I recently purchased the DRL switchback harness and LED's from RadioFlyer for use on my UK imported C6, but I'm having trouble getting it working and suspect that something has been modified/cut/spliced into my wiring when the car was imported.

Problem is, I have no idea where to start looking or how the car should behave in stock form - can you guys help?


To begin with this is what is changed on a C6 when it is imported to the UK:

1) Euro rear light clusters installed which have dedicated amber turn signals. If I look behind the light clusters I can also see banks of high power resistors (like whats used to prevent LEDs from hyperflashing).

2) Side turn signals installed in fenders. I've traced the wiring for these back as far as I can, but they seem to be heading towards the rear of the car rather than tapping into the front light clusters for some reason.

3) The light sensor on the dashboard is unplugged. This prevents the DRL 's from activating - which would on a stock c6 mean the amber turn signals come on solid (illegal in the uk).


My first step was to plug the light sensor back in. On starting the car and releasing the handbrake during daylight with the lights on Auto the following happens:

- Front turn signals ON solid amber
- The retrofitted side turn signals ON solid amber
- The rear turn signals in the Euro light clusters ON solid amber


So then I installed RadioFlyer's harness + switchback LED's to the front light clusters and tested using the same method above (daylight + handbrake off). The result:

- Front turn signals OFF
- Retrofitted side turn signals ON amber
- Rear Euro turn signals ON amber

Using the hazard warning lights or turn signal stalk correctly flashes the front turn signals, but there are no White DRL's.

Am I missing something, or does this sound like the importers of my C6 have done something to the wiring that would prevent the switchbacks from working?

 

I also have a C6 which I imported to the UK last year, most of the importers use auto electricians who have their own system to convert the C6 lighting to enable passing the UK IVA and MOT test, this light conversion module may sit in a black box under the hood somewhere, mine is next to the fuse box near the battery, I think you would have to find out who originally done the work on your car when imported and contact them direct as if you attempt connecting the harness you have purchased it may do further damage to the body control module which is expensive to replace.
I would also love to convert my DRL's back, but concerned on the cost and complication of getting it done and keeping the car legal for the UK.

 

Out of interest, who did you use to import your C6 and have they retained the auto headlight function (when it gets dark)?

As my C6 was imported in '08 I'm wondering if the conversion method has changed at all since then.

 

Probably not, I got two quotes before importing my car, one was £800 from the importer Ship My Car the other from a specialist, but they wanted £2,000, they said they do a 100% fully professional conversion with improved modifications, what would you do pay £800 or £2,000 if the lights worked ok and passed the tests?
my rear outer lamps are now indicators with very bright leds which shine thru the red lens which look cool, but the inners are now stop and tail lamps, I also have a third brake lamp which also works as a rear fog lamp via a separate switch, the DRLs are now only front indicators, side lights now have an additional bulb and bulb holder inside the front fog lamp housing, side repeaters are connected to the rear indicators, my auto headlight function does not work, I also know two guys who imported their C6 direct from U.S. a while back and they have no longer got the auto headlight function, I think something the auto electricians change for the UK deletes this option, I made loads of changes including LEDs on my 2004 C5 without any issues, but because the C6 uses a CANBUS system you have to be careful what you change and may have other issues, I would have changed the DRLs bulbs using switchbacks, but did not want any problems with the body control module, plus I don't know what is in the additional black box used for the modification, I also changed the stop and tail lamp bulbs to canbus ready LEDs, but the lights started doing weird things so left alone.

 

Yeah I can see this being quite an expensive exorcize to try and revert the changes that have been made. It's a big shame though as I'd really like my DRL's and the proper red lense tail lights back on my car.

Slightly off topic, but yesterday I saw a BMW 5 Series driving around town with amber DRL's! They were a small strip above the main headlight. If he can have them why cant we

 

No problem having them, I had switchbacks on my C5 which worked great, orange with indicators and DRL's and clear with side lamps on, never got stopped and the MOT tester never noticed, I wish I could do this on my C6 as well, but as said before don't want to mess around with the lights and damage the body control module.
I suppose if you want to get an aftermarket sticky strip and put it above the headlamp somehow it would work, but may look a bit tacky on a Vette.