daytime running lights

[pgrennan]

My Thor Outlaw RV has a 2017 Ford F450 chassis which is not equipped with the daytime running lights system.The Ford dealership says it can't be done if it doesn't have the system built in. Does anybody know if it can be done?

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[Y-Guy]

pgrennan thanks for the update, please let us know what's done once you have it done. I'm curious how much work it takes or if it's plug & play? I can't imagine it's much work.

[pgrennan]

Thank you and you are right. Earlier today the Ford dealership in Canada said they can do it. Canadian Tire referred my daughter to the Ford people so I will have it done once I cross the order.

[pigman1]

A Google search will show a number of firms that will sell a conversion kit to convert a vehicle to meet Canadian requirements, and a number of firms that will do the conversion for you. Among these is Canadian Tire, a major company up there. A call to them might get you some more detailed information. It might take a trip across the border to get this done.

[joebedford]

Any of these with a key activated relay help?

[Y-Guy]

pgrennan I'm not sure if moving this thread to any other forum will help. I can't say I've read about this issue here before. However I did google it and found a few threads though nothing spot on addressing your issue. Have you tried contacting Thor for some help/advice/direction?

[pgrennan]

Thank you for your posts. DRL have to automatically come on when you turn on the ignition and they stay on. I have talked to the Ford people and because the system is not in the truck you can't simply turn them on or off. Canadian cars have to have the DRL put in at time of manufacture as it is the law.I have been told by the Canadians that I should be able to purchase a kit and have it wired in but the US Ford people don't know anything about it.

[Y-Guy]

Feel free to debate the merits of DRL elsewhere.

Try to stay on topic to the question the OP had.

[joebedford]

D.E.Bishop wrote:
Can you set your lights to automatically come on at dusk. Cover the sensor and they come on with the ignition.

That's not the point - here the DRLs have to be on all the time.

[D_E_Bishop]

Can you set your lights to automatically come on at dusk. Cover the sensor and they come on with the ignition. My F53 has DRL.

[allcool]

Not sure what Ford F450 chassis you have, but most all the ones I've seen can get DRL turned on very easy in the pcm. Some tuner modules will have the ability to turn it off/on, mine does.

Also not sure if you have the Ford pcm in your f450 chassis or the RV up-fitter added their own pcm system.? Or if you have a hid light conversion that does not play well with drl.

A dealer tech that knows his way around the IDS TOOLBOX in 2 minutes can click the mouse once or twice and it will be on, at least on the Ford pcm.
Probably worth asking a Ford tech that knows ids. Many of the service writers will have no clue what you're talking about, need that tech that knows the IDS TOOLBOX. All he has to do is plug into the obd port and he'll know in seconds if it can be done.

[pigman1]

I don't know what the exact Canadian requirements are, but if having all lights come on will do, I'd imagine a relay could be wired to the ignition system to bypass the light switch and turn everything on with the key. You also might contact Ford and ask them how they import these vehicles. I'd doubt they dropped that whole country from their possible sales base just for a light issue.

rhagfo, I'm sure you're closer to right than my guess, but for sure I just pulled a ridiculous number out of a fundamental orifice as an example. I doubt I had to change a bulb a year in 5 vehicles, but I was just trying to make a point. pgrannen's Canadian issue is a bit more complex.

[joebedford]

A quick google shows that you can turn DRL on/off via the dash on at least some Fords. Your 450 chassis may be completely different but give it a try.

[pgrennan]

I am importing the RV to Canada and all vehicles must have the Daytime Running Lights system. This means the lights have to come on when you turn the motor on. They don't allow you to turn on your lights, they must come on automatically. USA cars are not required to have this system built in but Canadian cars do.

[rhagfo]

pigman1 wrote:
Turn on the headlights?? I've been using headlights for years with my vehicles that do and do not have running lights. I want taillights and running lights on at all times when I'm on the road. It probably has cost me an extra $100 over the past 10 years for headlight and taillight bulbs. I think I can afford that.

I doubt it has cost you $100 in ten years, it may have cost me $100 for the 51 years I have been driving with headlights on all the time.