How to turn off Day Running Lights - I've had an idea

[DT19]

I've had an idea, but as with most of my ideas someone might have thought of it first so it may not be original, or even sensible. So, for your thoughts and possibly amusement, here it is.

On my 04 V50 my low beam lights are on all the time and apparently the only way to turn them off is to get a Volvo dealer to do it and they're reluctant because it's a safety feature. I don't like it and I would like to have the choice of whether to use them or not. Then I started thinking about fitting a second switch in the wiring to turn the low beam off and it occured to me that I could do it with a daylight sensor instead so that the sensor cuts out the power to the lights via a relay when it's daylight and switches them on in the dark. Obviously this would need to be adjustable but you get the idea.

The second advantage of this would be that when I go through a tunnel in the day time the lights would come on automatically which would be smart.

I've thought about things like the daylight sensor being positioned so it doesn't react to headlights at night and switch off my lights but other than that, has anyone got any suggestions or better still, has someone already made a unit I can buy?

[Missing Lincs]

A couple of thoughts:-

If you use a sensor to switch the headlights you need a fair bit of hysteresis in the circuit, what you don't want is lights that flash on and off every time you go past a lamp post or tree, that is fairly easy to incorporate into the design.

I think you need a more elegant way to switch the DRLs off, breaking the circuit with a relay will give you a bulb failure message every time they are switched off. I've yet to find the elegant solution, perhaps bite the bullet and get them switched off by Volvo? That way you can turn them back on again with your circuit or do whatever you wish?

[DT19]

Ah, I hadn't thought about bulb failure error messages. Can they be turned off?

[TEZ-1]

The drl's can be turned off by a software change at volvo.

[tullyman]

My local Belfast Volvo dealership refused to switch them off unless I produced a letter from my insurer

[Rooster]

Fitting a relay in the headlight wiring circuit will activate the bulb failure as it will sense they are not on and there is a break in the circuit,

The only way really is a visit to dealer but the main issue is when the lghts are set to 0 on the switch the DIM is still lit up as is the rest of the interior switchs/ centre stack etc so it is very easy to forget you don't have any lights on when driving in a well lit area at night,

I used to have my lights set to off in my classic s40's i had but after a near miss with a car pulling out of a side road in front of me they always get left on after that,

they were dark blue and grey s40's so easy to miss with a glancing look i suppose, but not with a set of HID's blasting out the front they wern't

[v70stu]

If you can find a dealer (or indy with the right kit) to switch them off, that would be the best option. I'd prefer to have the ability to turn them off for when working on the car etc. but would leave the switch in the on position by default so they are always on unless I require them to be off.
Did I read somewhere that even with VIDA you can't turn them off yourself on the V50/S40? Someone on here did them on my V70 for me.

[TEZ-1]

That is correct you can't turn the drl's off with vida.

[Johnny Kebab]

I was quoted £63 plus vat at my volvo dealer to do this to my 2010 V50!

JK

[SonyVaio]

I had mine turned off for approx. £7.50, yip £7.50. Have a shop around as every dealer will give you different price.