Re: How to disable 2002 Sienna daytime running lights?


"SMS" <scharf.steven@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:4ecd4cbd$0$1716$742ec2ed@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On 11/23/2011 8:47 AM, Michael wrote:

I don't see why they couldn't add the micro to the existing ECU. $1
each, like you said.

Ah, humans... so illogical, sometimes. =)

It's the way vehicle manufacturers work. Nothing that is not able to increase the price of a vehicle, or otherwise help sales, is added on. The prices of vehicles are set by the market, so any extra cost added into the vehicle that can't be recovered by higher prices is removed.

When it's a government mandated safety feature then all manufacturers have to provide it and the prices can go up for everyone. A TPMS system costs about $20 in parts costs, but since everyone has it, no one is at a competitive disadvantage.

While it might be nice to see automatic lighting systems mandated, I don't think it's likely any time soon.

What is so strange about DRLs is that some manufacturers are intentionally adding cost to vehicles for a feature that has no benefit in terms of safety, only a marketing benefit to clueless buyers. Well it's not just that, in some cases they don't want to have differences between vehicles sold in the U.S. and countries where DRLs do make sense, like Canada.


DRLs in a BMW are turned on or off by writing code to the vehicle program. They connect the diagnostic computer and change a setting and click SAVE. Done.

I think these things should be available to the owner/operator to set on or off in accordance to local jurisdiction. My state does not require them, I should be able to set them off if I please. Ohio, for example, may require them so the owner/operator sets them off at his peril of inciting histeria among the local constables. I accept the notion that the manufacturer can't know where the car is going, so they set all cars the same, and this would put the DRLs on because at least one market demands they be on. If the setting was available to the consumer by picking his nose and turning the key three times, then the instruction should be printed someplace, with the caveat also printed that some jurisdictions may require the DRLs to be on.

When a tourist comes to town and has switched his DRLs off, the local cops should go back to coffee and doughnuts and leave the out-of-state license plates alone for this particular infraction. Each state has its own legislators and governors that can bring all states to the same degree of nanny-state if they want to go that way.

So, my idea is that DRLs should come on all cars set to on. The owner of the car should be able to set them off if it wants. If he wants them off and his state wants them on, then he is exposed to a citation. If the owner wants them off and his state allows it, then the local jurisdicition should cut some slack when he takes his car on vacation to a place that wants DRLs on.

Setting DRLs on or off should not cause a visit to the dealership and a new mortgage on the house.





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Relevant Pages

  • Re: How to disable 2002 Sienna daytime running lights?
    ... Nothing that is not able to increase the price of a vehicle, or otherwise help sales, is added on. ... When it's a government mandated safety feature then all manufacturers have to provide it and the prices can go up for everyone. ... What is so strange about DRLs is that some manufacturers are intentionally adding cost to vehicles for a feature that has no benefit in terms of safety, only a marketing benefit to clueless buyers. ... I accept the notion that the manufacturer can't know where the car is going, so they set all cars the same, and this would put the DRLs on because at least one market demands they be on. ...
    (alt.autos.toyota)
  • Re: How to disable 2002 Sienna daytime running lights?
    ... Nothing that is not able to increase the price of a vehicle, or otherwise help sales, is added on. ... When it's a government mandated safety feature then all manufacturers have to provide it and the prices can go up for everyone. ... What is so strange about DRLs is that some manufacturers are intentionally adding cost to vehicles for a feature that has no benefit in terms of safety, only a marketing benefit to clueless buyers. ... I accept the notion that the manufacturer can't know where the car is going, so they set all cars the same, and this would put the DRLs on because at least one market demands they be on. ...
    (alt.autos.toyota)
  • Re: How to disable 2002 Sienna daytime running lights?
    ... Nothing that is not able to increase the price of a vehicle, or otherwise help sales, is added on. ... The prices of vehicles are set by the market, so any extra cost added into the vehicle that can't be recovered by higher prices is removed. ... When it's a government mandated safety feature then all manufacturers have to provide it and the prices can go up for everyone. ... What is so strange about DRLs is that some manufacturers are intentionally adding cost to vehicles for a feature that has no benefit in terms of safety, only a marketing benefit to clueless buyers. ...
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