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

[GeekEV]

I don't know for sure. The service manual only specifies that it's 12V. Since its only purpose is to drive the ignition relay, my guess is not much. Fortunately, LED kits such as this don't take much power - the kit I used is rated at a scant 0.7W. I wouldn't try to do anything else with it.

[Leafboy]

Need help! I have had my DRLs powered through the PDM for 3 years with no problems. I used my parking lamps with larger bulbs. Today I decided to replace the bulbs with LED lamps. I replaced one side with no problems. Then I started to replace the other side and put the lamp in while the circuit was on and it sparked at the lamp socket and blew a fuse somewhere. I checked every fuse in the car I could find and all were good. Now I also have a "Visit Dealer" indication on the display and the Park Brake lamp is flashing. The electric parking brake does not function. Does anyone have a clue which fuse I blew?

[GeekEV]

There is also a fuse box on the left hand side of the dashboard panel. It's hidden by the door when closed. Did you check in there? And the one under the hood? If so, maybe try a system reset by disconnecting the negative terminal from the 12v battery for a few minutes and reconnect. EVs in particular are very sensitive to shorts and may have tripped an internal safety mechanism rather than an actual blown fuse.

[Leafboy]

Yep. The fuses in the PDM, the one next to it and the one on the left side of the inst panel. Fuses anywhere else?

[GeekEV]

I don't think so. You may well have tripped a safety code. Try the 12v reset.

[Leafboy]

Smart me/stupid me! I make it a practice to always use an in-line fuse when I add or change any electrics on a car. Smart me, I did this with the DRL addition. Stupid me, I forgot that I did it in this case as usual. That was the blown fuse and the DRLs are back in business.
Now the electric parking brake is still not working and getting error on the display. I am beginning to think the parking brake issue is just a coincidence with the DRL issue. I tried the battery disconnect to no avail. I guess a trip to the dealer is in my future.

[Leafboy]

Now discovered the auto up for the driver window doesn't work. Auto down works fine. Really weird!!

[GeekEV]

That happens after a system reset. Roll the window up and hold it up for about five seconds. Auto up should start working again. Not sure why it does that, but it does.

[Leafboy]

THANKS! I'll give it a try.
WORKED!

[Leafboy]

Continuing saga on DRLs.
This is the LED I am using because it gave me the most lumins I could find that would fit the parking lamp location. (Cree 450 lumins) Note the silver band between the leds and the contacts.


Here is the socket that the Leaf uses. Note the metal pieces on each side of the socket. They are also energized with the socket tabs. Guess what happens when I insert the LED? Yep the silver band on the LED contacts shorts out the socket with the metal tabs on each side of the socket.


To fix this situation, I used a Dremmel to cut a seperation on each side of the metal band on the LED to break the connection where the socket metal tab shorts on the LED metal band. Crazy huh!!