Daylight running lights on older RX450

[Andysrx450h]

Hi , having just aquired my 2009 RX450H a couple of months ago I'm absolutely hooked. It's quite remarkable the advanced electronics for its year. However the big surprise is the lack of daylight running lights. My question is not so much about the technical more as to what other after market units have folks fitted. Any technical tips are welcome though.TIA

[PCM]

I just turn my side lights on whenever I drive...

LED sidelights are great.

[royoftherovers]

38 minutes ago, PCM said:

I just turn my side lights on whenever I drive...

LED sidelights are great.

Just what I was going to say Piers.

Most drivers do not know that their DRL`s are not operative on the rear !

[scudney]

Was going to say same too,how many drivers do you notice when its dark driving with only drl's and no rear lights 

[PCM]

1 minute ago, scudney said:

Was going to say same too,how many drivers do you notice when its dark driving with only drl's and no rear lights 

Lots!

( I've never understood why DRL's are front only... )

[royoftherovers]

54 minutes ago, PCM said:

Lots!

( I've never understood why DRL's are front only... )

I think they were first seen on Volvos (perhaps 240 series?) and were intended for the benefit of Pedestrians in the Northern European climes and subsequently  incorporated by mainstream manufacturers who saw them as a marketing tool as they "looked good."

They were then designed into modern shapes by marketing morons who often make them look aggressive and have  NO idea about Road Safety .

I could go on but 2 eggs, 2 bacon, 2 sausage and mushrooms beckons !!

Edited August 9, 2019 by royoftherovers
typo

[Andysrx450h]

Thanks for the replies. Perhaps I'm wrong but changing the sidelights to LED is an illegal alteration even if we all know it's an improvement and obvious step 

[cruisermark]

Perhaps this topic might help you:

https://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic/112992-rx300400h-daytime-running-lights-sorted/

[The-Acre]

I put drl's on my Celsior, I just bought the kit from Halfords.  As long as you've somewhere to fit them its a fairly easy job, plus they're fitted legally, ie, they come on with the ignition and go off with the headlights.

[royoftherovers]

59 minutes ago, The-Acre said:

I put drl's on my Celsior, I just bought the kit from Halfords.  As long as you've somewhere to fit them its a fairly easy job, plus they're fitted legally, ie, they come on with the ignition and go off with the headlights.

Phil,do thet just illuminate at the front?

[The-Acre]

1 hour ago, royoftherovers said:

Phil,do thet just illuminate at the front?

Yes John, just the front, it's two rows of 8 led's. To be honest, until I pick up my Thai takeaway your breakfast ingredients are constantly on my mind!🍳🥓🍽️

[royoftherovers]

5 minutes ago, The-Acre said:

Yes John, just the front, it's two rows of 8 led's. To be honest, until I pick up my Thai takeaway your breakfast ingredients are constantly on my mind!🍳🥓🍽️

Thanks Phil.

I have to admit, it was a "virtual" breakfast !!

[Herbie]

I have to ask the question - what would be the use of DRLs at the back?

They were introduced as a way of making oncoming vehicles more noticeable (just like motorbikes having to use headlights) during daylight hours (even in strong sunlight) and they do a good job of that.

However, DRLs at the back would just look like brake lights permanently on so I really don't see the point?

[Herbie]

9 hours ago, scudney said:

Was going to say same too,how many drivers do you notice when its dark driving with only drl's and no rear lights 

To be fair, hardly any.

DRLs should go off (or at the very least go dim) when side/tail lights are switched on. Some cars have automatic lights that come on as the ambient light level falls but even if not, we all know that lights should be switched on when the streetlights come on so, DRLs fitted or not, people should still be making that reach for the light switch as the streetlights and/or other vehicle lights come on around them and, as far as I can see, most do.

[scudney]

As a safety feature I think the rear parking lights should be made to come on with the drl's.Sadly these days as drivers we are being conditioned to think less and tend to forget or are just not aware of our surroundings 

[Herbie]

9 hours ago, Andysrx450h said:

Thanks for the replies. Perhaps I'm wrong but changing the sidelights to LED is an illegal alteration even if we all know it's an improvement and obvious step 

I think sidelights should be alright. The car wouldn't fail an MOT if it has LED sidelights even if it originally left the factory with incandescent bulbs.

The regulations are more concerned with LED bulbs being used in headlight housings meant for halogen or other bulb types when there's a risk of dazzling other drivers due to misalignment of the beams. I don't think a sidelight bulb carries such a risk.

[Herbie]

1 minute ago, scudney said:

As a safety feature I think the rear parking lights should be made to come on with the drl's.Sadly these days as drivers we are being conditioned to think less and tend to forget or are just not aware of our surroundings 

But they would never be seen in strong daylight so again, I can't see the point.

[The-Acre]

3 minutes ago, Herbie said:

But they would never be seen in strong daylight so again, I can't see the point.

I do agree with you on this, oncoming vehicles are nearly always the danger, I can't think of a time in poor daylight when lights on the rear of a car have been an issue.  Except of course in very heavy rain and spray when headlights and fogs should be on anyway.

[MrChemist]

46 minutes ago, The-Acre said:

I do agree with you on this, oncoming vehicles are nearly always the danger, I can't think of a time in poor daylight when lights on the rear of a car have been an issue.  Except of course in very heavy rain and spray when headlights and fogs should be on anyway.

I find that the "clear" lenses on cars, yes, like the ones on my RX450H, are difficult to see in daylight, you can't see the little yellow or red bulb, you see the lens because it's in daylight. 

Then you get the Golf drivers who put smoked lenses on.  Smoked lamp lenses? Really?  Might as well just not have them, but it'll still be my fault if I run into one of these idiots.

I used to have a Volvo 240, lovely car, I should never have got rid of it (until I could afford a Lexus).

[royoftherovers]

1 hour ago, Herbie said:

To be fair, hardly any.

DRLs should go off (or at the very least go dim) when side/tail lights are switched on. Some cars have automatic lights that come on as the ambient light level falls but even if not, we all know that lights should be switched on when the streetlights come on so, DRLs fitted or not, people should still be making that reach for the light switch as the streetlights and/or other vehicle lights come on around them and, as far as I can see, most do.

"To be fair, hardly any".

 

Then you have probably not noticed, or thought to notice.

The problem is that many drivers think that if there DRL`s are on ,there is no need to put on their other (side or dipped) lights.

It is not about the absence of rear lights when DRL`S are on, it is about drivers who are not aware 

1.that  they have no lights at the rear

2. that DRL`S are not a substitute for side or dipped lights and

3. of the requirements within the Highway Code, to drive on dipped headlights in rain,or poor visibility.

[The-Acre]

38 minutes ago, MrChemist said:

I find that the "clear" lenses on cars, yes, like the ones on my RX450H, are difficult to see in daylight, you can't see the little yellow or red bulb, you see the lens because it's in daylight. 

Then you get the Golf drivers who put smoked lenses on.  Smoked lamp lenses? Really?  Might as well just not have them, but it'll still be my fault if I run into one of these idiots.

I used to have a Volvo 240, lovely car, I should never have got rid of it (until I could afford a Lexus).

Smoked lenses? How on earth do they get away with that at MOT time?  So many times I've wondered it the brake lights are actually working!   I had a Volvo 240, what they used to call the "log burner" absolutely gutless but sooo reliable.  I then had a 740 GLE, and amazing car, now I have a V70 D5 SE Sport, good, but nowhere near as good as early Volvos!

[MrChemist]

Re: the smoked lights, apparently they aren't illegal, but it seems to be a grey area and our police service is short of 32,000 staff since the Tories introduced "Austerity". 

I Googled "smoked rear lights legal uk" and there they were, and worse.  Oddly enough, one of the top sites returned is a MKIV Golf site.  And I was just being prejudiced!  Many a true word...

I had a 760GLE, the 2.3 turbo, it was smooth and fast and then it got a fault that my little garage couldn't fix.  Should have sent it to the dealer, I suppose, but I wanted a newer one, anyway.

[The-Acre]

10 minutes ago, MrChemist said:

Re: the smoked lights, apparently they aren't illegal, but it seems to be a grey area and our police service is short of 32,000 staff since the Tories introduced "Austerity". 

I Googled "smoked rear lights legal uk" and there they were, and worse.  Oddly enough, one of the top sites returned is a MKIV Golf site.  And I was just being prejudiced!  Many a true word...

I had a 760GLE, the 2.3 turbo, it was smooth and fast and then it got a fault that my little garage couldn't fix.  Should have sent it to the dealer, I suppose, but I wanted a newer one, anyway.

Interesting info re the "hidden" rear lights,  if not a tad concerning!   I always wanted the 760 GLE but at the time it seemed to be only for the posh people!  I did also have a black 740 GLT, a fairly rare car but it certainly moved, or so it seemed!

[royoftherovers]

7 minutes ago, The-Acre said:

Interesting info re the "hidden" rear lights,  if not a tad concerning!   I always wanted the 760 GLE but at the time it seemed to be only for the posh people!  I did also have a black 740 GLT, a fairly rare car but it certainly moved, or so it seemed!

And I had a 240GLT which did only 270 miles between fill ups !

[Herbie]

3 hours ago, royoftherovers said:

Then you have probably not noticed, or thought to notice.

The problem is that many drivers think that if there DRL`s are on ,there is no need to put on their other (side or dipped) lights.

It is not about the absence of rear lights when DRL`S are on, it is about drivers who are not aware 

1.that  they have no lights at the rear

2. that DRL`S are not a substitute for side or dipped lights and

3. of the requirements within the Highway Code, to drive on dipped headlights in rain,or poor visibility.

Well I'm sorry John but I don't agree with any of that and I think you're not giving the motoring public enough credit - or me, for that matter, when you say "Then you have probably not noticed, or thought to notice"

There is no doubt whatsoever that some drivers do as you say but out of the hundreds of thousands, possibly even millions of cars out there with DRLs, I'll bet there's one percent or less who use them incorrectly.

What are you actually saying - that you would do away with DRLs altogether?