DRL's stopped working
08-01-2010, 12:04 PM
#1
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DRL's stopped working
2006 C6 - Brought in for state inspection yesterday - now my DRL's do not come on. I don’t think it’s a fuse - the turn signals work and approach lights work - just no daytime running lights. The light switch is in "AUTO" position.
I believe the inspector accidently flipped something
Now I cannot get them to turn on - I tried searching old posts, found many trying to disengage the DRL's but couldn't find anything on this - any help would be appreciated!!
I believe the inspector accidently flipped something
Now I cannot get them to turn on - I tried searching old posts, found many trying to disengage the DRL's but couldn't find anything on this - any help would be appreciated!!
08-01-2010, 01:44 PM
#3
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Nope - checked that too - but thanks for the suggestion.
It seems like I had this happen before and it seems like the fix was a no brainer, I just can't remember what it was!!
It seems like I had this happen before and it seems like the fix was a no brainer, I just can't remember what it was!!
08-01-2010, 01:56 PM
#4
Race Director
Hmmm...that's a stumper. If indeed the switch is in the "auto" position and the e-brake is off, the DRLs should come on...possibly unless you have an automatic transmission? I'm not 100% sure, but does an automatic need to be in gear (not in park) for the DRLs to come on?
08-01-2010, 02:26 PM
#6
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If the turn signals work, I can't immagine why the DRLs would not. Strange.
08-01-2010, 03:28 PM
#7
Safety Car
Maybe it just looks that way.
That is, maybe it's really in the adjacent position ("OFF"). Or maybe it's in-between OFF and AUTO.
Anyway, get someone to twist the lamp control stalk thru all positions, while you watch from the front.
And of course make sure the light sensor (on top of the instrument panel) is not covered.
That is, maybe it's really in the adjacent position ("OFF"). Or maybe it's in-between OFF and AUTO.
Anyway, get someone to twist the lamp control stalk thru all positions, while you watch from the front.
And of course make sure the light sensor (on top of the instrument panel) is not covered.
08-01-2010, 04:22 PM
#9
I dont mean for this to sound rude so please don't take it that way but how is this a bad thing? I turn my drl's everytime I get in the car. I wish they would become "accidently" disabled. If you like the look of the drl's, then I support your taste and Im sorry I can't help except for you may have the light switch adjusted wrong. 
08-01-2010, 04:40 PM
#11
Melting Slicks
If your DRLs have magically become disabled (and the turn signals still work fine), this is truly a blessing in disguise. If you wind up figuring out what caused this, please post it, very many people will be interested including me.
As most know, the bright filament in the turn signal bulbs (used for the DRLs) is really not designed to be on all the time so the DRL filaments tend to burn out prematurely. I always turn mine off before pulling out of the garage. I'll often just turn my parking lights on instead, this way I get the lower power front filaments glowing and low power rear light filaments glowing as well... and they last longer. If I'm going through a very shady area and want a little more glow in front, I'll flip on the fog lamps. I try to keep the main headlamps off as much as possible since they are the most difficult lamps to change and are expensive.
I'm not familiar with the functionality of DRLs on automatics, but it will be interesting to see what caused this. What's even more interesting is that the inspector must have caused this to happen, it would seem to be something that can be easily implemented by hand... cool.
08-01-2010, 05:42 PM
#12
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Actually I like the DRL's - I guess to each his own.
Yes, the turn signals do work - and the approach lights work.
I tried cycling the switch through all of the cycles - still no luck.
Yes, I may try disconnecting the battery and resetting - this is really driving me crazy!
Yes, the turn signals do work - and the approach lights work.
I tried cycling the switch through all of the cycles - still no luck.
Yes, I may try disconnecting the battery and resetting - this is really driving me crazy!
08-01-2010, 06:00 PM
#13
Team Owner
If your DRLs have magically become disabled (and the turn signals still work fine), this is truly a blessing in disguise. If you wind up figuring out what caused this, please post it, very many people will be interested including me.
As most know, the bright filament in the turn signal bulbs (used for the DRLs) is really not designed to be on all the time so the DRL filaments tend to burn out prematurely. I always turn mine off before pulling out of the garage. I'll often just turn my parking lights on instead, this way I get the lower power front filaments glowing and low power rear light filaments glowing as well... and they last longer. If I'm going through a very shady area and want a little more glow in front, I'll flip on the fog lamps. I try to keep the main headlamps off as much as possible since they are the most difficult lamps to change and are expensive.
I'm not familiar with the functionality of DRLs on automatics, but it will be interesting to see what caused this. What's even more interesting is that the inspector must have caused this to happen, it would seem to be something that can be easily implemented by hand... cool.
I also shut off the twilight feature and horn and headlight for locking car in "Personal Options" settings in hopes of extending the life on these parts. Some people use these features all the time (not just Corvettes) I don't like it attracts attention and makes noise too.
If I remember correctly in 2005 when my DRL went out the turn signal didn't work?
Doesn't this bulb do double duty as both DRL and turn signal?
Last edited by LS WON; 08-01-2010 at 06:04 PM.
08-01-2010, 06:47 PM
#14
Melting Slicks
I have over 20k miles and 4 years on my car, I have not had any bulbs burn out yet. Though I often see C6s on the road coming at me with one DRL out.
It's the main headlights that are the biggest problem, I believe they are the hardest and most expensive to replace The main headlights always want to come on when I first start the car in my dark garage, so I hit the stalk right after I crank the engine, BEFORE they actually come on, and turn them off, I'm sure doing this adds a lot more life to those bulbs... having cold bulbs cycle on and off EVERY single time the car is started in my garage is surely not good for the bulbs.
I am a big believer in DRLs, anything that helps other drivers see you is a good thing. On my other cars that do not have DRLs I often just keep the headlights on during the day (on the cars that have cheap, easy to replace headlights
). The C6... I usually run the parking lamps and fog lights during the day. These lamps will have a longer life than the DRL filaments and even provide light behind the car which is not a bad thing when on shady mountain roads.It's not a big deal, but I do wish that the stalk had a fully mechanic light switch set up so you could force the lights to remain off if you want as opposed to having them come on automatically when you start the car in darker areas (without having to remember to hit the stalk every time you start the car). But, this is a very minor "annoyance" on a car that is otherwise so perfect.
08-01-2010, 07:11 PM
#15
Team Owner
Yes. To my knowledge, the DRL is the bright filament of the turn signal bulb being kept on at all times. It has been said that the bright filament in these bulbs was not originally designed to be kept on at all times, designed primarily for brake lights and turn signals, not full time use... burns very brightly, gets quite hot. As long as they are not too hard to change, then it's not a big deal, but the "bad" part is that when this DRL filament blows, you lose that turn signal, not the end of the world, but could be a headache if you're on a long trip and don't feel like messing with bulbs.
I have over 20k miles and 4 years on my car, I have not had any bulbs burn out yet. Though I often see C6s on the road coming at me with one DRL out.
It's the main headlights that are the biggest problem, I believe they are the hardest and most expensive to replace The main headlights always want to come on when I first start the car in my dark garage, so I hit the stalk right after I crank the engine, BEFORE they actually come on, and turn them off, I'm sure doing this adds a lot more life to those bulbs... having cold bulbs cycle on and off EVERY single time the car is started in my garage is surely not good for the bulbs.
I am a big believer in DRLs, anything that helps other drivers see you is a good thing. On my other cars that do not have DRLs I often just keep the headlights on during the day (on the cars that have cheap, easy to replace headlights). The C6... I usually run the parking lamps and fog lights during the day. These lamps will have a longer life than the DRL filaments and even provide light behind the car which is not a bad thing when on shady mountain roads.
It's not a big deal, but I do wish that the stalk had a fully mechanic light switch set up so you could force the lights to remain off if you want as opposed to having them come on automatically when you start the car in darker areas (without having to remember to hit the stalk every time you start the car). But, this is a very minor "annoyance" on a car that is otherwise so perfect.
I have over 20k miles and 4 years on my car, I have not had any bulbs burn out yet. Though I often see C6s on the road coming at me with one DRL out.
It's the main headlights that are the biggest problem, I believe they are the hardest and most expensive to replace The main headlights always want to come on when I first start the car in my dark garage, so I hit the stalk right after I crank the engine, BEFORE they actually come on, and turn them off, I'm sure doing this adds a lot more life to those bulbs... having cold bulbs cycle on and off EVERY single time the car is started in my garage is surely not good for the bulbs.
I am a big believer in DRLs, anything that helps other drivers see you is a good thing. On my other cars that do not have DRLs I often just keep the headlights on during the day (on the cars that have cheap, easy to replace headlights
). The C6... I usually run the parking lamps and fog lights during the day. These lamps will have a longer life than the DRL filaments and even provide light behind the car which is not a bad thing when on shady mountain roads.It's not a big deal, but I do wish that the stalk had a fully mechanic light switch set up so you could force the lights to remain off if you want as opposed to having them come on automatically when you start the car in darker areas (without having to remember to hit the stalk every time you start the car). But, this is a very minor "annoyance" on a car that is otherwise so perfect.
I will just keep hitting the auto switch just as I start car in dark garage so nothing comes on. If I want it to come on all I have to do is hit the switch again and DRL's come on.Don't know what the cost is to replace HID low beams but I know they are alot and probably alot of trouble if you DIY.
08-02-2010, 03:14 AM
#16
Safety Car
"To turn off the DRL, turn the exterior lamp control to the OFF position... The DRL will stay off until the control is toggled again..."
This is from pg 3-16 of the Owners Manual: http://www.gmpartshouse.com/download...09corvette.pdf
(The exterior lamp control lever is illustrated on pg 3-14.)
The OM also says the DRL's are turned off when you shift to Park, and turn back on when you shift out of Park. But if you have a manual transmission, maybe the DRL's will stay off unless you reset them.
To the OP: If your 06 is like my 09, the OFF position is spring-loaded... it automatically returns to the AUTO position.
So, just as you described, you can be in the AUTO position with the DRL off.
You'd think the DRL would reset when the engine is turned off. But yours haven't, so apparently the reset is not automatic.
Try selecting the OFF position. I bet that resets your DRL. If that doesn't work, then twist the lever to the HEADLAMPS position, then back to AUTO.
Last edited by CO Lightfoot; 08-02-2010 at 03:17 AM.
08-02-2010, 05:16 AM
#17
Le Mans Master
What's prematurely? My car's a daily driver for the past 46 months - 52K miles. Lights and battery are fine. No battery tender.
08-06-2010, 10:59 PM
#18
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Maybe it just looks that way.
That is, maybe it's really in the adjacent position ("OFF"). Or maybe it's in-between OFF and AUTO.
Anyway, get someone to twist the lamp control stalk thru all positions, while you watch from the front.
And of course make sure the light sensor (on top of the instrument panel) is not covered.
That is, maybe it's really in the adjacent position ("OFF"). Or maybe it's in-between OFF and AUTO.
Anyway, get someone to twist the lamp control stalk thru all positions, while you watch from the front.
And of course make sure the light sensor (on top of the instrument panel) is not covered.
Not sure what went wrong - but I ended up manually turning the switch up (as if to turn on the headlights) and it sprung back to the "Auto" position (like it is designed to do) and the DRL's started working again! I guess it wasn't locked into "Auto".
I thought for sure that I had tried cycling it through the positions before.....
Did I have my first "Senior Moment"???
08-07-2010, 12:15 AM
#19
Race Director
Senior Moment? Only if you soiled your Depends.
Intermittent electronic gremlins are always hard to diagnose and many of the 'switches' in the C6 are more akin to the the left button on your mouse.
Once in awhile you just gotta give it another, more determined click.
Glad it worked out.
Intermittent electronic gremlins are always hard to diagnose and many of the 'switches' in the C6 are more akin to the the left button on your mouse.
Once in awhile you just gotta give it another, more determined click.
Glad it worked out.