Using turn indicators as DRLs on 2009 HB

[tamrat]

Hello all, I have searched the forum for a similar post but couldn't find one. I want to use my front turn indicators as DRLs just as in some models of the US Tacoma (seen below).

https://i.imgur.com/fQtdja7.jpg

What I want to achieve is a similar look. The turn indicators bulbs will be on when the car is running. If I try to use the indicators the respective bulb will blink just like it would normally. So the bulbs will act as both indicators and also DRLs.

I have read a bit on the internet and its not "that" hard. What I understood it this. I need to find a signal that's only active when the car is running (not sure what to use here). Then hook that to a relay and the relay will turn on the bulbs. If I try to use the indicators, a pulsing signal will come to the bulbs. I need to branch this and change the pulsing signal to a continuous signal and use a relay to turn off the bulbs (DRL mode), and the other branch to blink the indicators.

Finding parts (like harnesses and stuff) might be hard since I live in Ethiopia, but I'm gonna give it a go. I'll need a hep from an experienced person in here. My first questions are gonna be:
1. Is this even achievable on the Yaris?
2. If so, what signal can I use to turn them on when the car is running?

I know, I know my bulbs will wear out much quicker but I really like the look.

Thanks,

P.S: Dear Mary, mother of Jesus! Why is the photo so big? Any way to make it smaller? :biggrin:

[IllusionX]

I can tell you where to get the signal for DRL. This also disabled the stock DRL. After that, you'd have to figure it out how to use the signal to turn on any lights.

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[tamrat]

Thanks for the reply. Are you telling me there is a DRL signal I could get from the car itself? Keep in mind that my car never had DRLs.

I'm not that good with electrics (just high school physics) but I fired up MultiSim and tried to simulate what I wanted. Apparently, I can use the pulsing signal to turn off the DRLs when I turn on the indicators, which will mimick the blinking. But some issues with that:
1. Front blinkers won't be in sync with the other two (side and rear). When the other two light up, the front will turn off and vice versa.
2. When the car is off, front blinkers/turn indicators will not work (while key is at ON position) or front blinkers/turn indicators will not light up if I try to use hazard lights. This is because the signal coming is telling the bulbs to turn off (because they are supposed to be on, but car isn't running), and the effect will just be the front bulbs on OFF at all times.

This is the not so elegant solution I came up with (which probably the wrong way to do it :biggrin::biggrin:)
https://i.imgur.com/ecbhXr6.jpg

[IllusionX]

If you don't have DRL, then you can just create your own.

I would just unplug the parkings from the harness and wire it with a relay so it turns on when ignition is on.

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[tamrat]

If you don't have DRL, then you can just create your own.

I would just unplug the parkings from the harness and wire it with a relay so it turns on when ignition is on.

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I thought about that as well. But the parking lights are very dim. Plus I love the amber color glow of the turn indicators. I'm digging around for wiring diagrams.

[Bluevitz-rs]

Another issue I think you might run into with this is that powering the front turn signals will also light up the rear ones because I'm pretty sure they're in parallel. You'd have to isolate them further complicating things.

[tamrat]

Another issue I think you might run into with this is that powering the front turn signals will also light up the rear ones because I'm pretty sure they're in parallel. You'd have to isolate them further complicating things.

More and more obstacles by the day

[Bluevitz-rs]

Was actually thinking about it. It's actually simpler than what have diagramed. You just need to add a diode just behind the power wire on the front turn signal. Then power it through a NC relay. Then power the relay using the turn signal stock. When you turn on the turn signal it'll power the relay disconnecting that light and blink like normal.

[IllusionX]

Isn't the front turn signal a dual filament 7442 bulb? Not sure of the HB, but 100% is for the sedan.

Otherwise, yes it might be more complicated.

Although, the HB have a small bulb inside the headlight assembly that turn on with the parkings. You could isolate that and use as DRL.

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[tamrat]

Was actually thinking about it. It's actually simpler than what have diagramed. You just need to add a diode just behind the power wire on the front turn signal. Then power it through a NC relay. Then power the relay using the turn signal stock. When you turn on the turn signal it'll power the relay disconnecting that light and blink like normal.

That setup will work (I have only tested it in a simulation though). The problem with that is if the engine is off (hence DRLs off) front blinkers will not work when the key is at the ON position or hazards are being used. Because they can't switch off anything. the bulbs are already off.

[tamrat]

Isn't the front turn signal a dual filament 7442 bulb? Not sure of the HB, but 100% is for the sedan.

Otherwise, yes it might be more complicated.

Although, the HB have a small bulb inside the headlight assembly that turn on with the parkings. You could isolate that and use as DRL.

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On my 2009 hatchback, the parking lights are the small 7442 bulbs. But the indicators use the bigger 1156 bulbs.

If I can find a brighter (and preferably amber colored) 7442 I might just use the parking lights are DRLs.

[tamrat]

After more fiddling with the computer, I have this. Works in the simulation as intended, I think. I'm kinda tired now and will look at again tomorrow. Also time to buy stuff and test it maybe. and I'll have to add a fuse somewhere in there.

https://i.imgur.com/AORszYF.jpg

SWITCHA (Key D) is like a master switch to turn on/off the DRL at any time.

[ezhacker1]

How about using a Halo switchback relay. It would be NC wired to parking light. And receive the turn signal flash and work as normal.

[tamrat]

How about using a Halo switchback relay. It would be NC wired to parking light. And receive the turn signal flash and work as normal.

I didn't understand what you tried to explain sir. What is NC?

Update on my side:

So the last schematic I sent din't work as intended. I'm gonna go back to my first idea. The flasher relay in the Yaris is a weird one. An 8-pin relay, and not much info on the net about it.

The plan is now to keep the OEM wiring intact more or less. First I'll find a signal that's ON when the engine is running and feed that to a relay that will turn on the bulbs as DRLs. I'll add a diode to the factory line to prevent back feeding. Then I will split the turn indicator signal at the bulb (positive wire) and feed that to an RC circuit I'm gonna build that's gonna convert the pulsing signal into a steady one. So I'll have the factory wires carrying the pulsing signal to the bulbs (as factory) and another steady signal that only comes on when the turn indicator is being used. I can use this signal to control the DRL mode on that specific bulb. Sounds good on paper. To the simulations.

[NYC-SE]

NC = normally closed

[ezhacker1]

To clarify. What about wiring the Parking lights to come on with igntion. Relay on an ignition wire to feed ground to parking wire on the head light stalk. This is how my parking and fogs light are wired up to come on when car is on. Then use a Parking/turn signal switchback controller, to make the front signals either stay solid (parking light ground) or flashing when it receives the turn signal pulses.

This is exacttly the same as wiring up projector halos, or shrouds. or those switchback LEDs that have both white and amber.

Heck even easier just get a switchback bulb (example):https://www.amazon.com/iJDMTOY-Filament-Switchback-Daytime-Conversion/dp/B01JSWEX9O

[tamrat]

To clarify. What about wiring the Parking lights to come on with igntion. Relay on an ignition wire to feed ground to parking wire on the head light stalk. This is how my parking and fogs light are wired up to come on when car is on. Then use a Parking/turn signal switchback controller, to make the front signals either stay solid (parking light ground) or flashing when it receives the turn signal pulses.

This is exacttly the same as wiring up projector halos, or shrouds. or those switchback LEDs that have both white and amber.

Heck even easier just get a switchback bulb (example):https://www.amazon.com/iJDMTOY-Filament-Switchback-Daytime-Conversion/dp/B01JSWEX9O

The thing is I wanted the turn indicators to come on rather than the parking lights. The switchback LED you linked to looks very interesting. I have to find a way to import here though. Is there a version where both lights are amber?

[ezhacker1]

So you only want the front turn signals to be on. You don't want parking lights (front or back).

Same thing still Switchback relay. Has 3 wires. 1 is Ground / 12v for (parking light, DRL call it what you want) / turn signal.

Then just wire a ignition wire that supplies 12v with key in on position. Or find a fuse location that is 12v with key in ACC / On. That will be your constant amber light. Then also wire the turn signal and it will act as usual.

I'll slap something together on the car to show ya.

[tamrat]

So you only want the front turn signals to be on. You don't want parking lights (front or back).

Same thing still Switchback relay. Has 3 wires. 1 is Ground / 12v for (parking light, DRL call it what you want) / turn signal.

Then just wire a ignition wire that supplies 12v with key in on position. Or find a fuse location that is 12v with key in ACC / On. That will be your constant amber light. Then also wire the turn signal and it will act as usual.

I'll slap something together on the car to show ya.

I tried to find a switchback relay where I live and I couldn't find any. I have to import it, which is easier said than done. The only ones I found are the normal 4 pin relays (SPST) which are Normally Open.

Took measurements at the headlight dimmer switch and there are 2 hot lines that drop to 0V when indicators are being used (black for left and violet for the right). Since they are hot normally, I think I can wire each to a relay and control each side. When blinkers are used the lines fall to 0V,which will open the relay and turn off the DRL characteristics. Then blinkers can blink away like usual.

Tamrat,

[ezhacker1]

So then your optimum normal function is turn bulb in DRL function

85 - Turn Signal Wire
86 - 12v source
30 - 12v source
87a - Front turn signal 12v

But as you pointed out, you cant cuz hazards wont work. The relay wont open. I guess, also use the hazard wire onto pin 85 then.

[ezhacker1]

If its just using relays then i think this will be it:

You need the pulsed signal in the engine bay to be a constant so it can trigger another relay

https://www.the12volt.com/12voltimages/turninglights.gif


85 - Output from above relay
86 - Ground
30 - 12v
87a -Turn signal 12v

Now unless the (pulse to constant relay) is sending pixies to the 2nd relay. You will have constant 12v to the front turn signal.

[tamrat]

If its just using relays then i think this will be it:

You need the pulsed signal in the engine bay to be a constant so it can trigger another relay

https://www.the12volt.com/12voltimages/turninglights.gif


85 - Output from above relay
86 - Ground
30 - 12v
87a -Turn signal 12v

Now unless the (pulse to constant relay) is sending pixies to the 2nd relay. You will have constant 12v to the front turn signal.


Thank you very much for taking your time. This was what I was thinking about in the first place. Running this in MultiSim yields 6V after the pulse-to-steady conversion and it wasn't triggering the relay. So I added an op-amp to boost the voltage to 12V and when I ran the simulation the bulb kept blowing even though it was only getting 12V. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Maybe my power source, I tried it both with a function generator sending a sqaure wave signal and also a pulsed voltage source.

What is your opinion on using the signal from the headlight dimmer switch? The signal is a 12V steady at all times, both for the left and right turn indicators. When you use a turn indicator the voltage drops to 0V. Can't this be used to close a relay at all times except when the indicators are being used?

[ezhacker1]

Add a wire to the hazard switch, black wire to power relay as well so both indicator: left right hazard will trip it.

More thoughts. Maybe one relay that runs the left and another the right. But split the hazards black wire to pin 85 on both relays.

[tamrat]

Left this idea alone for some time because I was focusing on school. Back at it now.

I have 3 12V SPST normally open relays now. Genuine second hand DENSO ones. Planning to wire the whole thing today. But I have one big question. I am basically adding a circuit on top of the OEM wiring. The circuit is more or less isolated from the OEM wiring and will not interfere in any way. I'm just tapping into factory wires to get signals. I don't have to worry about feeding the OEM circuit with current except at the point where I tap into the bulb wires.

Do I really need to be concerned about backfeeding (to the flasher unit relay in this case)? Or are these cars clever enough to deal with that on their own?

[tamrat]

Hey guys, I planned to install the system by now and test it but as it turned out, I completely forgot about the hazards in my circuit. Now I have built another one. Can anyone comment on it?

(More info on the attached pic than the one below)

https://i.imgur.com/4xLc8krh.png

[tamrat]

If its just using relays then i think this will be it:

You need the pulsed signal in the engine bay to be a constant so it can trigger another relay

https://www.the12volt.com/12voltimages/turninglights.gif


85 - Output from above relay
86 - Ground
30 - 12v
87a -Turn signal 12v

Now unless the (pulse to constant relay) is sending pixies to the 2nd relay. You will have constant 12v to the front turn signal.

I don't know why this didn't work the first time (in simulation). But there is good news. With the comment on switchbacks and this diagram and also help from a lot of people, I have a fully working system now. I mocked it up on the bench and its perfect. Flawless.

Here is the wiring diagram and component specs:
https://i.imgur.com/AIBvZBqh.png

The 6600uF capacitor holds plenty enough charge to keep the relay energized for about 1.6 seconds. This duration is long enough when compared to the period of the pulses from the indicator light wires.

I'll have already started installing the system. I have laid out wires and where every thing goes. I just need waterproof containers for the circuits and also a switch that will fit one of the empty slots around the AUX port. And its a bummer that the Yaris doesn't have a gromet in the driver's side (LHD). I had to pull it though the passenger side.

I'll put up pictures once I'm done.

Tamrat,

[Kasbien]

I'll put up pictures once I'm done.

Tamrat,

Thread revival.

Did you ever get this working in your actual car?