DRL in headlights not working

[skarj]

We have it like that too in most german and Swedish brands, but in the asian brands you need to turn it off, if the car doesn't have the AUTO setting, at least a few years back, but most cars come with AUTO already, but this Mazda DIIIIT (warning sound) if I leave it in ON, I tried that quite fast and hoped it would work, but nope And since I am lazy, I don't want to turn the light ON and OFF each time I drive it, and since it got the AUTO I feel it should work, now I feel I need to work around it so it keeps the low beam on (trick the car to think it is dark outside). Then it will work as I want it. But it need to be coded or something, since I think the sensor is used for something more than detect brightness outdoors.

 

[stickerbush]

I don't want to turn the light ON and OFF each time I drive it, and since it got the AUTO I feel it should work, now I feel I need to work around it so it keeps the low beam on (trick the car to think it is dark outside)

You are correct, it should work, but rather than find a work around I think you should first find out whether or not your DRLs are turning on when you drive the car and if they're not you need to find out why and fix the problem. A Mazda dealer should be able to help with this, especially since it's a safety and legal issue.

An easy way to see if DRLs are turning on is to park about 20 feet in front of a wall and see what happens when you put the car in gear and start to move. It's easier to see the illumination if it's overcast or close to dusk than in bright sunlight.

Sometimes when bixenon bulbs are failing they will flicker, this could be why some drivers are flashing their lights at you. Or perhaps the headlights are mis-aligned and annoying oncoming drivers. It doesn't necessarily mean that your DRLs are not on.

 

[skarj]

You are correct, it should work, but rather than find a work around I think you should first find out whether or not your DRLs are turning on when you drive the car and if they're not you need to find out why and fix the problem. A Mazda dealer should be able to help with this, especially since it's a safety and legal issue.

An easy way to see if DRLs are turning on is to park about 20 feet in front of a wall and see what happens when you put the car in gear and start to move. It's easier to see the illumination if it's overcast or close to dusk than in bright sunlight.

Sometimes when bixenon bulbs are failing they will flicker, this could be why some drivers are flashing their lights at you. Or perhaps the headlights are mis-aligned and annoying oncoming drivers. It doesn't necessarily mean that your DRLs are not on.

I hear you, but I am 99 % sure there never are any drl, the cars that flash me do it in the bright sunny (with snow) weather, the bixenon is not on during it, I am 100 % sure, the symbol for the lights in the cluster turns on as soon as the xenons are activated bt the shadow or cloudy weather/darkness.
However I will still check the drl so I am 100 % sure, just there are still not that long day light here up in the north, so at the time I get back it is too dark, so the xenons are already on, but maybe the drl is still supposed to be on together with the xenon (low beam)?

The car passed the check up, since low beam functions in ON mode so it is safe, used like that, then it is up to the driver. But you are right, Mazda can probably solve it for me, but I am not interested to pay for the job, I rather find a way myself. But I still can't get why they build it in this way, for me logic say: Bright light, drl ON all the time, D; N, P, M. Parking brake on or off.Just nonsens that it should turn off at traffic lights or any other stops. Then if the day light shifts, bixenon turns on, and stays on, D, N, P etc.

 

[stickerbush]

But I still can't get why they build it in this way, for me logic say: Bright light, drl ON all the time, D; N, P, M. Parking brake on or off.Just nonsens that it should turn off at traffic lights or any other stops. Then if the day light shifts, bixenon turns on, and stays on, D, N, P etc.

I wonder why as well. Here's Google Gemini's answer to that question. Whatever. It is what it is.

___________________________________________________________________________________

On most modern Mazdas, the Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) are programmed to switch off when the car is stationary as a logic-based "convenience and safety" feature.

Here is why they behave that way:

1. The "Parked" Logic​

Mazda’s lighting system is designed to distinguish between driving and idling/parking. The DRLs are tied to the vehicle's movement or transmission status:

• Automatic Transmissions: The DRLs typically turn off when the car is shifted into Park (P).
  Manual Transmissions / General: Engaging the parking brake will often kill the DRLs.
• Stopped in Traffic: In many newer models, if you are simply stopped at a light in "Drive," the DRLs will stay on. However, if you toggle the light switch to "OFF" while stopped, the DRLs will turn off and stay off until the vehicle begins moving again (usually above 5–10 mph).

2. Stealth & Etiquette​

This design is intended to prevent "light pollution" in specific scenarios:

• Drive-thrus or Gate Guards: It allows you to keep the engine running (for AC/heat) without blinding the person in front of you or the attendant.
• Safety: It serves as a visual indicator to others that the car is not actively in motion or about to move.

3. Battery & Bulb Preservation​

While less of a concern with modern LEDs, this logic originally helped reduce the load on the alternator while idling and extended the life of halogen bulbs.

 

[HyFlyer]

So, with your 2014 (1st generation) aren't the DRL using the halogen high beams lamps (the lenses more inboard) ? That's how it is on our 2016.5 touring model. If someone has retrofitted the high beams from halogen to LED, they won't work in reduced power DRL mode.

Also, I remember folks with the 1st gen grand touring trim having LED DRL that would fail. But if you don't have LED lamps, that would likely not apply to your case.

 

[N7turbo]

The car passed the check up, since low beam functions in ON mode so it is safe, used like that, then it is up to the driver. But you are right, Mazda can probably solve it for me, but I am not interested to pay for the job, I rather find a way myself. But I still can't get why they build it in this way, for me logic say: Bright light, drl ON all the time, D; N, P, M. Parking brake on or off.Just nonsens that it should turn off at traffic lights or any other stops. Then if the day light shifts, bixenon turns on, and stays on, D, N, P etc.

They won't turn off automatically at traffic stops. They will stay on until you stop the car and then turn them off manually.

 

[skarj]

They won't turn off automatically at traffic stops. They will stay on until you stop the car and then turn them off manually.

Even if I (or somebody else) put in N?

 

[skarj]

So, with your 2014 (1st generation) aren't the DRL using the halogen high beams lamps (the lenses more inboard) ? That's how it is on our 2016.5 touring model. If someone has retrofitted the high beams from halogen to LED, they won't work in reduced power DRL mode.

Also, I remember folks with the 1st gen grand touring trim having LED DRL that would fail. But if you don't have LED lamps, that would likely not apply to your case.

I am not exactly sure what you mean, but I answer as I think you mean, I have bixenon, high beam just lift the light, no extra bulb activated. DRL is a standard 13 W HB3 (socket) placed next to the xenon, where high mean halogen is placed on non bixenon head lights. Did I answer your question? English is not my first language so I hope I understood you.

 

[skarj]

I wonder why as well. Here's Google Gemini's answer to that question. Whatever. It is what it is.

___________________________________________________________________________________

On most modern Mazdas, the Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) are programmed to switch off when the car is stationary as a logic-based "convenience and safety" feature.

Here is why they behave that way:

1. The "Parked" Logic​

Mazda’s lighting system is designed to distinguish between driving and idling/parking. The DRLs are tied to the vehicle's movement or transmission status:

• Automatic Transmissions: The DRLs typically turn off when the car is shifted into Park (P).
  Manual Transmissions / General: Engaging the parking brake will often kill the DRLs.
• Stopped in Traffic: In many newer models, if you are simply stopped at a light in "Drive," the DRLs will stay on. However, if you toggle the light switch to "OFF" while stopped, the DRLs will turn off and stay off until the vehicle begins moving again (usually above 5–10 mph).

2. Stealth & Etiquette​

This design is intended to prevent "light pollution" in specific scenarios:

• Drive-thrus or Gate Guards: It allows you to keep the engine running (for AC/heat) without blinding the person in front of you or the attendant.
• Safety: It serves as a visual indicator to others that the car is not actively in motion or about to move.

3. Battery & Bulb Preservation​

While less of a concern with modern LEDs, this logic originally helped reduce the load on the alternator while idling and extended the life of halogen bulbs.

Well you are right, it is what it is, but I feel more and more my best way is top work around it, to find a way to have low beam activared at all time, in the light setting AUTO, it would make me happy That would fix everything, never mind for me it will consume a bit more energy. So the car work as I put the lights in ON, but I don't need to turn it ON and OFF, as it should work in AUTO if I had designed the system in the first place, according to the law in Sweden say you must have light on in the front in day light.