Chevy & GMC Vans

I read and did look to many threads/videos about this topic but seems they only applied to US vehicle. Did try removing the relay, did try to press the parking brake one notch ( even fully applied it doesn't shut off the light) did try pressing the dome light button 4 times in a fast way. Nothing works. I even did try to illuminate the sensor on the dash with a powerful bike LED lamp...doesn't work.
I'm not using the van as of now but, have no place to park it but on the street and to respect the law, I should move it every 72 hrs. So, just moving it a bit with the light always on I expect I will run in a problem of low battery pretty soon. Any ideas?
P.S. I forgot to mention that to be able to find a spot to park, you should move early in the morning (even though it's daylight) because the whole block gets full pretty quick.

I'm not understanding what the DRL has to do with parking and battery life?

To my knowledge, the DRLs only illuminate when the van is running. A (functioning) alternator supplies more than enough power to run the lights during that time. Is there a different problem that I'm not understanding?

In fact, the DRL runs as soon as the key is turned to "on". The engine doesn't have to run but...Each time you start a vehicle, the battery has to be recharged and if in plus of that you have to run the lights at the same time...maybe if all the system is in top notch condition then, there's no concern?

Hi,

My 2003 AWD US van has DRL that switches on when I shift into Drive.

The manual says to push dome light over ride switch quickly 4 time to turn off DRL.
Some time I have to push it rapidly x4 and repeat and also some times I have to hold in the push button of the dome over ride switch with a so called "long push". Maybe the old dome over ride switch has dirty contacts. Maybe need to spray it with contact cleaner. Once the sequence is satisfied, there is an audible chime to confirm that DRL is off.

I too want to be able to turn off DRL, especially when I am operating the Warn winch.

I did put some Pro Comp LED flood lights up front that are 20 watts each. What is wattage of DRL's? Maybe 40 watts each?

I may add some low power LED front accent lights for lower power solution to DRL.

AP

From the user's manual:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following does not apply to vehicles first sold
in "Canada".
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When necessary, you may turn off the automatic
headlamp system and the Daytime Running Lamps
(DRL) feature by following the steps below:
Turn the ignition to RUN.
Press the DOME OVERRIDE button four times
within six seconds. After the fourth press of the
button, a chime will sound informing you that the
system is off.
To return to the automatic mode, push the DOME
OVERRIDE button four times within six seconds
(the chime will sound), or turn the ignition to OFF
and then to RUN again.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As far as removing a relay or fuse...unless I'm wrong ...in an Astro van sold in Canada, there's no fuse or relay that is name DRL. The one (relay) that seems it should be named DRL is named "something" A/C. You remove it and the lights still stay "on"

gillang wrote:In fact, the DRL runs as soon as the key is turned to "on". The engine doesn't have to run but...Each time you start a vehicle, the battery has to be recharged and if in plus of that you have to run the lights at the same time...maybe if all the system is in top notch condition then, there's no concern?

Unless you spend large amounts of time with the key turned to "on" with the engine not running, then I do not think this is something to worry about.

Hi All,

Some older GM implementations of DRL used to switch the low beam wiring through a silicon rectifier diode or two which had big heat sinks.
The voltage drop from a silicon diode is about 0.6 or 0.7 volts.
That voltage drop caused the lamp to be a bit lower intensity in DRL mode vs low beam mode.

I think my 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix had that system and maybe my 1999 Yukon.

We could do some calculations using circuit analysis.
Ohms law and diode drops.


AP

Astrophysics wrote:Hi All,

Some older GM implementations of DRL used to switch the low beam wiring through a silicon rectifier diode or two which had big heat sinks.
The voltage drop from a silicon diode is about 0.6 or 0.7 volts.
That voltage drop caused the lamp to be a bit lower intensity in DRL mode vs low beam mode.

I think my 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix had that system and maybe my 1999 Yukon.

We could do some calculations using circuit analysis.
Ohms law and diode drops.


AP

The DRL looks just as bright as the low beam mode.