Celica DRL and Auto Headlights

Hey everybody. I just bought an 04 Celica GTS. I really, really hate the DRL and auto headlights. I did a Google search online which shows how to disable them for other Toyotas but couldnt find one specifically for the Celica. Has anyone found such a website?. The best ones are the ones with pictures on them and not just diagrams. TIA

Bobby Jr.

Reply to
GTS04
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If you have difficulty following diagrams and need pictures, then I recommend that you hire a competent technician to disable the DRL's for you and avoid creating other problems. The auto headlights are easy to get around - turn the headlight switch to the off position to turn the headlamps off and turn them to the on position to turn them on.

Reply to
Ray O

I'm a visual person and would prefer pictures. Anything wrong with asking if anyone has them? I'm a decent mechanic once I know how to do it. This is just the first car I've had that has DRLs so this is a new technology for me. When it's mechanical, I'm not too concerned but when it's electronic, I like being extra careful. You can't blame me for that can you?

Reply to
GTS04

Man!!! This Toyota newsgroup isn't as nice as the Honda one where people actually offer answers rather than attacks. If you can help guys, thanks. If you don't have an answer, thanks for your silence.

Bobby Jr.

Reply to
GTS04

It's not personal. The prat who calls himself sharkwhatever is a well known bucketmouth with no graces at all. Ignore him. Ray O is a helpful and knowledgeable bod; if he seemed abraisive it was an illusion. He likely interpreted your messages as from someone without a clue. Try him again and pretend you started off well.

(We get a number of pushy creeps who come in claiming competences in this'n'that, so there's a "recognition period", as in any NG.)

Reply to
Andrew Stephenson

Nicely put.

Reply to
Coyoteboy

Nothing wrong with asking if anyone has pictures. Toyota technical publications rarely, if ever, include pictures, especially for electrical components and operations. An electrical wiring diagram provides much more information than pictures can. A problem with using pictures for electrical wiring is that wire colors and tracers do not show up well in pictures, especially if the wires are in a bundle with other wires, and pictures do not show the wire functions. For example, a brown wire with a green tracer would be difficult to differentiate from a black wire with a blue tracer, and there is no way to tell whether the wire is hot all the time, hot under certain conditions, or grounded. You may get lucky and find someone who has taken their own pictures and posted them on a web site, but I don't think the pictures will be very helpful.

I agree that you should be extra careful when dealing with electrical systems. Many do-it-yourselfers and incompetent aftermarket shops cause lots of electrical problems. IMO, the problems arise because people are working without a clear understanding of electrical principles and how the system they are working on operates, and pictures do not provide enough of an explanation or understanding to make a difference.

If you have an interest in learning more about how automotive systems operate, like what open and closed loop mean, or the principles behind the electrical systems like how relays and sensors operate, you may wish to take evening classes at your local high school or community college. Even if you understand the mechanical aspects of a car, so many systems are controlled or monitored by electronics that a basic understanding of electronics is needed to diagnose and service cars.

I won't get into the pros and cons of DRL's here - a little searching will turn up thousands of posts from people who are knowledgeable and not so knowledgeable about the subject. ;-)

Reply to
Ray O

Hey, Bobby...don't take it personally...Sharx lets us ALL have it at times! I can't really help you with your problem, but I can substantiate that DRL's can be a PITA.

I have a friend that bought an '04 Corolla recently, and her complaint was that at night, the lights were on but the dash was dark. The DRL's were so bright that when they came on, she forgot to turn on the headlights. Her husband asked me the same question, so if you find an answer elsewhere, post it here, please!

Reply to
Hachiroku

It's really just the one guy, Bobby. RayO knows what he is talking about and talks straight.

I don't know how to do what you want to do, but I take a slightly different approach. Both of my Toyotas (a 98 and a 2007) have a third setting that turns on the LOW BEAMS and the tail lights (the regular lights) when the key is turned on and turns them off when you turn the key off and open the driver's door. This is what I do and I am happy with it this way. If you don't want the lights on at all during the day then this would not be for you. Hope this might help. Tomes

Reply to
Tomes

Anyone stupid enough to buy Honda needs ALL the help they can get. Ricers.

Reply to
sharx35

If idiots didn't drive the problem would be solved. I've seen idiots not knowing about the dashboard light dimmer knob. And they DRIVE???!!???

Reply to
sharx35

My Good Nature won out this afternoon; that and the fact that it was probably someone's Grandmother...

She was going around the damn parking lot AGAINST the arrows...I was coming down one lane and she was coming around the corner. I had to get so close to one car to get out of her way it's a good thing either car didn't have just ONE MORE coat of paint!.

So, I turn right, and start going UP the next row...and she's coming down! I parked my car and went into the store.

I did my shopping and came out...and she was just locking up her car...one row further yet, and you could tell by the crazy angle she was parked that she had been going the wrong way yet AGAIN and had to crank the wheel against the stop to get into the space.

I thought the better of it and just got in my car and left, hoping we never cross paths again...

Reply to
Hachiroku

Thanks. I do know the pros and cons of DRL. I think anyone for or against it will agree that as I long as I use the light switch correctly, DRLs won't do me any more good.

Reply to
GTS04

Thanks. I appreciate that.

Reply to
GTS04

Will do. So far though, I've found diagrams but no pictures. I think I can do it with those. I just wanna make sure I don't screw it up. Electrical problems are the worst ones. As your expression goes, a real PITA (if I screw it up). Thanks, dude.

Reply to
GTS04

Read the directions all the way through and make sure you understand each step. If you have a question about the directions, feel free to ask - before you snip the wires! You don't want to end up in a situation in M*A*S*H where they were trying to diffuse a bomb - "cut the red wire... but first cut the blue wire!"

Reply to
Ray O

Long before DRL's came along, I started turning my head and taillights on....DAY and night. Whenever the car was in motion.

Reply to
sharx35

Why not just LEAVE the wiring the way that the manufacturer made it? Maybe THEY know more than YOU about such things.

Reply to
sharx35

Good for you :) Shame all the research supporting DRLs is from arctic circle coutries (with 24hour lowlight/darkness for 6 months a year) or based on fleet data (which in itself isnt exactly a fair test when comparing to personal transport) compared to past fleet data from years back. No-one yet has carried out a parallel study of sensible length, with identical vehicles in the same area over a statistically significant number of vehicles - they're just piecing their data together from existing records, or in significantly different situations. Theres a reason there is complete dissagreement between countries official policies on this, its because some are willing to take advice on its face and others look at it sensibly.

When that happens and proves it I'll convert, until then I'll use my common sense as to when lights need to be put on. Apart from anything I also ride a pedal cycle regularly on a long commute. I wonder how long it will take to realise that as soon as people get used to all moving vehicles having lights on even during the day, how long before pedal bikes which cant carry 100w of lights around and pedestrians end up being hit. If we all just used our eyes a little more the increase in safety across the board would outweigh the effect of almost every technological safety device.

Reply to
Coyoteboy

Well, of course, commonsense is recommended. However, common sense is VERY uncommon. On the highway, I can see an approaching vehicle having DRL's or headlights on, a LOT further away. On a single lane (each direction) road that makes passing a whole lot safer...easier to judge distance.

Reply to
sharx35

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