CarGuru

I'm just curious as to if DRL mandated W204 illuminate the inside highbeam lamps or are they the standard outset lamps in the housing? My wife drives with the regular headlamps on all the time which is good but I feel it burns the life out of all the other lamps that don't need to be on in the day time. It would be great to have the car programmed to have just the DRL lights. Also if anyone has a picture of what they look like on it would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

-Ryan

MBPup

I'm pretty sure it's just the standard headlamps.

But why not just try it out? You can set it via the instrument cluster.

joegrecoant

As far as I know (W203) there is no way to turn off the headlight, EXCEPT when you are idling for too long and the headlight will turn itself off momentarily.....but will restart once you step on the gas....

I am assuming it will be the same as W204....lowbeam...

peabers

+1

I was loading up my car yesterday and the headlamps turned themselves off, but the "eyebrow" stayed on. As soon as the car was taken out of Park, the headlamps turned on again.

I take issue with people who avoid turning on lights because they are worried about bulb life. It's a $10 bulb in most part, but the benefit of visibility is tremendous. I would not risk someone hitting my $60K car because I was too cheap to turn on a $10 light.

AsianML

Xenon bulbs are much more than $10, but they're supposed to last longer too. Even though DRLs aren't required around here I still drive with the main headlights on most of the time. Although it's pretty sunny here in the summer, I live in a wooded area so there's lot of shadows around here and a dark blue car doesn't help...

jrct9454

You can program the W204 for DRLs - that's what I've done with our C300 Lux. Should be one of the menu options.

This burns the headlights at about 50-60% lumens [no taillights], but the sensor lights everything up automatically if it gets dark enough [I still recommend doing this manually if conditions dictate, but the sensor will take care of it if you want it to].

RLE

<<I take issue with people who avoid turning on lights because they are worried about bulb life. It's a $10 bulb in most part, but the benefit of visibility is tremendous. I would not risk someone hitting my $60K car because I was too cheap to turn on a $10 light>>

Xenon bulbs are bit higher than ten bucks. And which C costs 60K even after T& L?

AsianML

Canadialand.

misterng

+1. I have it program to just the eyebrows are on but not the headlights.

spotless

How do you do that? DRL is mandatory in Canada but I just want the eyebrow on as well. If the Xenon is on all the time, what's the point of having Auto mode for headlamp control, besides saving the tail lights on and off.

vcruiser

my c came up to like 67 CDN after taxes

rb23lb

NO NEED TO TURN ON LAMPS IN DAYTIME, THANKS ANYWAY THOUGH

peabers

I've owned three xenon-equipped cars in succession and have yet to actually replace the bulb on them.... maybe I am not keeping my cars long enough. But even if I don't turn "on" the lights, the DRLs are running on xenon anyway, so where's the savings? I believe it is worse for the bulb when the photosensor cranks on and off the lights when I drive under overpasses.

C350 4matic + prem pkg + taxes > than $60K in Canada... didn't we already have this conversation before?

jrct9454

It's pretty clear to me that for those of us with the halogen headlights, the programmed option for DRLs gives the reduced low beams; for those of you with xenons, it lights the "eyebrows"?. Whichever, the DRL option by definition does NOT light the taillights, and thus you need to either turn on the lights manually [as conditions warrant] or wait for the sensor to do it.

My experience is that on a cloudy or drizzly day, when I want full headlights and tailights, the sensor won't always react, so I use the switch under those circumstances. The sensor works fine for turning everything on as long as it gets dark enough [parking garage, tunnel, post-sunset], but it can be inconsistent in marginal conditions....no substitute for operator involvement.

In any case, to answer the original question: running lights are a programmable option. What the option gets you seems to depend on what kind of headlights your car has.

For those of you philosophically opposed to DRLs - I respect your position, but I have to tell you, I can see second glances from people in their mirrors [especially when approaching Cl 8 tractor-trailer rigs at highway passing speeds] that tell me DRLs are a good idea. To each your own...

MBPup

You might see if your dealer can adjust the sensitivity of your auto headlights. I know it can be done with BMW's, so it's likely MB can do the same.

CarGuru

I guess you didn't read my question all the way through? It's not the headlamps I'm trying to save....... but all the 200 other small and pain in the **** little lamps that can potentially burn out before I care them to, otherwise not needed in the day time i.e. taillamps which cant really be seen in the daytime lit anyway, the license plate, instruments etc... I notice that most Canadian spec cars come with a feature to enable just the headlamps or the high beams at like 40% intensity. Thats what I'm looking for, if you've ever owned an old car and had to replace & find one of those rare bulbs for the dash you would understand what I mean. Also sometimes when a taillamp burns out it's weeks before I find out and embarrassing at that. I'm just trying to find out if Canadian spec W204's have a feature where just the headlamps only light. I currently have our USDM spec car enabled with the programmable DRL's but all of the lamps come on, tails, license plate, parking etc...

-Ryan

jrct9454

Ryan, all I know is that the DRL setting on our US-spec C300 Lux ONLY turns on the headlights, and only at reduced lumens....no other lights come on [sidelights, taillights, etc.], unless it becomes dark enough for the sensor to intervene. To me, this is how I've always defined DRLs, realizing that some car makers vary this recipe, usually with more lighting.

Again, ours is a US-spec car with the standard halogen lights....and this was a simple matter of picking the DRL setting off the menu.

What is the headlight switch setting you're using during the day? It's a mystery to me why yours would behave differently from ours....

angeloxnet

it's not a mystery, they make different cars for different regions, or at least configurations with some menu items hidden.

I live in Ontario, Canada and DRL is when headlights are always on, as far as the C, the HIDs are always on, day or night. and NO you can't "disable" it in our region......not unless u know a dealer or someone with STAR.

jrct9454

Ryan drives an American spec car - his and mine should behave the same.

I do understand the differences between US and Canadian spec - thank you.

tanktube67

it's just a bulb

mromar

wonder why I couldn't find this post before. If you look under my ID, Iv been trying to get this question answered for sometime now. I have a Canadian C230 W204 (US didnt get this version). C230 is the only W204 without the option for a Xenon/HID Kit. And yes we Canadian have standard (non defeat-able from the menu DRLs that is). I am thinking about adding HID kit. But not sure how the low voltage modulation for the DRL will work with the HID kit.

Has anyone converted their Halogen H7 bulb car to an HID / xenon kit setup??. All the while having your DRL on ??

If so this can solve this mystery before I spending the $160 (DDM kit shipped to toronto) and finding out that DRL's(mandatory) wont work with HID.

Your help is much appreciated.