CX-5 Daytime Running Lights Usage

[Pitter]

I am in Colombia , South America and always have the headlight switch set to automatic so there are daytime headlights. Oddly I rarely see another CX 5 (and there are many!) with their daytime headlights on. Obviously it is n important safety practise that has no down side. Offhand the only reason I can think of is that they think the bulbs will burn out if used (and they will have to pay for new ones). This as is an unfortunate stupidity. Colombian CX 5 owners don't seem to understand that those day time headlight bulbs last nearly forever . Mine are on every time I drive and the car is five years old with 70,000 kilometers so longevity of these bulbs is well proven. Off course this complaint is minor compared to my complaint that the motorcycle drivers here (and there are swarms) often drive at night without their headlight on. Presumably they think they are saving some future repair? Another beef is that when a car stalls on an incline they put a big rock behind a rear tire assuming low engine compression that won't hold the car back in first. And when the car starts or gets towed they leave the big rock in the middle of the troad, But I digress..

 

[Dash Riproc]

Neither of our CX-5's have the option to turn the DRL's off. I wish they did.

I don't like them and there are times where you legitimately should turn ALL your lights off, e.g. driving through a Christmas light display. But mainly, I want the option to control as many things about my car as possible.

 

[Conrad 16.5]

I am in Colombia , South America and always have the headlight switch set to automatic so there are daytime headlights. Oddly I rarely see another CX 5 (and there are many!) with their daytime headlights on. Obviously it is n important safety practise that has no down side. Offhand the only reason I can think of is that they think the bulbs will burn out if used (and they will have to pay for new ones). This as is an unfortunate stupidity. Colombian CX 5 owners don't seem to understand that those day time headlight bulbs last nearly forever . Mine are on every time I drive and the car is five years old with 70,000 kilometers so longevity of these bulbs is well proven. Off course this complaint is minor compared to my complaint that the motorcycle drivers here (and there are swarms) often drive at night without their headlight on. Presumably they think they are saving some future repair? Another beef is that when a car stalls on an incline they put a big rock behind a rear tire assuming low engine compression that won't hold the car back in first. And when the car starts or gets towed they leave the big rock in the middle of the troad, But I digress..

The vastly superior 2016.5 CX-5 DRLs (daytime running lights) uses dedicated bulbs, not the headlamps. So, there's no worry about the headlamps burning out prematurely.

I'm all for DRLs, ANYTHING that increases your conspicuity on the road is a good thing. Take this from a motorcyclist. The VERY few times that a person would not want the DRLs illuminated are few and far between, so I don't get it at all why anyone would want this safety feature disabled. YMMV

As for motorcycles at night in Columbia turning off their headlights. Say what?

Here in the USA ALL street legal motorcycles sold here have their headlights come on automatically when the engine is started, day or night. The headlight can't be turned off via a switch, you'd have to pull a fuse or unplug the headlight connector to make that happen. This is different in Columbia?

 

[N7turbo]

Neither of our CX-5's have the option to turn the DRL's off. I wish they did.

I don't like them and there are times where you legitimately should turn ALL your lights off, e.g. driving through a Christmas light display. But mainly, I want the option to control as many things about my car as possible.

I agree, so this is for you:

R

Guide: Thread 'How To Disable Daytime Running Lights (instructions)'

May 7, 2013

Here are the ridiculous instructions for disabling the 2013 Mazda CX-5 Daytime Running Lights. This is no longer done through the diagnostic computer.

Timing for the procedure is critical. If you miss a step, the procedure will fail and you will have to start over.

The tech at my dealership could not get the procedure to work. The service manager and I did get it to work, but it took several tries. I think the tech was pushing the hazard switch on and off 10 times, not 5 (he was pressing the button 20 times, not 10).

Daytime Running Lights are NOT required by law in the U.S. Other...

• Rhino_66
• Replies: 328
• Forum: CX-5 General

• 

 

[yrwei52]

Neither of our CX-5's have the option to turn the DRL's off. I wish they did.

I don't like them and there are times where you legitimately should turn ALL your lights off, e.g. driving through a Christmas light display. But mainly, I want the option to control as many things about my car as possible.

Yes I wish Mazda can use the infotainment version they put on the Toyota Yaris iA which is a Mazda2 in disguise to set the DRLs on and off easily:

But there’re a couple of other ways to turn the DRLs off on US Mazda CX-5’s but they’re more complicated.

 

[yrwei52]

The vastly superior 2016.5 CX-5 DRLs (daytime running lights) uses dedicated bulbs, not the headlamps. So, there's no worry about the headlamps burning out prematurely.

Ha, I have to agree with you on this!
But my a bit inferior 2016 CX-5 with optional Tech Package has the same dedicated LED Signature Strips as DRLs and I like them very much. Unfortunately my LED DRLs were really short-lived, and burned out right before the new car warranty expired. Yes there’s a recall eventually but I had to pay $3,700+ for replacement if I didn’t have the warranty at the time!

I'm all for DRLs, ANYTHING that increases your conspicuity on the road is a good thing. Take this from a motorcyclist. The VERY few times that a person would not want the DRLs illuminated are few and far between, so I don't get it at all why anyone would want this safety feature disabled. YMMV

I have a different opinion on this. Yes, I’m all for having the DRL on motorcycles and school buses, but NOT on EVERY vehicles, especially when DRLs are using headlights in the old days. That actually makes those vehicles lose their distinctiveness and not get noticed easily by other drivers. The newer dedicated LED DRLs are better as they look different from normal headlights which won’t get mixed up easily with motorcycles and school buses where they still use headlights as DRLs.

In old days when we see any vehicles with the headlights on, that raises our attention immediately. On highway whenever we see vehicles with headlights on in the daytime, we know that is a warning where the cops are catching speeders in front of us.

Not anymore. Don’t pay too much attention as there’re too many vehicles with the headlights / DRLs on on the road.

 

[N7turbo]

Yes I wish Mazda can use the infotainment version they put on the Toyota Yaris iA which is a Mazda2 in disguise to set the DRLs on and off easily:

View attachment 333065


But there’re a couple of other ways to turn the DRLs off on US Mazda CX-5’s but they’re more complicated.

My '24 MX-5 has that. Tested it yesterday, and it doesn't work. No change whether checked/unchecked.

 

[RedBaron]

Yeah, my CX-50 has the setting too. If you disable DRLs it turns them off if you're stopped, but as soon as you start driving, it turns them back on. Really Mazda? Why have a setting if it's ignored?

 

[yrwei52]

My '24 MX-5 has that. Tested it yesterday, and it doesn't work. No change whether checked/unchecked.

Yeah, my CX-50 has the setting too. If you disable DRLs it turns them off if you're stopped, but as soon as you start driving, it turns them back on. Really Mazda? Why have a setting if it's ignored?

That’s really strange. If I uncheck the “Daytime Running Lights” selection on my 2018 Toyota Yaris iA, the DRLs will be off, and the selection keeps unchecked forever until I recheck it again and turn the DRLs on. Mazda definitely has this version of MAZDA CONNECT Infotainment system like my Yaris iA and they should use this version for all Mazda’s to keep it simple controlling DRLs.

 

[Moonlighter]

There are credible studies that show comprehensively that DRL’s reduce the chances of accidents. By increasing the visibility of the car to other road users. The reduction is significant. They’re a safety feature.

There are enough idiots out there on the road that arent competent or aren’t paying very much attention due to mobile phones etc and I for one dont see any value in making my car less visible to them.

Ask yourself- when your car is hit by one of those idiots who then says “I didn’t see him”, how are you going to explain to your insurance company why that safety feature was disabled in a way not intended by Mazda? That you went out of your way to do it….

 

[yrwei52]

There are credible studies that show comprehensively that DRL’s reduce the chances of accidents. By increasing the visibility of the car to other road users. The reduction is significant. They’re a safety feature.

There’re too many studies on DRLs in the US and both sides are credible. That’s why the US DOT and NHTSA declined to mandate the DRLs as a safety feature and it doesn’t have to be available on the vehicles sold in the US.

I simply believe the dedicated DRLs could be more visible, but the low-beam or high-beam DRLs like Mazda is doing (except some 2016 / 2016.5 CX-5’s) are not.

 

[Moonlighter]

There’re too many studies on DRLs in the US and both sides are credible. That’s why the US DOT and NHTSA declined to mandate the DRLs as a safety feature and it doesn’t have to be available on the vehicles sold in the US.

I simply believe the dedicated DRLs could be more visible, but the low-beam or high-beam DRLs like Mazda is doing (except some 2016 / 2016.5 CX-5’s) are not.

I note that the NHTSA study concluded that DRL’s can reduce daytime accidents by up to 5-10%. Which is consistent with studies around the word that also show 5- 10% reductions.

I did a quick google and couldn’t find any studies suggesting no reduction in accidents when they are fitted. Meta studies also concluded at least a 5% reduction in accidents when vehicles are fitted with DRL’s.

Their fitment is not mandatory for new vehicles in Australia either. Yet.

However, here in Aus, if they are fitted by the manufacturer, they must comply with our Vehicles Standard rules (so Mazdas version must comply) and must not be removed/disabled. I believe that would be because it involves modifying something that was part of the car’s approved safety system. Eg the safety star rating done here by ANCAP.

 

[yrwei52]

I note that the NHTSA study concluded that DRL’s can reduce daytime accidents by up to 5-10%. Which is consistent with studies around the word that also show 5- 10% reductions.

I did a quick google and couldn’t find any studies suggesting no reduction in accidents when they are fitted. Meta studies also concluded at least a 5% reduction in accidents when vehicles are fitted with DRL’s.

Their fitment is not mandatory for new vehicles in Australia either. Yet.

However, here in Aus, if they are fitted by the manufacturer, they must comply with our Vehicles Standard rules (so Mazdas version must comply) and must not be removed/disabled. I believe that would be because it involves modifying something that was part of the car’s approved safety system. Eg the safety star rating done here by ANCAP.

Here’s a good article by L.G. Brandon about the history of the DRLs in the US:

Why aren't day time running lights mandatory on new cars sold in the US ? They are mandatory most other places in the world.

My position is if there’s a dedicated LED DRLs (such as my 2016 CX-5) I’ll leave them on. If the low-beam or high-beam headlights are used for DRLs I’ll turn them off (such as my 2018 Toyota Yaris iA / Mazda2). I believe mixing the functionality of lighting is an anti-safe design. Hence I hate the amber front turn signals mixing with front parking lights (US version gen-2 CX-5’s have this design definitely much less visible on front turn signals when the parking lights are on) and amber front side markers (US special) using the same light source to save cost. IMO the best design of front lightings on CX-5 is the 2016 / 2016.5 CX-5 with optional Tech Package which has LED signature strips as dedicated DRLs and front parking lights:

 

[GFrosty]

IMO the best design of front lightings on CX-5 is the 2016 / 2016.5 CX-5 with optional Tech Package which has LED signature strips as dedicated DRLs and front parking lights ...

2016.5 CX-5 GT + TechPkg here, as well.

Generally, during daytime I drive around with the stalk set to DRL. During nighttime, I set the stalk to "lights" (not Auto) along with the fog lights. On darker, sketchy sections of road, I turn on the full lights, as a precaution. Of course, I need to remember to flip the stalk to "off" when I park, but it creates the best DRL lighting possible from those factory lights: the white-ish strip plus the yellow marker lights at all times.

Am north of 120Kmi mileage on the car, so far; at some point, with how much I use the lighting, it's entirely possible that I'll be swapping-out the lights before I'm done with the car, but that's some years in the future.

Haven't yet installed brighter fog lighting or a light "bar". I tend to drive somewhat cautiously and highly defensively when traffic gets tighter, anticipating that an increasing percentage of drivers are likely to do the absolute most-dangerous thing at the worst possible moment.

I can't imagine how being less visible would have any upside, given how distracted and inattentive many drivers tend to be.

 

[stickerbush]

What does my 2024 Preferred use for DRL lights? Does it use the adaptive LED headlights or other lights? Because the DRL lights turn off when the car is stopped I can't easily see them.

 

[N7turbo]

What does my 2024 Preferred use for DRL lights? Does it use the adaptive LED headlights or other lights? Because the DRL lights turn off when the car is stopped I can't easily see them.

The headlight bulb. Check the reflection on a car in front of you, or a glass window storefront.

 

[stickerbush]

The headlight bulb. Check the reflection on a car in front of you, or a glass window storefront.

Is this a bulb that is replaceable or an expensive integrated assembly?

 

[yrwei52]

Is this a bulb that is replaceable or an expensive integrated assembly?

The LED low-beam headlights on gen-2 CX-5 which are used as DRLs are not a bulb but an integrated LED with entire headlight assembly. If it fails, the entire headlight unit needs to be replaced! It could cost $1,800+ per unit in my case on my 2016 CX-5 LED headlight.

 

[stickerbush]

Has anyone been able to disable DRL on 2024 CX-5? My owners manual does not indicate that there is a fuse for DRL.

 

[N7turbo]

Has anyone been able to disable DRL on 2024 CX-5? My owners manual does not indicate that there is a fuse for DRL.

Just do the procedure linked above—it works at least through 2023, and I doubt Mazda changed this. You could be the first one to report back on a 2024.