Daytime Running Lights Intermittent
 

The driver side DRL on my '05 seems to be intermittent. No problem with the passenger side (it's on all the time). But occasionally, I will catch a reflection in a window, or the back of another car, and notice that the driver side is out. I'll park and check it, play with the wire connection at the back of the light, but no luck. If the car sits parked for a while, it's back on again.
I've read in another thread that this might be a problem with the DRL module? Has anyone had any experience like this, or experience with the DRL module? Will it need to be replaced, or repaired? Is there anyway to test?

Thanks in advance!

Chris

i would say most rx8 owners have had experience with the DRL module. lol. they die all the time. have you concidered the bulb as the culpret? next time you notice it as out, go and pound lightly on the headlamp assembly infront of where the bulb is with your pump. sometimes a bulbs filement can be broken and only makes connection sometimes. if thats not it, then i would assume the module is at fault. they go all the time. its usually pretty expensive though, FYI. so be ready for that. lol. in my experience and opinion. its more than likely the module, but bulbs are cheaper so hope for that. lol. there is another thread in the canadian section not to long ago about this. I posted a bit of info in there about the DRL setup and common ways to determine problems (not really when they are interemitant though). the thing that makes me wonder if its not the bulb on yours is that only one stops working....it seems to me that if the module is the cause both would go out. good luck.

P.S. i know i sort of contradicted myself there a bit...oh well, im tired and im going to bed. haha.

Fiddle with the parking brake just enough to cause the dash light to go on.

The cause is the DRL module under the glove box. The bulbs are run in series so if one really burnt out, both bulbs would be out. It is a $120 part from Mazda so it is not cheap. Sooner of later both will stay out and at that point you lost your hi beams so you should probably get it looked at.

I could be wrong about this so if you are in doubt, just take it to the dealer.

im pretty sure the bulbs arent wired in series as they are your highbeams as well as your DRL bulbs. to wire your highbeams in series, or any pair of lights in series would be abnormal and dangerous. also, for a long time, i had only one highbeam working and both bulbs were brand new. one side is grounded through the module. there are alot of safeguards for important lights to make sure they both dont go out in the event of one bulb dying. the module dying is another story though.

See, I was wrong.

The Mazda guy that change the DRL module on my car after I tried everything else said that if one is burnt out both would be out.

That could just have been an excuse from his to swap in a new set a bulbs for $30 though...

Thanks for the tips guys!
Reading through some of the threads on the DRL module specifically, it would seem as though this is most likely my problem. I will try to pull it out myself and take it apart.
I'm an electronic technologist, so I might have success diagnosing the problem, fixing, and perhaps even improving?
I checked the DIY forum for a good DIY on removing the DRL module, but couldn't fine one. If anyone knows of one, please pass it along. I will post my own pics and details (if that would be helpful) when I get to removing and repairing the the DRL module.
(It's still a little chilly down here by the St.Lawerence)

Thank you again, very much!

Chris

i dont beleive a DIY is necessary. its fairly easy. you can take off your glove box, i leave it on when replacing these, but its easier to see what you are doing with the glove box removed. after that, its just the big blue box with a steel bracket and an 8mm bolt holding it in place. there are two connectors on it as well. just turn into a pretzle. get in there, unbolt it and you are done.

why is this a law in canada? eh?

Crappy relays that fail are the problem.....how much time is worth $120 though...not worth the effort from my perspective to try and fix them

its the relay. I had the same problem with my 8

it saves lifes if james dean had drls he'd probably be alive lol but the us thinks saving gas is more important than saving lifes