Do You Drive With Your Headlights During the Day or Only DRLs?

I have always driven with my headlights on during the day -- a habit gained from emergency work and municipal vehicles where we were taught to turn on the headlights when driving during the day. (This was the 1980s before daytime running lights (DRLs) were a thing.) Does anyone remember the bumper stickers: Headlights On For Safety?

In another thread a member mentioned that the replacement cost of the LED headlights in the 5th gen 4Runner was about $800 and therefore they used their headlights as little as possible. I checked the price and it was correct if not a bit conservative.

I don't feel that the OEM DRLs are effective enough but I don't want to burn out my LED headlights either.

 

I drive with no lights on.

 

I use the DRL seeing most of the time.and i also have running lights (raptor lights). But i have Alpharex headlights, not stock DRLs.

 

just the DRLs

 

Headlights on.

I don't even know what a DRL is. What is it? Where did it come from? When did it happen? I never had a DRL before.

 

Daytime Running Lights, introduced decades ago. Sort of half-powered headlights. Second click on the stalk, I think.

 

says "DRL" right on stock. rather than full headlights OEMs have been giving these smaller day time running lights. For safety/increasing visibility for others on the road.

 

I don't have DRLs anymore. I use white grill lights/ raptor style lights.

https://youtube.com/shorts/Zj5updCfNoA?feature=share

I wonder what is the life expectancy of factory LEDs? 50,000 hours? That's pretty much theoretically life of the vehicle? My pre-2021 4runner has LED plug in bulbs and if they fail its just 50-70 bucks to replace both with good LED bulbs.

 

DRL's during the day. Figure if they can't see a 2 ton MGM 4R they're going to hit me regardless of how many lights I do or don't have on. Plus I figure that the less I use the headlights, the longer they'll last.

 

DRL for me as well. Don't run the headlights due to having the DRL option (Never had before), plus I want to prolong my headlights life expectancy since I use H9's.

 

Headlights on all the time. I figure the bulbs are fairly easy to change and rather inexpensive

 

Usually just the DRL's in normal weather/clear. If it's hazy or foggy I use the headlights.

 

Typically use DRLS majority of the time.

Want as much visibility on the road with the amount of cell phones that now can drive these days...

 

I've driven with headlights on since 1989, but the 4R is the first vehicle I've had in that time that doesn't have auto off. Since the DRLs have auto off, I now tend to use them more than headlights.

 

Just to be safe so everyone can see me, I bought a flashing blue globe light I put on the top of the 4Runner and drive with my emergency flashers on. Can’t be too safe.

 

No lights on unless raining or nighttime

 

I use my DRL's. I replaced them with an LED bulb which seems a little brighter than the halogen and the bulbs are easy to replace if they burn out.
I haven't looked into replacing the low/high beam LEDs, not sure if its possible or if the housing needs to be replaced.

 

No headlights or DRL since i live in a busy part of Southern California where I'm constantly in heavy traffic.

im curious about the worry of LED headlights being overused considering they should last somewhere in the realm of 30,000 hours.

 

I drive with my DRL's, headlights, fog lights, light bars, chase lights, rock lights, and ditch lights on. Oh yes they see me coming....

 

Raptor Lights only Except during inclement weather. Then i turn on my Hyper Yellow DRLs to supplement.

 

I guess it depends. OEM LED's should go a really long time, but some use aftermarket which can be a hit or miss and not work properly with the lens configuration. In my case I use modified H9's which are a hooligan bulb and will burn out faster than LED's.

I wish Toyota did HID's like my old Acura, they never burned out.

 

I put HIDs in my 4runner, they have been awesome for years now.

 

and never got dimmer either ?

 

Nope, they were awesome. Top tier HID'd on those Acura's (2004 TL).

My modded H9's usually go ~3 years and work at there peak performance till they go.

 

i think i said this to you before. one of my great regrets in life was selling my 2006 TL. The Acura TSX HIDs from that era were top notch also.

 

Smaller? Screw that! I'm using the bigger boner blasters!

 

If you have DLR's on only the front DLR's come on (ONLY). If you go to the next mark between Headlights and DRL's you get (full running lights) front DRL, Front and Rear amber marker lights. Also the little led's that light AC buttons, Craw mode buttons ect.

As you can see in the photo where I leave mine.

BTW, the Fog Lights only come on when the Headlights are on.

 

I hate that DRLs are orange. I wish they were white HID like some of the other vehicles on the road. Oh well, can't have it all.

 

No lights on sunny day. DRL in overcast. Headlights on rainy day.