OK, this one's bugging me. The manual says it'll happen, but it's just wrong.

If you have daytime running lights enabled, when you turn the switch to the Auto position for the headlamps, the low beams come on, and stay on.

That makes no sense, because in the "off" position, even with DRL enabled, the low beams are "off".

From the manual:

So if you have DRL enabled, the "auto" headlamp position does nothing, and it works just like turning the lights on all the time, which is the SAME as position 2.

What MORON spec'd that?

So -- I've turned of DRL, because I want the auto headlamp feature to work more than I want DRL. At least today.

 

Where the manual says, "If the daytime running lamps are activated, page 60, the low beams are always switched on with the light switch in position 3 and the ignition on", by "low beams" always switched on, I think they mean that a percentage of the low beams are always on (which would be the DRL's), and then when dusk arrives, the low beams automatically get brighter to their full setting. Does that make sense? Because that's how it works on my Mother's '07 Corolla.

 

Can I join the club because I don't get it at all. On my 04 MCS the dealer had to set my DRL to on, but my 06 MC it's on the lighting switch & I just don't get it, they just look on all the time, on my 04 DRL's are not as bright. I guess either am I.

 

I'll have a look this weekend when I'm working on my special project.

My informal looking at it seems to indicate that the lowbeams are not dimmed/dipped/partially-shuttered in this position at all. They're just on.
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Oh. Well, you're right then, it doesn't make sense. Please post if you find out anything.

 

I verified -- with DRL enabled, the low beams are always on.

Tonight, I started to drive off, and wondered, "Why is the speedo not lit up?"

Well, I had turned DRL on for a comparison earlier in the day (I saw no difference) and had the lights off. I turned the lights on, and the interior dash lights came on, but the headlight pattern didn't change. Even in the parking-lights position, the low beams were on.

So, I've turned DRL off again for now.

 

With the DRL enabled you have headlights on all the time. When you have the lights switch in the auto position this only makes the parking/interior lights come on with low ambient light conditions.

I have disabled my wife's DRL.

 

Getting a bit off-topic since this is a R56 thread... On my '06 MCC, the DRLs are dimmed high beams, and the auto lights will switch them off and turn on the low beams. What did you mean that it's on the lighting switch? I sounds like the DRLs might not be enabled on your 06 MC (off by default from the factory).

 

Sorry my bad,I had asked the SA to activate the DRL's on my 06 & was told that you only had to turn the light switch on the stock all the way down & that would be your DRL's.

 

I still don't follow. DRL is a programmable option that dealer must set in the computer. I think it is not set, and the SA told you that turning on headlights has the same effect, but actually it is not exactly the same.

Turn your ignition key to on (position 2). The DRLs should then be on at all positions of the light switch, including off (at full on, headlights come on instead of DRL). Is that the way it is on your 04? It should be the same on your 06.

 

On the 07 with the xenon headlamps, do the xenon bulbs burn, or is there a different bulb that is lit with the DRL's?

Not sure about the headlights on the new car. Thanks!

Paul

 

DRL on the '07 with xenon headlamps is exactly the same (on the outside at the front of the car) as having the low beams on all the time, except that the internal dash and mood lights aren't on.

If you have DRL turned on, the only thing that happens when you turn on the low beams is that the dash lights come on and the tail lights go on.

If you have DRL turned on and the auto headlamp position selected, the only thing that happens at dusk is that the dash lights come on and the tail lights go on.

I have my wife's fob set for DRL on. On mine it's off, but if I'm doing extended highway driving, I turn DRL on.

 

I like the idea of turning the DRLs on and off. But, when on, actually, they are no different than just turning on your headlights. Both the low beams and the parking lights illuminate at full brightness. Do 07 MINIs in the UK do this?

 

drl should = 80% low beam if i remeber correctly

 

On my '07 MCS I turned off the DRL's because ALL the exterior lights remained on (including tail lights and markers) even when the stalk switch was set to 'Off', only turning off when the ignition was turned off.

As a former motorcyclist, I don't like DRL's on cars... it used to be that only motorcycles had headlights on for visibility to other drivers, now with DRLs on cars the bikes become invisible again. It's bad enough here in So. Fla. without making things worse with DRLs. IMHO a bad idea for cars, and anything I buy better have a way to turn them off.

 

I had my DRL's activated on my '06 because I drive on the highway everyday to work and the MINI isn't much bigger than a bike (especially next to all of the SUVs).