DRL disabling methods and questions
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,839
Likes: 390
DRL disabling methods and questions
Will disabling the DRLs, via the relay method, disable any other lighting functions like turn signals? Also, in another post from forum member Jochen, he wrote about an alternate method removing both DRL relays and using jumper wires in place. Has anyone else tried this alternate method? The pictures he posted are no longer showing, though. Anyone save a copy of that post with pics that they can share?
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...e-the-drl.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...e-the-drl.html
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 36,836
Likes: 244
From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,798
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From: It's true money can't buy happiness, but it is more comfortable crying in a Corvette than on a bicyc
St. Jude Donor '13
I pulled the #2 fuse under the hood and never looked back. Don't hate me if I got the # wrong, been many years. It does disable the reverse lights coming on at night when you unlock the doors on approach but I think that feature sucked anyways. So I solved 2 lame features pulling 1 fuse. To each his own though. Jumping the relay will kill the drl's and nothing else is affected.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 6,671
Likes: 38
From: Newark DE
I pulled the #2 fuse under the hood and never looked back. Don't hate me if I got the # wrong, been many years. It does disable the reverse lights coming on at night when you unlock the doors on approach but I think that feature sucked anyways. So I solved 2 lame features pulling 1 fuse. To each his own though. Jumping the relay will kill the drl's and nothing else is affected.
Me too
Me too
Pro
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 656
Likes: 1
From: Nixa Mo.
I pulled the #2 fuse under the hood and never looked back. Don't hate me if I got the # wrong, been many years. It does disable the reverse lights coming on at night when you unlock the doors on approach but I think that feature sucked anyways. So I solved 2 lame features pulling 1 fuse. To each his own though. Jumping the relay will kill the drl's and nothing else is affected.
Me too
Me too
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,839
Likes: 390
I've finished the relay method to turn off the DRLs completely. All turn signal/emergency flasher functions have been confirmed to work properly. The whole process took me a little over an hour since I was taking my time. A few things worth mentioning when doing this procedure:
1. Be sure to first disconnect the negative cable from the battery to be safe and not create an electrical short.
2. Take caution when pulling the relays from the fusebox. Mine were in there tight. I had to apply a little extra pulling force with a set of small pliers.
3. Notice there are tabs on either side of the relay base. You'll need a small screwdriver to pry the tabs open to remove the cover. This will be the tricky part. If you break a tab or two, don't worry. You can always secure the cover afterward with a thin strip of electrical tape.
4. I would recommend a very thin piece of plastic to insert between the relay contacts. Be sure to cut it in a rectangular shape that will fit snugly into the space. If it's too small or short, it can eventually move due to vibration and allow the contacts to reconnect.
The best thing about this mod is that it doesn't cost anything extra except your time and effort.
1. Be sure to first disconnect the negative cable from the battery to be safe and not create an electrical short.
2. Take caution when pulling the relays from the fusebox. Mine were in there tight. I had to apply a little extra pulling force with a set of small pliers.
3. Notice there are tabs on either side of the relay base. You'll need a small screwdriver to pry the tabs open to remove the cover. This will be the tricky part. If you break a tab or two, don't worry. You can always secure the cover afterward with a thin strip of electrical tape.
4. I would recommend a very thin piece of plastic to insert between the relay contacts. Be sure to cut it in a rectangular shape that will fit snugly into the space. If it's too small or short, it can eventually move due to vibration and allow the contacts to reconnect.
The best thing about this mod is that it doesn't cost anything extra except your time and effort.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 36,836
Likes: 244
From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
I've finished the relay method to turn off the DRLs completely. All turn signal/emergency flasher functions have been confirmed to work properly. The whole process took me a little over an hour since I was taking my time. A few things worth mentioning when doing this procedure:
1. Be sure to first disconnect the negative cable from the battery to be safe and not create an electrical short.
2. Take caution when pulling the relays from the fusebox. Mine were in there tight. I had to apply a little extra pulling force with a set of small pliers.
3. Notice there are tabs on either side of the relay base. You'll need a small screwdriver to pry the tabs open to remove the cover. This will be the tricky part. If you break a tab or two, don't worry. You can always secure the cover afterward with a thin strip of electrical tape.
4. I would recommend a very thin piece of plastic to insert between the relay contacts. Be sure to cut it in a rectangular shape that will fit snugly into the space. If it's too small or short, it can eventually move due to vibration and allow the contacts to reconnect.
The best thing about this mod is that it doesn't cost anything extra except your time and effort.
1. Be sure to first disconnect the negative cable from the battery to be safe and not create an electrical short.
2. Take caution when pulling the relays from the fusebox. Mine were in there tight. I had to apply a little extra pulling force with a set of small pliers.
3. Notice there are tabs on either side of the relay base. You'll need a small screwdriver to pry the tabs open to remove the cover. This will be the tricky part. If you break a tab or two, don't worry. You can always secure the cover afterward with a thin strip of electrical tape.
4. I would recommend a very thin piece of plastic to insert between the relay contacts. Be sure to cut it in a rectangular shape that will fit snugly into the space. If it's too small or short, it can eventually move due to vibration and allow the contacts to reconnect.
The best thing about this mod is that it doesn't cost anything extra except your time and effort.
Just made sure the key was out of the ignition switch. As for #2, I agree with the caution about how tightly the relays are being held.
I also advise using a small pair of pliers as you do, but further making sure to only squeeze/grip the relay from opposite corners to minimize any possible damage from squeezing too hard. Rocking back and forth while pulling helps. Another help is to insert a small flat blade screwdriver under the bottom edge(s) and twist to start the relay out. Problem there is, access to the sides is/are restricted.The whole reason for this "relay mod" in the first place is the fried bulb sockets and burned/damaged turn signal lamp housings from hot bulbs burning continuously when in DRL-mode. Bad design.
As you say, it's cheap, eliminates constant blown bulbs and damaged housings, allows all other normal lighting functions to continue, and also sets no DTC fault codes in the BCM.
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