Headlights on when switch is "off"

I just bought a 2003 C2 Cab Tip and am trying to figure some things out. One issue is that the headlights go on when the ignition is turned on, even when the headlight switch is "off" (center position). And they stay on until ignition is turned off. Didn't see anything in the Owners Manual that would suggest this is a normal, daytime "running lights" situation, though that possibility crossed my mind. Anyone else had this situation occur? Is this "Porsche normal" or could there be a short in the switch and/or electrical circuit? Any advice appreciated.

Are you in the States or Canada?

Yes, what Pete asked. Canadian cars have DRL as standard, US cars don't. I'm pretty sure there is a relay you can pull, although I don't know which one. Big help that!

A great question (U.S. or Canada). I'm in Washington State. However, the car was in British Columbia for ~ 7 years before making its way via auction to a VW dealer (apparently to be used as a magnet car on the lot) in western Washington. The car was originally a southern California car - it was sold as new in Newport I think. As a side note, it's interesting that a Cabriolet found its way to Canada and is in immaculate condition 7 years hence. Expect it wasn't driven in the rain/snow much. But back to the original question, the headlights remain on because it was "relayed" to conform to Canadian regulations? Any idea how to "de-fuse" this "always on" state? Thanks!

https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...y-diagram.html

Pull the wide DRL relay that takes up two slots (positions 6 and 7) in the relay panel right above the fuse panel (driver's kick panel).

Thanks for the diagram. I checked the relay board: sockets 6 & 7 are empty. No relays there. Maybe it's hardwired?

The relay is kind of pricey and maybe they did hardwire it but I doubt it. The next thing I would look at is pulling the headlight switch out. Push it in and turn the left (?). It comes right out. Maybe the switch is kaput. Can you turn the parking and fog lights (front and rear) on?

I just bought a 04 that spent part of its life in BC as well. It has been done the proper way not using he hack. I keep trying to find a write up for the OEM procedure so I can reverse engineer it. All I have found is how to do the bridged fuse. All that said I have yet to stick my head in the footwell to even start looking at the relays, I keep getting sidetracked by driving the car

What is 'the proper way?' (I also have a BC car). My switch appears to be working properly. There is no relay. Thanks for any info.

B.C. car imported from New York in 09. Switch off, ignition on, headlights on. There is a fuse jumper from 6 to 9,8 is empty. There are no relays in 6 or 7. I've wondered if this is somehow part of the DRL mod?

Mine is an '04 cab originally from NY and Arizona by prev owner and has been in Canada for 7 years. The fog lamps are my DRLs and I've seen a lot of others done this way locally. The fogs turn off when the headlights are switched on to parking light position or headlights on position. Fogs can be turned back on manually by pulling the switch outwards with parking or headlights on. Works really well and doesn't cook the HID bulbs so quickly.

If I'm following this correctly, I could by this relay for a US car and have daytime running lights? I have never understood why drl's are mandatory. In my opinion, the additional safety factor is worth replacing bulbs that wear out.

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This has been discussed for years. Unless car was built with DRL (and US cars were not), adding the relay does nothing. Search DRL and read all about it.

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I agree, why would you want to remove the DRL function, added safety (fact) reduced bulb life (fact) though it hardly seems to be an issue as my 03 Canadian car with factory DRL are still on original HID bulbs. these cars have fantastic headlights and I for one like showing them off!

For me, just would like to have control over switching them off, and don't need the lights on sunny days. Balu - what are we looking at in your picture above? Is this a picture of the jumpered fuses? Doesn't look like a fuse box...thanks

I hope this works. These are the two different wiring diagrams for the Row/USA and Canada lights. There has to be some difference between the two but I have not found it. Perhaps more eyes can discern the differences. Sheet 1 above is USA. Sheet 2 below is Canada.

I agree giese639 that HID's are overkill for daytime. Like Water Hound's setup I'm figuring the fogs would be fine. The photo shows my passenger headlight. No idea what the "tape" is. Thanks for the Hieroglyphics DBJoe996 The schematic says Model 99. Does that mean they are pertinent to the MarkI series?

Yes...99-00 Mark I series wiring diagrams. Thought if there was some obvious way the DRL are wired up it might provide a clue. But I don't see it. And I tried to zoom in on the front lights and snip just that but no go. Pretty useless basically. Oh well.

For U.S. cars that went to Canada, the Canadians (dealers, Independent shops etc) have no doubt designed a quick safety compliance fix to turn the headlights on, and keep them on, with the ignition, no matter the headlight switch setting. I doubt this involves complex rewiring since Canada would have to do this for every car, not just Porsches, coming across the border to stay (though the fixes would likely be different for each make). I'll call the Porsche dealership service shop in Vancouver BC and see what they do to synch the headlights with the ignition and report back.

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Looks just like an HOV lane transponder.

Interesting suggestion lomax. We are kind of new to the HOV system and technology up here though the car's last P.O. lived outside the Vancouver area so perhaps he installed it? Or it was installed while the car was still in the New York area pre 09? giese have you checked the fuse box for the jumper from 6 to 9? My car is from Weissach and I think they imported it also back in 09 so to what you say the cheapest easiest solution in 09 was maybe the fuse jumper for the independents? Not to sidetrack your thread dude, just that I've never seen a car or photos of one with the tape and figured it may be relevant. DBJoe your involvement elevates any thread

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OK just so I am not making any really stupid comments here, Is this the tape you are talking about? If so it looks exactly like the HOV transponders here in Colorado. I have them on all my bikes. Yea I know, bikes are free but we still have to have the transponders DOH.

Sorry for delayed response to my original thread, have been waiting to no avail for information from Canadian Porsche dealers where I believed my new acquisition was serviced. That was a blind alley; I wasn't able to get anything useful from the service advisor on this issue. He said he thought the dealership "hard-wired" U.S. cars for mandatory DRLs in Canada, but he didn't know how. I checked Row A (headlights and heated seat fuses) in the fuse box, including fuse sockets 6,9,10 for any jumpers or connections: there are none. Still leaves us at a dead end, though haven't read to the end of the thread to see if anyone has posed a solution other than the "hacks" of relay or fuse jumpers.

Here is what I've been able to discern from the wiring diagrams. There is one difference I've noticed between the USA ROW dimmer switch and the Canada dimmer switch. USA/ROW Canada I was wondering if that extra separate Yellow/White wire from the switch that goes to fuse A9 is what provides the power for the DRL?

Here is a little bit larger picture. Note that fuse A9 is the low beam light, so it kinda makes sense that the Yellow/White wire is feeding the DRL...maybe. USA/ROW lighting Canada lighting What I don't know is if you disconnect the Yellow/White wire and tap it into the White/Black wire (to return it to the USA ROW wiring diagram), would that make the DRL's go off without the constant 12V from the dimmer switch feed (Yellow/White wire) and thus return control to the main lighting switch? Somebody will have to experiment with that one. All this would have to take place on the wiring harness from the turn signal/dimmer switch on the steering wheel column, or perhaps just under the dash board where it connects. Obviously the first step would be to pull the Yellow/White pin from the wiring harness connector and see if the DRL's go out with the ignition on. Then it would have to be tapped into the White/Black wire to see if control is returned to the main lighting switch. And one final note that I cannot figure out - is there a USA/ROW turn signal dimmer switch and a Canada turn signal dimmer switch, in that they may be wired differently and that is the difference?

Joe - thanks for the research. Do you know the fuse hack that converts USA to DRL...or point me to a link. I'm sure someone has done it. Thanks.

My understanding is that it amounts to a metal clip or wire jumper installed on the fuse box that bridges between A6 and A9 low beam right (and possibly A10 low beam left). I think with the USA ROW lighting circuit, it only needs to jumped between A6 and A9 since A9 and A10 are already connected together in the wiring harness. https://rennlist.com/forums/rennlist...s-boxster.html https://rennlist.com/forums/rennlist...p-for-drl.html

DB Joe - thanks for the excellent research on this issue (I have a U.S. spec 996 that was in Canada the last seven years <and is now back in the U.S.> and while in Canada was converted to "always on DRL" - but I can't figure out how, since there isn't a fuse jumper nor relay). It could be the wire you have exposed, though I don't understand why in the above wiring diagrams you posted, the right sides of the US and Canada diagrams have different titles (Turn Signal/Dimmer Switch for USA; Low Beam Switch for Canada). Yet the wiring is identical except for the extra Yellow/White wire in the Canada version, as you have pointed out. Seems like there is a significant difference between "Turn Signal/Dimmer Switch" and "Low Beam Switch" in terms of how to ferret out the wire in question (i.e. which switch & associated wiring do you investigate??). Is this a misprint (in terms of the labels for the diagrams) or am I missing something? Thanks again for the great research/deductive analysis Steve "giese639"

Don't know the answer to Turn Signal/Dimmer Switch for USA; Low Beam Switch for Canada diagram labels. Straight out of the Porsche Workshop manual wiring diagram (see Post 17). I was wondering about that as well but don't have an explanation. For all intensive purposes, they are one and the same. Now for someone to go digging around in the wiring harness/connector for the turn signal/dimmer switch from the steering column..... Also keep in mind the DRL hack may be on the back side of the fuse block. Seems if Porsche (or someone) has to convert a car from USA to Canada, the A6 to A9 jumper would be the most simple thing to do.

DBJoe - So, you're pretty sure its the wiring to/from the turn signal/dimmer switch/stalk and not the light switch ("low beam switch") that has to be investigated - to detach the yellow/white wire and reconnect to the white/black wire, if necessary? I don't want to tear into the wrong switch because the labels are potentially misrepresented.

My confidence level is 99% that the cars manufactured OE to Canada and European countries that require the DRL's have the Yellow/White wire connecting to A9. That being said, for USA/ROW cars retrofitted to DRL's there are various schemes to get there. A simple test would be for someone with the OE DRL's wired up to check and see if the Yellow/White wire has constant 12V when the ignition is on. I cannot do that with my USA car w/o DRL's.

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Why would you want to disable your DRLs? DRLs are mandatory in Canada for a very valid reason: They save lives because you can be seen by other drivers at much farther distance, especially on 2-lane roads, where this car truly belongs. It allows you to make a life-saving decision as to whether you have oncoming traffic if you have in mind to overtake, especially in low-light situation such as seen in rainy or winter days. Compared to saving a live or more, trying to save a bulbs's life is a moot or rather insignificant point. Ask motorcycle riders!!!

I agree with Martin ^^^^, why would you want to turn your DRL's off?? Maybe you guys thinks DRL's are some kind of left-wing hippy conspiracy thing or something LOL!! BTW we also make motorcycle riders wear helmets, because we're not retarded!!

Appreciate the safety comments. I simply want control over my car's headlights, that's all. I have a cabriolet and drive it in good weather mostly anyways - when you don't really need lights (my U.S. spec 996 was in Canada the last 7 years, had the DRL hardwire option implemented while there, now it's back in the U.S.). Since it's not a Canada spec car, it probably doesn't have a yellow/white wire connected to A9 or any other fuse. Probably some other color wire. However, I believe there's a patch somewhere. So I went into the wire bundle next to the fuse box looking for an obvious patch, i.e. one with black electrical tape and a splice. I found two such patches, thinking one of them had to be the culprit. I disconnected each one in succession and keyed the ignition to see if the low beams would come on with the engine. In each case, no change, the low beams still come on with the engine ignition. I re-soldered the connections and buttoned it back up; have no idea what the patches - put in since new - were for. So, still looking for a solution to the mystery of 'DRLs always on...'