daytime running lights

O Canada. Needs cars to have DRL. Phoebe's 2010 Kia Forte did not have them.

$44 module arrived from California http://www.automotiveelectronicaccessories.com/aeapn480hd.htm

How to do it:

Tools needed:

socket wrench set for removing headlights to examine..

wire cutting tool

Wire stripping tool. pliers to crimp wire splicers.

electric meter to detect DC voltage and detect connections.

1. Figure out what kind of switching system the Kia had. Removed headlight assembly to access the wiring. Following the instructions, I found the Kia was not a double negative switching system (where light switch and dimmer switch are connected to the positive wires leading to the bulb and volt meter shows 12 volts betw wires to the bulb and ground while lights are off).

Six wires attach to a plug that inserts into a socket on each headlight assembly. On our car, two wires each go to the low beam, high beam and parking lights.

How: turn on low beam headlights--the low beams and the parking lights will turn on. Remove the six wire plug from a headlight assembly. Use the volt meter to determine which two wires are the positive wires to the low beam and the parking lights (place red lead of voltmeter in the plug and black lead on the negative battery terminal--a 12 volt reading says it's on). On our car, the wires on right side were the yellow and pink wires. Then turn the headlight control switch to the parking light position, leaving only one wire that reads 12 volts--meaning the yellow wire on our car's right headlight assembly goes to the low beam. The corresponding wire (red) on the left was in continuity with the right. We'd only need to wire one side. I spliced the green wire of the DRL unit to the red wire on the left headlight wiring harness.

Next, I hooked up the brown wire directly to the negative battery terminal and the red wire directly to the battery positive terminal

Finally, I sought a way to route the blue wire into the passenger compartment to access the fuse box there, when I got this idea that I could wire to the car's fuse box in the engine compartment. I found a fuse that I thought would not be "live" with the key in accessory. The included adapters to attach the blue wire connector to a fuse wouldn't fit, so I removed the socket on the end of the blue wire and stripped 1/2" of insulation. I pushed the wire into the fuse socket and then the fuse. The low beams came on. I pulled out the fuse & the wire and found a fuse that was really off. Tested the installation--it worked.

On the red wire, I then installed the device that reduced the intensity to 75%. Done deal.

I'm still a bit confused about how I did all that, but once done, it was easy.

On now to a little body work. I instructed and helped Phoebe tape, sand, fiberglass and paint the bumper. Also, did the work on the rusted parts of the body where the car scraped other things.