XC90 Day Running Lights (DRL)

[GSMGuy]

Originally Posted by Grrove Machine

My DLRL have caused the light covers to start to haze!

Forgot to mention - Mine were beginning to haze, or so I thought.... A quick rub with TCut scratch remover, and a wipe with Isopropyl alcohol has made them like new again. It was some sort of build up on the lamp lens, NOT hazing or cracking!

Good job with new lamps RRP of £420+vat each!

Mike

[PlankWithANailIn]

My handbook shows that the DRL's have a fuse in the drivers side fuse box, why not just remove it? Or just take the bulbs out.

I can't believe this thread is serious, you just paid a fortune for a car but want to save pennies by turning off the DRL's. Beggars belief honestly.

[ckp]

Can anyone confirm replacement cost for the xenon bulbs?

Regrading running cost, not sure how much you would save from having DRL off, as the engine/alternator/battery are all running. The extra load I assume comes from the current draw from the xenons drawing current from the battery or alternator? But with the engine having 185bhp or 138,000 watts, surely a few xenons won't cost much against lugging 2.2tons of metal around?

[Jay]

DRL is a marketing gimmick and have fooled the world. On the Volvo it is a full dipped headlight whether it is normal or xenon lights – no LED technology.

DRL without the LED technology consumes extra fuel which gives government more tax revenue, lamp bulb manufacturers like them cos they burn out quickly and garages like them because they can charge for fitting.

I have ordered XC90 with xenon and was told that the bulb replacement is approx £100 and is a dealer fitted job. Cost is not an issue i am concerned whether the xenon lights which are normal dipped headlights are designed for continuous use. DRL should have LED technolgy and outlast a car's life.

[Jay]

You cannot take the bulb out because the DRL is the normal dipped headlights confirmed by Volvo technical Informaton

[NewVolvo]

That Volvo are selling their cars with the DRL's on is deffo NOT a marketing gimmick. Since the laws in Sweden were introduced, it has saved many lives and still are by having DRL's. It would also save Volvo money by having the same installed on all cars.

Saab have also used them for years.

Now everybody else are following, even though it may be too early before the law comes in. Mercedes (new E class), Audi, BMW etc etc

I believe that some insurance ecompanies will/can make your insurance invalid if your DRL's are off as this is part of the vehicle spec when leaving the factory and by switiching them off you have altered the original spec.

OT: The worst comment I have ever heard from anyone here in the UK was a guy who come over to me and told me that I was driving with my lights on. When told that this is normal for a Volvo, he said "but it runs the battery down!".

[GSMGuy]

Originally Posted by ckp

Can anyone confirm replacement cost for the xenon bulbs?

About £29 per pair from Ebay!

Mike

[GSMGuy]

Originally Posted by NewVolvo

I believe that some insurance ecompanies will/can make your insurance invalid if your DRL's are off as this is part of the vehicle spec when leaving the factory and by switiching them off you have altered the original spec.

VERY good point - Ring your insurer and tell them "I have disabled a factory fitted safety device on my car - Do you still want to insure me?"

Mike

[PlankWithANailIn]

Still do not understand this, spend £30,000 on car that does 30 mpg , try to save £100 pounds on light bulbs and get mpg to 30.000001mpg!

News flash, you must have bought the wrong car!

[Clan]

Originally Posted by GSMGuy

They run quite hot for a 5w bulb, prob due to the small size of the glass envelope, and therefore don't last long at all, esp when on full time...

In practice on most volvos they seem to last around 3 years on average , obviously some may fail prematurly ..



Into the side lights, and smaller versions into the marker and numberplate lamps, simply because I'm fed up of changing them.... Have prob gone through a dozen 501's in 2 years of ownership,

something very wrong there , probably the bulb quality ... you arent using the volvo blue pipped bulbs are you .. although bearing in mind there are 8 of these , 6 a year failing is a very high failure rate .. on average you shouldnt have changed any yet unless you are doing crazy mileage ...

I MAY try LED's in the stop /tail too, but will prob have to fit load resistors, which although it stops the bulb failure alarm, it sort of negates the energy saving....

I defy anyone to be able to quote a £ per mile figure on this ! It's like the difference between running 30 psi and 33 psi tyre pressures ... or going up a 100 metre long hill once a week . something as insignificant as that compared with the much larger inefficincies in the operation of a car ...

Funnily enough, not had to replace any tail lights, so it must be that the 501's run too hot...

tail lights are regulated to 12v exactly .. not the 14.2 v of the system voltage .. they too are 501 on the later style XC90 .. and are failing much more often than the old version .

Mike

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