Mazda CX-5 Forums

Technical Section => Vehicle Lighting => Exterior Lighting => Topic started by: hermann_kratz on July 11, 2016, 11:34:14 am

Title: Rear DRL's?
Post by: hermann_kratz on July 11, 2016, 11:34:14 am
On a 2016 CX-5 is there any possibility of having the rear lights come on with the front DRL's? I've owned various VW/Audi vehicles before which all have a "Swedish" lighting setting hidden somewhere in the programming that one can activate(not easy but possible). Does anyone know if Mazda has the same possibility? If not is there a simple way of doing this?
I'm not getting into the DRL/headlights on arguments please do not bring this up again? I'm just loving the look of the rear LED's and want them on all the time without running on front main beam all day  8)
Title: Re: Rear DRL's?
Post by: BigAl on July 11, 2016, 12:56:05 pm
In my 4 years of CX5 ownership, I've not come across any way of doing this. I believe UK regulations for DRL's only allow the front ones to be used. I think that's pretty stupid as I've seen a lot of people driving in poor visibility, thinking they're safe because the DRL's are on without realising they have nothing showing on the rear.

Alan
Title: Re: Rear DRL's?
Post by: Willpower on July 11, 2016, 01:09:00 pm
This may be a stupid question, but why not just put on your sidelights ??  The DRL's will still work, you will have the additional light from the front sidelights and the rear clusters will be lit.

Title: Re: Rear DRL's?
Post by: xtrailman on July 11, 2016, 06:16:34 pm
I prefer things as they are, this morning I put on my side lights, job done.

I also thought the rear lights were normal bulbs?
Title: Re: Rear DRL's?
Post by: Anchorman on July 11, 2016, 08:36:30 pm
The rear lights on the latest SportNav are LEDs.

If it has LEDs, putting on the sidelights will dim down the front DRLs but they are still quite bright.  If it doesn’t have LEDs, then as WP says, it will just crack up the rear lights.  You would need to tap into the BCM to achieve what you are suggesting.
Title: Re: Rear DRL's?
Post by: hermann_kratz on July 11, 2016, 08:54:20 pm
Thanks for all the suggestions guys. Yip I think the sidelights option is the only option at present. I wonder what change Mazda make to their vehicles sold in Scandinavian countries where regulations require front & rear lights to be on all the time? Surely Mazda being the efficient company it (claims) is it does not manufacture a different hardware spec for the same vehicle sold in different territories? These changes tend to all be software related or at worst connecting a wire or adding a fuse somewhere. I shall keep looking and asking. Maybe there's a simple way to make the vehicle select the same functionality for DRL and sidelights on?
Title: Re: Rear DRL's?
Post by: xtrailman on July 12, 2016, 06:58:03 am
Phone the dealer, or contact Mazda.
Title: Re: Rear DRL's?
Post by: DC77 on July 12, 2016, 08:48:16 am
Personally, as soon as I get mine (next week hopefully) I will be looking to see if I can switch DRL off....don't like looking like a 4 wheeled Christmas tree, just my personal opinion!
Title: Re: Rear DRL's?
Post by: xtrailman on July 12, 2016, 10:03:29 am
The rear lights on the latest SportNav are LEDs.

If it has LEDs, putting on the sidelights will dim down the front DRLs but they are still quite bright.  If it doesn’t have LEDs, then as WP says, it will just crack up the rear lights.  You would need to tap into the BCM to achieve what you are suggesting.

Side lights maybe, but rev are still bulbs.
Title: Re: Rear DRL's?
Post by: Ant on July 12, 2016, 10:22:50 am
I believe that that on the Sport Nav facelift models, the rear stop and tail lights, including the high level brake light are LEDs. All others are traditional tungsten filament bulbs. At the front, it's all LEDs except for the indicators. I think the side repeaters in the door mirrors are also LEDs. Why on earth Mazda didn't just go with a single lamp technology, I have no idea.
Title: Re: Rear DRL's?
Post by: Willpower on July 12, 2016, 05:13:24 pm
Personally, as soon as I get mine (next week hopefully) I will be looking to see if I can switch DRL off....don't like looking like a 4 wheeled Christmas tree, just my personal opinion!

The legality of this is a minefield.  The operating requirements for Daytime running lights are defined here  http://www.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp29regs41-60.html   
Regulation 48 :   Installation of lighting and light-signalling devices.      Note :  Not sure on how this will be affected by our withdrawal from Europe

However if your car (being brand new ) has been fitted with DRL's as OEM Standard equipment, but you disable them,  then there is another aspect to consider.

If you have a crash that could be attributed to your car not being seen (because you had disabled a built in safety device),   you could be held liable by your insurers who would have to pay the third party, but might not pay you.

Just a thought

Title: Re: Rear DRL's?
Post by: DC77 on July 12, 2016, 05:28:10 pm
Personally, as soon as I get mine (next week hopefully) I will be looking to see if I can switch DRL off....don't like looking like a 4 wheeled Christmas tree, just my personal opinion!

The legality of this is a minefield.  The operating requirements for Daytime running lights are defined here  http://www.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp29regs41-60.html   
Regulation 48 :   Installation of lighting and light-signalling devices.      Note :  Not sure on how this will be affected by our withdrawal from Europe

However if your car (being brand new ) has been fitted with DRL's as OEM Standard equipment, but you disable them,  then there is another aspect to consider.

If you have a crash that could be attributed to your car not being seen (because you had disabled a built in safety device),   you could be held liable by your insurers who would have to pay the third party, but might not pay you.

Just a thought

Oh no.....I have no intension of messing about with the computer or whatever to disable the DRL, I will only do this if it is at all possible to do just by switching the feature off on the screen.
I'm sure I managed to do this on a previous car I had.
Title: Re: Rear DRL's?
Post by: xtrailman on July 12, 2016, 06:22:07 pm
I've yet to read a post that allows turning off the DRL's on either version.

Assuming you do take this route it must (i assume) be declared as a modification for insurance purposes.
Title: Re: Rear DRL's?
Post by: DC77 on July 12, 2016, 06:48:21 pm
I've yet to read a post that allows turning off the DRL's on either version.

Assuming you do take this route it must (i assume) be declared as a modification for insurance purposes.

Thank you for that.....I will have a look through the settings when I get the car and if nothing there regarding DRL's I will just have to put up with it.
Title: Re: Rear DRL's?
Post by: cmp999 on July 12, 2016, 08:40:01 pm
Just out of interest, a Few years ago I owned an Audi A4 S Line, you had the option of turning off the daytime running light's. The law must have changed in the past few years and they are European cars.
Title: Re: Rear DRL's?
Post by: DC77 on July 12, 2016, 09:27:41 pm
Just out of interest, a Few years ago I owned an Audi A4 S Line, you had the option of turning off the daytime running light's. The law must have changed in the past few years and they are European cars.

I could also do that on a 2008 BMW one series I had at the time, though I also had a 2013 Mazda 3 Venture and that didn't have them at all!
Title: Re: Rear DRL's?
Post by: xtrailman on July 13, 2016, 09:24:52 pm
From what i can make out from the manual.

The sport has led headlights, spot lights, and side indicators up front.
At the rear its led brakes and side lights.

Rear indicators are bulbs along with the reversing light.
I'm still unsure about the rear fog but believe its also a bulb.
Title: Re: Rear DRL's?
Post by: G.L. Bianchi on August 22, 2016, 04:31:14 pm
On The German CX5 forum there is a DIY PDF for this.
Here is the link: http:www.cx5-forum.de/f10/anleitung-tfl-ruecklicht-koppeln-4980.html.

In case you cannot read German use Google translate.

Succes.
Pipercub.
Title: Re: Rear DRL's?
Post by: p38cyq on August 22, 2016, 05:08:22 pm
Very interesting! However, the link seems to be invalid (cannot be found).

Thank you for checking.
Title: Re: Rear DRL's?
Post by: RichardCX5 on August 23, 2016, 12:36:30 pm
Very interesting! However, the link seems to be invalid (cannot be found).

Thank you for checking.

External links are not allowed on this forum so the link has been changed so that it doesn't work...
Title: Re: Rear DRL's?
Post by: Deeps on August 23, 2016, 01:01:25 pm


External links are not allowed on this forum so the link has been changed so that it doesn't work...

I thought that was just for shall we say - competitor forums. Surely a German site in the German language can't be considered a competitor????? Hands up who can read Japanese lol.
Title: Re: Rear DRL's?
Post by: twabrigs on August 23, 2016, 03:42:00 pm
I believe the 'ban' is for live hyperlinks, but if you copy the url for the German forum into your address bar it will take you there
Title: Re: Rear DRL's?
Post by: Willpower on August 23, 2016, 03:52:26 pm
Just to clarify.  This situation has been dealt with before     http://mazdacx5forums.co.uk/index.php?topic=364.msg2490;topicseen#msg2490

There has been no change in the policy.   (http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j124/willpower128/Emos/620044001173394813.gif)
Title: Re: Rear DRL's?
Post by: Southern Teuchter on August 26, 2016, 09:24:27 am
On a 2016 CX-5 is there any possibility of having the rear lights come on with the front DRL's? I've owned various VW/Audi vehicles before which all have a "Swedish" lighting setting hidden somewhere in the programming that one can activate(not easy but possible). Does anyone know if Mazda has the same possibility? If not is there a simple way of doing this?

Have a look here: http://mazdacmuhacks.com/?page_id=115
Title: Re: Rear DRL's?
Post by: xtrailman on August 26, 2016, 03:17:24 pm
No mention of activating the rear lights?
Title: Re: Rear DRL's?
Post by: Willpower on August 26, 2016, 04:25:50 pm
I've said it before.   Just put the sidelights on.   (http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j124/willpower128/Emos/simples-1.jpg)    Simples ! !