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DRL's on your US XJ (Daytime Running Lights)

Secshunate

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Duncan BC Canada
I FOUND A SEVERE LACK OF DIY INSTRUCTION ON THIS TOPIC SO I MADE SOME

I recently imported my Xj from the US and one of the things it needed to pass inspection was Daytime Running Lights.

Many places sell kits to convert "any vehicle" but I HATE "universal" kits and felt it overcomplicated what should be a simple thing.

The kits were also about $30 where I looked and my way costs $10 or less depending on what supplies you already have.

THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS ARE HOW I DID THIS ON MY U.S.D.M. 2001 JEEP CHEROKEE SPORT 4.0L -- Your wires and connectors may be different -- Do this at your own risk!!

For this mod I used:

* A 30A Relay
* A fuseable link and a 20A fuse
* a pack of blue spade connectors
* Some blue "Vampire clips" (that's what I call them anyhow)
* Some odd short bits of 12 and 16g wire

I felt the most logical spot to get at all the required wires was right at the light switch...here we go!

Here you see the dash apart and switch dangling
yq4v12.jpg


The wires you need to deal with are marked. The fuse goes in between the red/white wire and the relay. I'm not going to bother going into how to wire a standard relay...IF YOU DON"T KNOW WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS??? In the end I didn't feel the ground on the switch was good enough, and instead went to a stud on the steering column...you may want to do the same.
yq4v13.jpg


For the Ignition on signal I turned to this handy other connector right below the headlight switch...no idea what it does, but the white/black had the right power and I don't really care now what it does.
yq4v1f.jpg


Here you see it all finished and ready to go back together
yq4v15.jpg


My setup passed the test fine and I have been running this way for a week now. There is absolutely no change in brightness when the switch is physically on vs. not used, and my XJ has not caught on fire yet...I take these as signs of a job well done
:party:

P.S. As a bonus...should you not want DRL's at any point, you just pull the fuse!
 
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Yeah, the kits for sale up here are all lights at 100% (excluding high beams)...so that's what i did.

If you want less voltage, you can probably wire in a resistor or POT, or just wire it up to the existing POT for the dimmer.

I haven't investigated how exactly to do that though. :gee:
 
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You would think that there would be a simple retrofit for U.S. DRLs since there's a spot for it in the fuse box and also an open relay spot labeled 'DRL' in the PDC (power distribution center) under the hood?? Maybe not, that would be too simple.
 
Ok

What is the difference of just turning on your lights? Why a special circuit
I just don’t get it. enlighten me on this DRL feature
 
Im almost positive that it is not a requirement in New Brunswick. Since you can inspect older vehicles that dont have DRLs. Id like to get rid of mine.LOL
 
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