Need help with wiring/mounting my Philips DRL

[nzzr6]

I got a set of Philips DRLs with 4 LEDs each with the intention of somehow cutting out part of the foglight and installing them there. After further investigation Ive decided its probably not feasible, given that the foglight surrounds are permanently attached to the lower bumper (Oh why Toyota) and don't pop out like some cars. So then I settled on mounting them on the lower air dam under the grille, since I can't really think of anywhere else. As for the wiring, the Philips installation video says to pull out the parker lights and test each connection to see which one to connect up. The parker lights are completely inaccessible, and I would really rather not have to pull the bumper or wheel arch off so could I just attach it to the main beams?

[SATORI893]

I mounted my Philips DRLs in the same spot I think, mine in the pic are on with the fog lamps because I have a switch on the wire that goes to the lights to over-ride them turning off. You can hook them up to any light you want, low beam, fog etc, they are legally suppose to turn off with the parkers but you can run the wire from the starter unit to any 12v+ source. You could try to trace the park light at the fuse box though this would be lengthy trying to test each wire to find a positive from the parkers, you don't have to connect it right at the blubs like they suggest. I have mine to a 12v dash park light source, the cig lighter illumination if I remember correctly but I had to run the wire back into the car. I have seen cars with factory DRLs (Mercedes, Audi etc) that are still on with the headlights so not sure on the legal requirements now. So yes you could attach them to the low beams, just not sure if it is legal, I have heard of people being pulled up for having their fog lamps on during the day as that is illegal now, I only use mine in fog or rain to avoid being booked but not sure how picky they are with DRLs if they are on with the park lights.

Edited February 10, 2013 by SATORI893

[nzzr6]

I mounted my Philips DRLs in the same spot I think, mine in the pic are on with the fog lamps because I have a switch on the wire that goes to the lights to over-ride them turning off. You can hook them up to any light you want, low beam, fog etc, they are legally suppose to turn off with the parkers but you can run the wire from the starter unit to any 12v+ source. You could try to trace the park light at the fuse box though this would be lengthy trying to test each wire to find a positive from the parkers, you don't have to connect it right at the blubs like they suggest. I have mine to a 12v dash park light source, the cig lighter illumination if I remember correctly but I had to run the wire back into the car. I have seen cars with factory DRLs (Mercedes, Audi etc) that are still on with the headlights so not sure on the legal requirements now. So yes you could attach them to the low beams, just not sure if it is legal, I have heard of people being pulled up for having their fog lamps on during the day as that is illegal now, I only use mine in fog or rain to avoid being booked but not sure how picky they are with DRLs if they are on with the park lights.

Thanks alot Satori, where exactly is the cigarette source in the engine bay? I got a little confused at the part where you test each pin and the right one will light up the blue LED on the control box, but then it shows another cable going from the source to the one touch connector, then to the control box itself? I don't think itll matter for me if they don't turn off with the parkers, I don't drive around with them on anyway.

[SATORI893]

I checked my manual, can't find a cigarette lighter source in the engine bay, the cigarette source I used was the one in the center console, I used the power to the light that illuminates the ring around it. I have the Philips 5 LED, I don't recall my control box having an LED light on it, had them a while now, I think it lights up to tell you you have got the positive, that's what mine had to be hooked up to.The only way anyone can tell you don't have them wired to park is if you have your fog lights on as well like in my pic but I had the over-ride switch I mentioned on, or off depending on how you view it.

Edited February 10, 2013 by SATORI893

[nzzr6]

I checked my manual, can't find a cigarette lighter source in the engine bay, the cigarette source I used was the one in the center console, I used the power to the light that illuminates the ring around it. I have the Philips 5 LED, I don't recall my control box having an LED light on it, had them a while now, I think it lights up to tell you you have got the positive, that's what mine had to be hooked up to.The only way anyone can tell you don't have them wired to park is if you have your fog lights on as well like in my pic but I had the over-ride switch I mentioned on, or off depending on how you view it.

Ok thank you, cigarette source sounds the best option at this point so I'll try that, how hard is it to get the wire/control box inside the cabin? I got the Philips 4 LEDs because I originally intended to try and fit them in the foglight surround, but as thats not really the best idea theyll go under the lower air dam like in your photo. Aside from inside the cabin though, what is the next best option from the main beams? I tried to fit the wire inside the terminal on the low beam connector but its just too big to fit in there

[SATORI893]

I still mounted the control box in the engine bay beside the airfilter box and just ran the wire to go to the car lights into the cabin, behind the air filter box there is a rubber boot on the firewall on the passenger side, you will see a silver ECU style box on the drivers side of it with a large loom going into the rubber boot, if you shine a torch in there you will see too rubber tube extensions/nipples sticking out on either side of the large bunch of wires, if you cut a tip off one of those rubber extensions the tube does feed into the cabin behind the glovebox, these are also great for any other wires you may need to run from the cabin into the engine bay, amp power wire etc.

In the owners manual there are the fuses for left and right low beams in the engine bay fuse box, you may be able to trace the wires coming off the fuses so you can get the power from that to turn them off. If you don't have a manual let me know and I'll put a pic of the fuse box layout from the manual so you know where they are. Not sure what you mean by fitting the wire inside the terminal on low beam, mine was just a blank end wire that had to be connected onto the park/lights positive wire with one of those scotch clips (those clips that tap into a wire to take power from). You should be able to just connect to the wire anywhere that is convenient on the line back from the connection at the headlamp.

Edited February 11, 2013 by SATORI893

[nzzr6]

I still mounted the control box in the engine bay beside the airfilter box and just ran the wire to go to the car lights into the cabin, behind the air filter box there is a rubber boot on the firewall on the passenger side, you will see a silver ECU style box on the drivers side of it with a large loom going into the rubber boot, if you shine a torch in there you will see too rubber tube extensions/nipples sticking out on either side of the large bunch of wires, if you cut a tip off one of those rubber extensions the tube does feed into the cabin behind the glovebox, these are also great for any other wires you may need to run from the cabin into the engine bay, amp power wire etc.

In the owners manual there are the fuses for left and right low beams in the engine bay fuse box, you may be able to trace the wires coming off the fuses so you can get the power from that to turn them off. If you don't have a manual let me know and I'll put a pic of the fuse box layout from the manual so you know where they are. Not sure what you mean by fitting the wire inside the terminal on low beam, mine was just a blank end wire that had to be connected onto the park/lights positive wire with one of those scotch clips (those clips that tap into a wire to take power from). You should be able to just connect to the wire anywhere that is convenient on the line back from the connection at the headlamp.

Ok cheers mate I'll let you know how i get on

[nzzr6]

As promised I said I'd let you know how i got on haha, and here it is. It was actually a bit easier than I thought. I was going to use the cigarette lighter like you suggested but then in the end I did manage to use the connection for the main beam (forgot to take a pic of it before i taped it up), but by using the connector that came with the DRLs i crimped them both together and put them back in the main beam plug. I've attached some pics for you .

[SATORI893]

Glad it all went well, they look great!