LIONHEAD

Is there anyway to have the Daytime Running Lights on without the headlights automatically turning on at night? It seems when you "enable" the daytime runners, the headlights automatically turn on when it turn dusk. Sometimes in the evening when there is still enough light where I just want the daytime runners on but not the headlights. Is there anyway to do this.

TIA!

Blk04cobra1

Dumb question, but do you have the lights on "auto" mode? I would think that if you had the light switch in the "off" position, that the lights would not come on until you turn them on.

LIONHEAD

Good question and should have mentioned it on my original post but if the switch is either "Off" or "Auto" the headlight would automatically turn on during dusk when you "enable" daytime running lights.

petee1997

Why do you care if headlights come on a little early?

LIONHEAD

I don't mind if they come on early but would like to have that option to have it off it I want too while dusk or when I'm parked waiting inside the car. If not....no biggie.

aeggroup

I was trying to do the same thing - have not found the way to do it. Seems like no such an option.
Just in case - you can double check here :

http://www4.mercedes-benz.com/manual...en/flash8.html

May be you'll be lucky to figure it out. I just have no time to search whole this manual.

charliele729

That is how MB set the DRL, the headlights are constantly on regardless of day or night. Once it turns dark the interior lights come on inside and ourside of the cars, but again if DRL is on, there no turning off the headlights.

lyjw88

I'd love to enable just the LED like I turn on the angel-eyes on my bimmer...

ipp

The reason I'd like to force the Xenons to stay off is every time I start the car in the garage they goes on, and when I'm out in sunlight they will turn off again. And that will shorten the lifetime of the bulbs very much.

Blk04cobra1

That's interesting, I did not know that.

Diesel Benz

This is what my 212 does. This is how the new EU rule about daytime running lights states, parking lights would not come on at the rear either, just the LEDs. Of course this is at daytime, perhaps you wanted to drive with the LEDs at night (which does not make sense to me).

El Cid

Noticed pretty much what above have said. If switch is OFF and DRL's are enabled, head and tail lights come on at early dusk, early morning, in garage, etc. Had a car before and auto lights would not come on until it actually got dark. The 212's come on pretty early for me. But I can live with it. The wear and tear on bulbs may be an issue eventually.
If you place it in Auto, the exterior lights will come on when you press unlock on the remote and for a while after you leave the car. They do not do this if on OFF.

petee1997

See next message.

petee1997

You worry about the lifespan of a $20.00 bulb when the car will depreciate 50% over the next three years. I finally understand the meaning of penny wise and pound foolish.

Kar don

Xenon bulbs are a lot more expensive than 20 bux... if you find one for 20 dollars buy 10 of them for me, k thanks!

Also, What if you turned DRL's off and turned on the parking lights... Would this activate the LED strips?

Diesel Benz

Perhaps the Xenon burners are a bit more today but the lights coming and going off a few times every now and then would not be a big issue for the bulb life. If it made the bulb life reduce by 1%, you would not pay a dollar extra per five years.

It probably isn't you but usually it is those who least frequently use their lights that have this concern, us who are used to driving with xenons on all the time have them also turned on for every short trip and the lights get switched more often but still I have never had a xenon bulb failure yet (OK, have not driven 10 years and 500 000 miles per car but still).

ipp

I paid almost $200 to change one worn out bulb for my W210 a couple of years ago at the dealership. That's more than pennies for me..

Diesel Benz

The W212 xenon burner official Euro price is less than that, perhaps the cost included installation work. But even if it was $200, the assumption was that you lost $2 from some additional switching of head lights on and off (the percentage figure has the same background as the previous posts).

ipp

I thought switching them on was the only time when they were worn at all. That was what my dealer told me atleast. In Sweden we have had obligatory dipped beams even daytime for many many years, that's why a xenon bulb here can be worn out in just a couple of years (two in my case).

petee1997

You told us you paid over $100,000.00. for your car in Europe. The point I am trying to make is that the price and longevity of bulbs become irrelevant on cars in that price range.

ipp

True, it becomes stupid in that perspective. I just remembered how annoying it felt to get that kind of bill, just for changing a bulb. But that was almost eight years ago, xenon bulbs are probably cheaper and easier to change nowadays. But just because you buy a expensive car you don't have to throw money around you. Remember I chose a diesel...

Diesel Benz

Do you always believe everything your dealer tells? How much do sales persons generally know about the lifetime of bulbs, next time ask him what kind of bulbs the car has all around and check if the answer was correct.

Must have been something wrong with your car if the Xenon burner failed in two years, or is the car a taxi and driven more than 100 000 km per year?

ipp

It wasn't the salesperson it was the SA that told me so. An no it's no taxi, I drive around 30000 km per year and many short trips in the city, that means some were between 2-10 startups a day. And I actually noticed that my 2,5 years old 530d's right headlight started to turn a little purple just before I sold it, that's usually a sign of it starting to be worn out. I still believe that the amounts of switching ons is having a larger impact on the bulb than the number of hours turned on.

Diesel Benz

I'd like to see some reliable analysis for that, I don't want to count on what you believe or what I believe myself.

I had a quick google search and all xenon bulb data was about hours of use. I would have expected some lifetime data against the number of start-ups if it was a significant issue. I mean I do assume myself that start-ups introduce some wear but is it 1% or is it really significant. Can you ask next time your SA where he got his info, and ask him to give the documents for your review too.

El Cid

Money is never irrelevant. Saving pennies is why many of us can afford to purchase an M-B in the first place.
Also, it is not just the cost of the bulbs, it is the cost of labor or pain of doing it yourself or prospect of having bulb failure in middle of nowhere in middle of night on a long trip.
As I said, I leave mine on, but different people have different perspectives on life. That's why some drive M-B, some Caddy, some BMW and some Chevy and so on.
We should all try to be less judgemental of others and not deter them from seeking assistance on this and other forums.