# DRL's - Can they be shut off?



## SLang (Dec 1, 2003)

Can the dealer shut off the Daytime Running Light feature on a 2000 E39?


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## Ågent99 (Jan 7, 2002)

Yes, the dealer can take care of this for you. Next time you are in for a service or something, see if you can get them to do it for free. If you go in for this alone, they may wish to charge you.

Chris


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## e39540i6 (Oct 9, 2003)

Yeah, I went in to try and have them turned off and they wanted to charge me $50. :yikes:


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## SARAFIL (Feb 19, 2003)

e39540i6 said:


> Yeah, I went in to try and have them turned off and they wanted to charge me $50. :yikes:


What do you think would be a more reasonable cost?

(also note that at a labor rate of ~$100 per hour, that $50 is approximately half hour of labor)


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## alee (Dec 19, 2001)

SARAFIL said:


> What do you think would be a more reasonable cost?
> 
> (also note that at a labor rate of ~$100 per hour, that $50 is half hour of labor)


Free as a courtesy would be what I call reasonable.

I've seen it done. It doesn't take 30 mins. It takes longer to drive to car into the bay then it does to do the actual coding.


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## SARAFIL (Feb 19, 2003)

alee said:


> Free as a courtesy would be what I call reasonable.
> 
> I've seen it done. It doesn't take 30 mins. It takes longer to drive to car into the bay then it does to do the actual coding.


If they are doing other work for you at the same time, then I see the point of your statement.

However, if you go in just for that, then I think that it is fair for them to charge you some labor to cover their time to do the job. After all, these techs are paid based on the flat-rate hours that they produce, not the number of hours they work.


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## antoszm (Jun 15, 2004)

Why would you want to disable DRLs? They are one of the simplest and smartest safety features you could think of (esp. for highway driving)!


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## sj3 (Feb 25, 2004)

Could someone please explain how DRLs are a good thing? I've always hated them but I think it is now time to re-evaluate. For the E60, DRLs don't even use the xenon's so there's no reducing the life of your good headlights. That was my main argument before. It's daylight, it's a car, for heaven's sake. If someone doesn't see the car during the day unless its lights are on, they need more help and shouldn't allowed on the roads! Thanks in advance for any insight.

Sam


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## Greco (Feb 16, 2003)

Your car might fail inspection if the DRL's are not working, plus you could incur a fine from a police officer. There was a year, not sure which one, that DRL's became mandatory and disabling them can constitute a tcket.


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## Desertnate (Mar 11, 2002)

Greco said:


> Your car might fail inspection if the DRL's are not working, plus you could incur a fine from a police officer. There was a year, not sure which one, that DRL's became mandatory and disabling them can constitute a tcket.


In the US they are not mandatory, he lives in Cali according to his info by his avatar.

Personally I think they wouldn't be too bad if automakers did them right, but most have the bulbs on WAY too bright and it really messes with your depth perception.


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## DZeckhausen (Mar 11, 2003)

sj3 said:


> Could someone please explain how DRLs are a good thing? I've always hated them but I think it is now time to re-evaluate.


In NJ, where you and I both live, the benefits of DRLs aren't as obvious. But when I visit my folks in New Hampshire, there are plenty of roads where you are allowed to pass. It takes some time to get used to using passing zones again, since they are very rare in Northern NJ! I have noticed that an oncoming car can be invisible long after it crests the hill and should be in view due to the mirage-like effect on hot summer days where it looks like water at the end of the road. When the oncoming car has DRLs, it stands out clearly. Without DRLs, it is invisible for a several seconds. That can make a big difference in passing safely.

I've also noticed a difference here in NJ between the reactions of drivers to my Impala SS, which does not have DRLs, and the 540i. You can observe the moment the driver of a car coming in from a side street sees your car. I see more near-starts, then abrupt stops, as they see my Impala, than the BMW. When I think of it, I even turn on the lights on my Impala and that sort of behavior by other drivers comes to nearly a complete stop. The difference is not subtle.

And now that most cars have DRLs turned on, the lack of them on your BMW puts you at a comparative disadvantage. I think you're at greater risk of having an accident without DRLs now than you were back when nobody had them.


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## SLang (Dec 1, 2003)

I'd like them off because I don't like the low-wattage yellowish look of the lights, and I'm rebelling against those who want to make me safe. I'm perfectly capable of flipping that little switch that turns the lights on if I feel I need them.

There's no inspection in CA that looks at DRLs. In fact, there's no safety inspection in CA at all. Your car could have 4 wobbly wheels, no brakes, doors about to fall off, hood about to flip up and block the windshield, but in CA as long as you pass smog check, hey, you're good to go! :thumbup: :tsk:


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## SergioK (Aug 14, 2002)

SLang said:


> I'd like them off because I don't like the low-wattage yellowish look of the lights, and I'm rebelling against those who want to make me safe. I'm perfectly capable of flipping that little switch that turns the lights on if I feel I need them.
> 
> There's no inspection in CA that looks at DRLs. In fact, there's no safety inspection in CA at all. Your car could have 4 wobbly wheels, no brakes, doors about to fall off, hood about to flip up and block the windshield, but in CA as long as you pass smog check, hey, you're good to go! :thumbup: :tsk:


Makes you kinda think about all these POS cars we see on the roads here, huh? (The P is for piece, not Porsche)


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## ChadS (Jan 4, 2002)

SLang said:


> In fact, there's no safety inspection in CA at all. Your car could have 4 wobbly wheels, no brakes, doors about to fall off, hood about to flip up and block the windshield, but in CA as long as you pass smog check, hey, you're good to go! :thumbup: :tsk:


Damn! In Pennsylvania they will fail you for state inspection even if one of your tail lights are burned out.


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## SergioK (Aug 14, 2002)

ChadS said:


> Damn! In Pennsylvania they will fail you for state inspection even if one of your tail lights are burned out.


They don't have 20 million cars in PA, do they?


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## slee421 (Jun 8, 2004)

just had my drl's turned on. makes the car more visible. doesnt really change my view any at all, so why not use them. its like buying part of the car and not using it. i like getting my moenys worth ahahaha. :bigpimp:


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## FireWalker (Apr 19, 2004)

sj3 said:


> Could someone please explain how DRLs are a good thing? I've always hated them but I think it is now time to re-evaluate. For the E60, DRLs don't even use the xenon's so there's no reducing the life of your good headlights. That was my main argument before. It's daylight, it's a car, for heaven's sake. If someone doesn't see the car during the day unless its lights are on, they need more help and shouldn't allowed on the roads! Thanks in advance for any insight.
> 
> Sam


I've always thought that those who don't have their lights on, night OR day, should not be allowed on the road. 
Studies have shown that having your lights on DURING daylight increases the visibility of your car by 30%.
Your lights may jar the brain-dead driver out of his stuppor long before he sees your car bearing down at him at 70 while he is trying to move into your lane at 50 on a 65MPH highway.
That 30% could translate into a fraction of a second more time to react and that could be the difference between an annoying fender bender and your or someone elses life.
I always have my lights on during the day, even before the DRL's were introduced. It's just common sense-in the long run a bulb is a lot less expensive than a wreck.


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## SergioK (Aug 14, 2002)

slee421 said:


> just had my drl's turned on. makes the car more visible. doesnt really change my view any at all, so why not use them. its like buying part of the car and not using it. i like getting my moenys worth ahahaha. :bigpimp:


Yes, since I have DRLs on, I've noted how some CHPs now see me coming up on them from far away. :yikes:


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## Ågent99 (Jan 7, 2002)

sj3 said:


> Could someone please explain how DRLs are a good thing? I've always hated them but I think it is now time to re-evaluate. For the E60, DRLs don't even use the xenon's so there's no reducing the life of your good headlights. That was my main argument before. It's daylight, it's a car, for heaven's sake. If someone doesn't see the car during the day unless its lights are on, they need more help and shouldn't allowed on the roads! Thanks in advance for any insight.
> 
> Sam


Funny thing, but the sun in broad daylight at at the right angles, blah, blah, blah (I notice this mostly driving in deserts and flats), it can be very diffiicult to see oncoming cars. Flip the lights on and you can see them more easily.

Since the DRLs on E39s use the highs at ~30% power, I feel I am getting my money's worth out of a pair of bulbs that would otherwise be used very seldom. I only hope they make me more visible but I don't really have any proof of that since I've been hit 3 times...on the side and in the rear, however!


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## FenPhen (Jan 13, 2004)

sj3 said:


> It's daylight, it's a car, for heaven's sake. If someone doesn't see the car during the day unless its lights are on, they need more help and shouldn't allowed on the roads! Thanks in advance for any insight.


We use lights as information aids because they stand out from their environment. For the same reason we use traffic lights instead of colored paddles or some other purely reflected-light system, engineers created DRLs. If another driver is looking into the sun, and you're in shade, you're going to be much more noticeable with your DRLs on.

There are situations like passing that have been described, and there are situations in city environments where, to a negligent driver, you may blend in with other parked cars when they're coming from a side street. More drivers are likely to notice you in their rear view mirror more if you have DRLs. More drivers are likely to notice your car if they bother to check their side mirror and look over their shoulder before sliding into your lane. (Someone almost checked me today while I was driving a different car without headlights/DRLs on, after they changed lanes into the one next to me, tucking me into their blind spot, and then just continuing the move into my lane.)

There's no point arguing how careless drivers shouldn't be allowed on the road because we all know there are plenty of dumbasses out there. A lot of us have also probably had lapses where we were either distracted or tired and were not perfectly vigilant the entire time behind the wheel. DRLs lower the _probability_ of you getting in an accident.


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## Fzara2000 (Jan 22, 2004)

DZeckhausen said:


> In NJ, where you and I both live, the benefits of DRLs aren't as obvious. But when I visit my folks in New Hampshire, there are plenty of roads where you are allowed to pass. It takes some time to get used to using passing zones again, since they are very rare in Northern NJ! I have noticed that an oncoming car can be invisible long after it crests the hill and should be in view due to the mirage-like effect on hot summer days where it looks like water at the end of the road. When the oncoming car has DRLs, it stands out clearly. Without DRLs, it is invisible for a several seconds. That can make a big difference in passing safely.
> 
> I've also noticed a difference here in NJ between the reactions of drivers to my Impala SS, which does not have DRLs, and the 540i. You can observe the moment the driver of a car coming in from a side street sees your car. I see more near-starts, then abrupt stops, as they see my Impala, than the BMW. When I think of it, I even turn on the lights on my Impala and that sort of behavior by other drivers comes to nearly a complete stop. The difference is not subtle.
> 
> And now that most cars have DRLs turned on, the lack of them on your BMW puts you at a comparative disadvantage. I think you're at greater risk of having an accident without DRLs now than you were back when nobody had them.


NJ is becoming as bad as NYC these days. I think the driving skills of the drivers around me havent even passed their written driving tests yet which would explain the 100+ mph runs on 280.

Honestly, I really dont know how much DRL's have made a difference, but now that i'm driving alot faster these days, I think it definitely makes a difference when passing cars wherever I go.

Btw-I noted you live in Northern Jesery-thats about a 35 min. drive up to around Parsippany (287N, exit 38). PM me sometime and we'll organize a meet. :thumbup:


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## sj3 (Feb 25, 2004)

I think I'm sold. Thanks so much for everyone's time patiently going over the benefits.

Sam


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