Another (different) DRL problem
10-28-2008, 10:45 AM
#1
Spinning Dorito Junkie
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Another (different) DRL problem
Figured I would post this in here since it wouldn't apply to the US cars.
When I let off the parking brake, the DRLs do not come on, and the little green dash light stays off. If I slowly move the parking brake up an down and get JUST the right position, they will sometimes come on. (But not always.)
I've searched, but only found info on the common DRL module failures, which I don't think is my problem. When I turn the headlights on the DRLs come on (as does the little green dash light) my high beams, fogs etc. all work.
So, I'm pretty sure it's the switch on the parking brake lever that's acting up. I've searched, but not found anybody else having this problem. Has anybody heard of this? Anybody have any other theories? Figured I would ask for some ideas before I tear apart the center console, as I'd like to be prepared to fix it while I'm in there.
When I let off the parking brake, the DRLs do not come on, and the little green dash light stays off. If I slowly move the parking brake up an down and get JUST the right position, they will sometimes come on. (But not always.)
I've searched, but only found info on the common DRL module failures, which I don't think is my problem. When I turn the headlights on the DRLs come on (as does the little green dash light) my high beams, fogs etc. all work.
So, I'm pretty sure it's the switch on the parking brake lever that's acting up. I've searched, but not found anybody else having this problem. Has anybody heard of this? Anybody have any other theories? Figured I would ask for some ideas before I tear apart the center console, as I'd like to be prepared to fix it while I'm in there.
10-28-2008, 10:51 AM
#2
Metatron
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It's no biggie to 'tear the console apart', I did it twice yesterday.
Just lift gently at the cup holder end, then ease the whole thing straight up - don't twist or bend or you'll snap the little connector plugs off.
If you have heated seats, unclip the two switches and lift the whole thing up around the shifter. Just leave it there, no need to take it right off, the switch is obvious, and easy to work on.
Probably just needs a shot of WD-40.
S
Just lift gently at the cup holder end, then ease the whole thing straight up - don't twist or bend or you'll snap the little connector plugs off.
If you have heated seats, unclip the two switches and lift the whole thing up around the shifter. Just leave it there, no need to take it right off, the switch is obvious, and easy to work on.
Probably just needs a shot of WD-40.
S
10-28-2008, 11:33 AM
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I think the relay is activated by the switch that Stealth was talking about. That is more than likely the problem. If it does need to be replaced I wouldn't think it to be too expensive or a hassle to change out.
10-28-2008, 11:53 AM
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Thanks for the tips.
If it was the relay, wouldn't the DRLs stay off when I turned the headlights on? They do come on, so I'm thinking switch. I don't hear any clicking either.
As for the "tearing it apart" I know it's not that hard, but I guess I should have mentioned that clips hate me. No matter how careful I am, anything I work on that has clips, one always breaks. So, don't want to dis-assemble more than required.
Hell, I think half of my shirts have even had a button come off them....
If it was the relay, wouldn't the DRLs stay off when I turned the headlights on? They do come on, so I'm thinking switch. I don't hear any clicking either.
As for the "tearing it apart" I know it's not that hard, but I guess I should have mentioned that clips hate me. No matter how careful I am, anything I work on that has clips, one always breaks. So, don't want to dis-assemble more than required.
Hell, I think half of my shirts have even had a button come off them....
10-29-2008, 06:01 AM
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When you turn the headlights on you are, in fact, turning the headlights on. The DRLs do not function when the headlights are on. You'll either have your HIDs or full headlights (depending on the model of your car). I really wouldn't bother taking this to someone to look at as you'll spend uneccessary money.
The switch is right under the panel that surrounds your shifter. Easiest way, I find, to remove that panel is to grab the inside edge of the shifter boot with both hands (9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions) and just pull straight up (you can remove the shift **** as well by just unscrewing it). Once that panel is off you'll see the switch right under the hand brake lever. Just try activating it with your finger, maybe spray some WD-40 on it. If it still doesn't work, replace it.
That should fix the issue.
The switch is right under the panel that surrounds your shifter. Easiest way, I find, to remove that panel is to grab the inside edge of the shifter boot with both hands (9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions) and just pull straight up (you can remove the shift **** as well by just unscrewing it). Once that panel is off you'll see the switch right under the hand brake lever. Just try activating it with your finger, maybe spray some WD-40 on it. If it still doesn't work, replace it.
That should fix the issue.
10-29-2008, 07:16 AM
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My DRLs have always come on (stayed on?) with my headlights. This morning (I was playing in the driveway while waiting for the girlfriend) I had 0 lights on the front when I started the car, and 6 sources of light when I turned on the headlights (The HID standard beams, the fogs and the small DRL bulbs on the very inner corner of the headlight unit.) From the pictures I've seen of other people doing the bulb conversions, this is normal, isn't it?
Thanks for the tips on the switch location. Haven't had the console apart since I installed the AFE shifter a few years ago, so was hazy on how to get in there. Trust me, no worries about taking it to somebody and wasting money. The only time my 8 has been inside a dealership was when I was getting the 3-years free maintenance. I've done all of my own maintenance outside of that, and installed my own parts.
Thanks for the tips on the switch location. Haven't had the console apart since I installed the AFE shifter a few years ago, so was hazy on how to get in there. Trust me, no worries about taking it to somebody and wasting money. The only time my 8 has been inside a dealership was when I was getting the 3-years free maintenance. I've done all of my own maintenance outside of that, and installed my own parts.
Last edited by Redshift; 10-29-2008 at 07:26 AM.
10-30-2008, 03:53 AM
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I see what you mean as DRLs. Those small lights on the very inner corners of the headlight housing are your parking lights, not Daytime Running Lights (DRL). The DRLs are the highbeam bulbs running at half power.
So when you have your light switch in the off position, and the handbrake is down, you should have your highbeam bulbs, at half brightness, only. When you switch the light switch to the first position, you should have the same highbeams at half brightness as well as the smaller parking lights. Then at full on, the HIDs and the parking lights should be on, but the DRLs should be off.
Is this the case or is it something different?
So when you have your light switch in the off position, and the handbrake is down, you should have your highbeam bulbs, at half brightness, only. When you switch the light switch to the first position, you should have the same highbeams at half brightness as well as the smaller parking lights. Then at full on, the HIDs and the parking lights should be on, but the DRLs should be off.
Is this the case or is it something different?
Last edited by AmKorp; 10-30-2008 at 03:57 AM.
10-30-2008, 05:54 AM
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Spinning Dorito Junkie
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Hmm... this seems really odd. After 5 years of owning this car, you'd think I would have noticed before. You're right. For the last 5 years I would have sworn it was the park-lights that are coming on as DRLs, but after the better half telling me I was wrong, and then spending a few minutes in the driveway this morning messing with the lights to prove I wasn't, it looks like I was. So, forget all the stuff I said about the DRLs coming on when I turn on the lights. I guess I am as oblivious as she says. 
So, we did do a little test and while slowly moving the parking brake up and down, the DRLs will briefly flicker, so it looks like it is the switch. I also noticed that one of my high-beams is burned out (I don't use them much) so it was a useful experiment.
*Edit due to the fact I'm an un-observant idiot.
So, we did do a little test and while slowly moving the parking brake up and down, the DRLs will briefly flicker, so it looks like it is the switch. I also noticed that one of my high-beams is burned out (I don't use them much) so it was a useful experiment.
*Edit due to the fact I'm an un-observant idiot.
Last edited by Redshift; 10-30-2008 at 07:02 AM.
03-09-2010, 01:50 PM
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Did it end up being the switch? I would think if it was the switch, then the parking brake light wouldn't come on on the dash either.
I had the same problem a while back while under warranty, if I jiggled the parking brake the DRLs would flicker but didn't work when the brake was down. Eventually died completely. Mazda replaced the DRL module not the switch. It happened again just over a year after, while out of warranty, they wanted to charge me. I figured I could do it myself (haven't gotten around to it yet)
I had the same problem a while back while under warranty, if I jiggled the parking brake the DRLs would flicker but didn't work when the brake was down. Eventually died completely. Mazda replaced the DRL module not the switch. It happened again just over a year after, while out of warranty, they wanted to charge me. I figured I could do it myself (haven't gotten around to it yet)
03-12-2010, 07:39 PM
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Did it end up being the switch? I would think if it was the switch, then the parking brake light wouldn't come on on the dash either.
I had the same problem a while back while under warranty, if I jiggled the parking brake the DRLs would flicker but didn't work when the brake was down. Eventually died completely. Mazda replaced the DRL module not the switch. It happened again just over a year after, while out of warranty, they wanted to charge me. I figured I could do it myself (haven't gotten around to it yet)
I had the same problem a while back while under warranty, if I jiggled the parking brake the DRLs would flicker but didn't work when the brake was down. Eventually died completely. Mazda replaced the DRL module not the switch. It happened again just over a year after, while out of warranty, they wanted to charge me. I figured I could do it myself (haven't gotten around to it yet)
I did go as far as taking the DRL module out and tried to find new relays to replace the ones on the module. But no one sells them in lots of less than 30! I only want 2!
03-15-2010, 12:42 AM
#14
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I see what you mean as DRLs. Those small lights on the very inner corners of the headlight housing are your parking lights, not Daytime Running Lights (DRL). The DRLs are the highbeam bulbs running at half power.
So when you have your light switch in the off position, and the handbrake is down, you should have your highbeam bulbs, at half brightness, only. When you switch the light switch to the first position, you should have the same highbeams at half brightness as well as the smaller parking lights. Then at full on, the HIDs and the parking lights should be on, but the DRLs should be off.
Is this the case or is it something different?
So when you have your light switch in the off position, and the handbrake is down, you should have your highbeam bulbs, at half brightness, only. When you switch the light switch to the first position, you should have the same highbeams at half brightness as well as the smaller parking lights. Then at full on, the HIDs and the parking lights should be on, but the DRLs should be off.
Is this the case or is it something different?
03-15-2010, 02:34 PM
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Spinning Dorito Junkie
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Wow. I forgot I even started this thread all that time ago.
I swapped out the DRL module, cleaned the parking brake switch with contact cleaner etc. Nothing fixed it. In tried problem-determination method, I put the original DRL module back in and kept trying to figure out the problem.
Then I thought, "well, while I'm in taking everything apart, I might as well replace that burned out bulb."
New bulb, old DRL module, everything worked again. So, it was just a bad bulb the whole time. I had heard the burned out bulb will kill the DRLs, but didn't think it would let them flicker on and off while messing with the parking brake. Really odd.
At least I have a spare DRL module on the shelf now for when it does indeed fail.
I swapped out the DRL module, cleaned the parking brake switch with contact cleaner etc. Nothing fixed it. In tried problem-determination method, I put the original DRL module back in and kept trying to figure out the problem.
Then I thought, "well, while I'm in taking everything apart, I might as well replace that burned out bulb."
New bulb, old DRL module, everything worked again. So, it was just a bad bulb the whole time. I had heard the burned out bulb will kill the DRLs, but didn't think it would let them flicker on and off while messing with the parking brake. Really odd.
At least I have a spare DRL module on the shelf now for when it does indeed fail.
06-13-2011, 01:32 PM
#19
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My car has a similar issue...
We I release my parking brake...sometimes the DRL would come on, sometimes only the left DRL would come on and at times both would not come on. Can't seem to figure out what it could be... any ideas? Have anyone successfully fixed it? Is it the contact switch?
We I release my parking brake...sometimes the DRL would come on, sometimes only the left DRL would come on and at times both would not come on. Can't seem to figure out what it could be... any ideas? Have anyone successfully fixed it? Is it the contact switch?
06-13-2011, 03:40 PM
#20
Extraordinary Engineering
I have the exact same symptom as the original poster. I've wondered if the problem was the parking brake switch too, but I have as yet to get a response from anyone saying they replaced it and fixed the problem. Seems like a lot of people come to this board looking for help, but when they fix their problem, they don't bother telling us what they did.
I did go as far as taking the DRL module out and tried to find new relays to replace the ones on the module. But no one sells them in lots of less than 30! I only want 2!
I did go as far as taking the DRL module out and tried to find new relays to replace the ones on the module. But no one sells them in lots of less than 30! I only want 2!
Also I have 8 relays.
Handbrake switch is one of the inputs to the relay controls for DRL
Last edited by DarkBrew; 06-13-2011 at 03:43 PM.
06-14-2011, 12:10 AM
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My car has a similar issue...
We I release my parking brake...sometimes the DRL would come on, sometimes only the left DRL would come on and at times both would not come on. Can't seem to figure out what it could be... any ideas? Have anyone successfully fixed it? Is it the contact switch?
We I release my parking brake...sometimes the DRL would come on, sometimes only the left DRL would come on and at times both would not come on. Can't seem to figure out what it could be... any ideas? Have anyone successfully fixed it? Is it the contact switch?
06-20-2011, 09:52 AM
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My car has a similar issue...
We I release my parking brake...sometimes the DRL would come on, sometimes only the left DRL would come on and at times both would not come on. Can't seem to figure out what it could be... any ideas? Have anyone successfully fixed it? Is it the contact switch?
We I release my parking brake...sometimes the DRL would come on, sometimes only the left DRL would come on and at times both would not come on. Can't seem to figure out what it could be... any ideas? Have anyone successfully fixed it? Is it the contact switch?