground them. Connect to the frame, a grounding post, the ACC socket's black wire, the cubby light's black wire, the glovebox light's black wire... all will work the same.

MODULE'S YELLOW WIRE:
This needs to be a + that is switched on/off with the ignition. Connect to terminal-87 of the relay.

IGNITION INPUT:
Use the accessory socket to power the + side of the relay's coil. Ground the ground side of the coil just like I said about the module's green and white wires... frame works

POWER:
For the 'constant +' connection in the diagram, tapping underdash fuse#3 with an add-a-circuit seems to be suitable because it powers the stock Canadian high beam DRLs. This is what makes me figure that its safe to run two turn signal bulbs from it instead. But in general, you need a source that can handle the current both blinkers draw and what you fuse with (7.5A).

That's it. This will light up the side blinkers as DRL, and they will act just like my front bulbs do as seen in the video I posted. By the way, this info comes from the 06 electrical manual.

xenonhid

Great post and write up. IDK, the high beams as DRL looks fine to me.

evident

Thanks for this post. I'm sure you're probably long gone by now but if anyone else has done this. Is it possible to manually shut off the DRL's?