Activating Daytime Running Lights (DRL) Possible?

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GHTech

Well-known member
Joined
May 9, 2016
Messages
57
Hi!

Just leased a 2016 Ford Focus Electric and enjoying the car. I would really like to have the DRL turned on. Reading on different sites I find that there is a mention that it can be done using the IDS system that Ford has. Any insights?

Thanks,

GHTech
 
Hi!

I asked the dealership that I purchased the FFE from if they will activate the DRL using the ids, and they said that they will. But, their charge is $140, which I think is too much for a 5 minute job. I do not mind paying a small amount, but not that much.

Thoughts?

Regards,

GHTech
 
Hi!

An update. I was able to get a dealer to turn it on for me. The tech connected the laptop, and turned it on. It was working on their drive as the I checked myself. While I was driving home I did not see it one (reflection on the car in front), and when I checked, it was not on. I now do see the DRL option in the settings, but it is grayed out.

Regards,

GHTech
 
Hi!

Nope. Asked a friend who works at a dealership, who ask a friend for a favor. :) Let me see if they can make it work permanently. The answer to the $140 charge is "Hell No", I don't need it that badly. :)

Regards,

GHTech
 
It really is quite astonishing that activating the LED strip to function as DRLs is so problematic. DRLs are legislated here in Canada and in the case of the FFE it is in fact the LED strip that satisfies the requirement for DRLs. I would be shocked if there is any wiring harness difference in the FFEs shipped to Canada compared to US designated cars. A firmware setting is the only thing that makes reasonable sense so any factory trained technician with appropriate programming authorities should be able to do it - permanently.

And when all is said and done it is long past time that the US regulate DRLs as a safety feature on all cars. It would be an essentially no cost modification which has a huge effect on making you more visible to oncoming drivers and people generally don’t hit what they can see. This would be a much better safety regulation than the 2017 requirement that all cars have back-up cameras which will almost certainly result in more accidents as fewer drivers will physically check their rear quarters beyond the camera field of vision (reducing cross-traffic awareness, either vehicular or pedestrian) and fewer still will actually physically look out of the rear window. (I already frequently see this in parking lots and have had to dodge cars blithely backing out of their parking spot completely oblivious to other cars let alone pedestrians! There couldn’t possibly be anyone else moving in a Wal-Mart parking lot could there. :eek: )

Thanks and Cheers

Carl
 
Non EV Focuses (Foci?) with the HID headlights (believe that is either Titanium or ST trim) have the LED strip as a DRL; I agree, this should be an easy coding mod.
 
Hi!

I have an appointment with the same dealership tomorrow (Fri) morning. Will update then.

Regards,

GHTech
 
Hi!

Quick update. Took the FFE in on Fri and was expecting an hour at most. But, had to leave for an afternoon meeting. Was told that the tech is on the phone with the Ford Hotline, and engineers. Was asked if I can leave the car, which I did. I will check back on Mon. Not complaining as they are trying.

Regards,

GHTech
 
With my 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan (after telling the dealer how to do it, as they were clueless) they had to add the DRL "sales code" to the car. As soon as they did that, ta da, DRL's.

Hopefully it's something similar for the FFE.
 
GHTech said:
Hi!

Quick update. Took the FFE in on Fri and was expecting an hour at most. But, had to leave for an afternoon meeting. Was told that the tech is on the phone with the Ford Hotline, and engineers. Was asked if I can leave the car, which I did. I will check back on Mon. Not complaining as they are trying.

Regards,

GHTech

Any luck?
 
I thought the 2016 FFE had it as an option on the menu so that the owner can control the DRLs. It sounds like that may have gotten messed up by what the dealer did if the option is now greyed out.
 
I know im bumping an old thread. BUT there is a program called Focccus that runs on your computer. You'll need a bluetooth OBDII adapter (elm327) and a laptop that supports bluetooth. I would imagine it works on the FFE too.
I did some mods on my ST I.E Global window open mod, Fogs stay on with brights and TPMS shut off. IIRC you can enable DRL's too.
I wonder if you can do the global window mod on the FFE.

Here is the link http://www.focusst.org/forum/focus-...app-built-editor-all-around-reprogrammer.html
 
Krisverde said:
I know im bumping an old thread. BUT there is a program called Focccus that runs on your computer.
Do you know if this program can use the wi-fi version of the MX adapter?

I use that with my iPhone and FORScan, but never tried it with my PC.
 
GHTech said:
Hi!

Quick update. Took the FFE in on Fri and was expecting an hour at most. But, had to leave for an afternoon meeting. Was told that the tech is on the phone with the Ford Hotline, and engineers. Was asked if I can leave the car, which I did. I will check back on Mon. Not complaining as they are trying.

Regards,

GHTech

Hi Everyone!

I am really sorry for the late (really late) update. They kept the car (back in May) for a few days, and there was a lot of back and forth with the Ford engineers. The bottom line was that they were unable to turn it on. The dealer is the biggest (volume) dealer in the world, and I guess that Ford does listen to the questions, and does not just ignore. The Service Advisor showed me the printouts of the emails that went back and forth, and without exaggerating, it was an inch thick. I should have tried to sit down and read through it. I also realize that maybe the first time that they turned the option on and it did look like the DRL was working, may have been for a different reason. We were in a covered area, and the automatic lights may have been the one that had turned on, and not the DRL.

Regards,

GHTech
 
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