HOW TO: Daytime Running Lights (DRL) installed for $35

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Hello people,

I have one very simple question. My Nissan LEAF 2014 has DRLs integrated into the fog-lights assembly:


The fog-light bulb is standard H8, but I don't know what is the type of the DRL light bulb:
+

Could you please tell me what type of LED bulbs I must buy to replace the DRL and the fog-light bulbs?
I bought H8 LED bulb, but its diameter is too big and doesn't fit into the fog-light assembly.

Thank you!
 
Using your photos, I would recommend using a similar H8 LED as shown, but also with a lensed tip for more forward light. For the DRL I would need to see the lamp base for a recommendation.
 
Hi guys - I have 2015 SL with LED DRL (I believe), I want to tap into DRL wire, which wire should I use? Anyone could post headlight wire diagram?
 
I'm using the COB LED's for brighter backup lights. But how bright are they? I saw some at walmart today, and bought 3 different kinds. I'll mount the pair that's about 7" long, with a double row of LED's. Bright enough, but the ads make them sound like headlight replacements! (my driveway is kinda dark, and and steep)
So if you are wondering about brightness, try them locally, first.
(but this won't matter for DRL's, whose point is to be seen - not illuminate)
 
Agondonter said:
Hello people,

I have one very simple question. My Nissan LEAF 2014 has DRLs integrated into the fog-lights assembly:


The fog-light bulb is standard H8, but I don't know what is the type of the DRL light bulb:
+

Could you please tell me what type of LED bulbs I must buy to replace the DRL and the fog-light bulbs?
I bought H8 LED bulb, but its diameter is too big and doesn't fit into the fog-light assembly.

Thank you!


The name off the bulb In drl is P13w:)
 
EL82XXX said:
The name off the bulb In drl is P13w:)
Thank you very much EL! Now I know that I am not only stupid, but also blind. After your reply I noticed the writing on the side of the bulb. God bless you!
 
Agondonter said:
EL82XXX said:
The name off the bulb In drl is P13w:)
Thank you very much EL! Now I know that I am not only stupid, but also blind. After your reply I noticed the writing on the side of the bulb. God bless you!


if you order bulbs from ebay you have to grind a little bit in the lamp to make room for the bulb. so its best to take the whole lamp out off the car and use a dremel tool whit a grindstone on the end. and then you get some sexy drls:)
 
On a 2016 leaf you can simply pull fuse f21 in the w6 fuse block next to the battery and add an add-a-fuse adaptor there. Put the original fuse in the adaptor and a second fuse for your DRL's. Drill a hole in the bottom of the fuse block holder for a wire feed. F21 is on the ready circuit bus and comes on whenever the car is in ready mode. It does not activate while charging. Quick, simple and no splicing of the harness. I ran the wire to DRL's mounted in the grill opening and ran a ground wire back to the engine next to the main engine ground.

I also replaced the original High Beams with LED's. Big difference. Original halogen H11 bulbs were nearly useless. 35 watt LED's are twice as bright and match the color of the Low Beams on my SV. They really light up the road and use half the power to do it. Highly recommended.

I suspect that this will work on any Leaf but haven't actually checked it out.
 
I installed a set of DRLs in my 2013 SL this afternoon following GeegEV's original post. Although, I connected the DRL ground wires to the chassis near the horn rather than running the ground wire up to the PDM. All went well until it came to connecting the red wire from the DRLs to the red wire #57 in the PDM. Before doing that I connected the red wire from the DRLs directly to the positive terminal of the 12 volt battery and the lights were on. Looked great! But then when connecting to red wire #57 in the PDM the DRLs did not light. (I used the same wire tap as GeekEV, and have had trouble using them in the past on other projects on other cars.)

Any thoughts on an alternate location to find a wire that's hot when the car is in 'run' mode?

Thanks

[Edited to remove the issue of the "I-key system fault" message on the dash display that I encountered after trying to tap wire #57 in the PDM. The message stopped coming up after driving for a few miles, whatever caused the fault must have cleared itself.]
 
Thanks for your reply. Based on the diagram in GeekEV's original post I'm quite sure I got the correct wire. As I wrote, I've had mixed success using those wire taps and am reluctant to keep trying to make a good connection given the limited space and length of wire accessible in the PDM. I'll eventually make another try if I can't find a suitable fuse to piggy-back off of.

Thanks again.

Leafboy said:
When I did it on my '11 model car I noticed there were similar color wires in the PDM. Be sure you have the correct one.
 
Is "the w6 fuse block next to the battery" the fuse block to the left of the battery, on the motor side, or the fuse block in back of the battery, on the firewall side?

Also, how is "fuse f21" labeled in the fuse-block cover? My cover shows the function of the fuses but does not show fuse numbers.

Thanks

johnlocke said:
On a 2016 leaf you can simply pull fuse f21 in the w6 fuse block next to the battery and add an add-a-fuse adaptor there. ... F21 is on the ready circuit bus and comes on whenever the car is in ready mode.
...
I suspect that this will work on any Leaf but haven't actually checked it out.
 
Solution found, I think. On my 2013 SL w/o Bose and all-around cameras, in the fuse box behind the battery, attached to the firewall, are four fuse positions. Three of them have 10 A fuses in them, one has no fuse but it does have one terminal. That terminal is dead when the Leaf is off and is energized when the Leaf is in 'On' or 'Run' status. [EDIT: I've found that the terminal is also energized, so the DRLs are on, when the Leaf is charging. A little extra wear and tear on the LEDs, and a little more 'juice' being used while charging, but I think not a concern.]

I connected the red wire from my DRLs to the terminal in the unused fuse position and everything seems to be working correctly.

As an aside, I bought my DRLs at Auto Zone maybe 5-6 months ago for $20-$25, if I recall correctly. They look just like those in GeekEVs pictures and I mounted them in the same location, although I didn't realize it when I did it. I don't know what the brightness spec is, but they look plenty bright to me so I'm happy to have finally completed the installation.

Next up - a backup camera.

Yodrak said:
Is "the w6 fuse block next to the battery" the fuse block to the left of the battery, on the motor side, or the fuse block in back of the battery, on the firewall side?
 
Yodrak said:
Is "the w6 fuse block next to the battery" the fuse block to the left of the battery, on the motor side, or the fuse block in back of the battery, on the firewall side?

Also, how is "fuse f21" labeled in the fuse-block cover? My cover shows the function of the fuses but does not show fuse numbers.

Thanks

johnlocke said:
On a 2016 leaf you can simply pull fuse f21 in the w6 fuse block next to the battery and add an add-a-fuse adaptor there. ... F21 is on the ready circuit bus and comes on whenever the car is in ready mode.
...
I suspect that this will work on any Leaf but haven't actually checked it out.
W6 is the large fuse block on the driver's side behind the battery. On my car the fuses are numbered on the inside of the cover as I remember.
 
Thanks for getting back to me on this. I think this is the same fuse block I ended up using, although as far as I could find its not labeled W6 and the fuse positions are not numbered on my 2013.

FWIW the PDM on the right side of the battery is labeled W3, and there's a spot labeled f21 but there's a wire attached there not a fuse.

johnlocke said:
W6 is the large fuse block on the driver's side behind the battery. On my car the fuses are numbered on the inside of the cover as I remember.
 
This weekend I finally got rid of the yellowish stock DRLs.
=====> <=====
This is the final result (wait 5 seconds, it's a two-frame GIF)

The replacement of the original incandescent bulbs was slow and laborious, because the LED I used are far away from reality, and they are just too fat, to fit into the P13W place. I had to remove the fog-DRL-light assembly, and increase the diameter of the hole of the reflector. The good news is - NISSAN used cheap plastic reflector, very easy to drill.

I also replaced the fog light bulb with LED, but the only difference is the color of the light. (And about 1,5 times more bright light.) The design of the European fog-DRL-light assembly is very clumsy, and is just not compatible with LED bulbs. Approx. 40% of the LED bulb stay behind the reflector. Nissan's CEOs need to have some private meetings with Audi... :mrgreen: :lol:
 
Yodrak said:
Thanks for getting back to me on this. I think this is the same fuse block I ended up using, although as far as I could find its not labeled W6 and the fuse positions are not numbered on my 2013.

FWIW the PDM on the right side of the battery is labeled W3, and there's a spot labeled f21 but there's a wire attached there not a fuse.

johnlocke said:
W6 is the large fuse block on the driver's side behind the battery. On my car the fuses are numbered on the inside of the cover as I remember.

I am going to give this a go.

Are there any additional precautions aside from disconnecting the battery before starting.
 
Here's my led drl, still gonna figure out the wiring as my Leafcomes stock with DRL/highbeam dual filament bulb.

Enjoy the pics, I went with the PIA DR305 DRL

2hrg108.jpg


2v2z2fs.jpg


160wpqg.jpg
 
what is the current draw ?

when I put on the "parking lights" in my 2016 SV.. I get the amber lamps in front.. which are closer to eye level.
distinctive in color..and I am guessing less than a 1/2 amp current draw ( eg ~ 6watts).. plus the draw of the LED tail lights..
with is a plus to have one.

got current draw numbers ( amps, milliamps, or watts) ?
 
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