LEDS impacting DRL?

M

Mikey.Johnson

Member
:
2016 CX-5 Touring
Greetings all! First time Mazda buyer and ended up with a 2016 CX-5 Touring. Unfortunately I wasn't aware of the touring with tech/moon roof etc; however I ended up with a sweet deal so I'm not all that bummed considering anything was an upgrade from my 14 year old Honda.

One thing I am looking at is replacing the Halogen lights with LED but saw conflicting posts on impacts to DRL.

That said, does putting in LED disable the ability to use DRL? I'm notorious for leaving my lights on so this was a nice addition.

Thanks!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Since you didn't get Tech Package and you get stuck with halogen high-beams and DRLs. If you replace your stock HB3/9005 halogen bulbs with any LED replacements, you won't get good high-beam light output as the high-beam reflectors are designed for single-point light source but current LED technology can't be a single point light source like conventional halogen. Most LED replacements are also directional lights and don't throw the light outwards, they won't serve a functional purpose as the high-beams. In addition, your DRLs use high-beams with reduced voltage which make them dim. But none of the current HB3/9005 LED replacements can handle the low voltage without a decoder.
 
Mikey.... there are some ideas floating around to add LED drl's...we dont have it all worked out, but take a look at this thread for when we do get it worked out : https://www.mazdas247.com/forum/sho...market-LED-Light-to-2016-5-CX-5-Canbus-or-not

As a note, yrwei52 is correct in that the light geometry for LED bulbs vs Halogen is not optimal. HID's for your low beams, and leave the high beams as a halogen. You can swap out the OEM yellow for some whiter/blueish halogens. Plus, halogen's on your highbeams are used for flashing your passing lights, so yet another reason to stick with halogen.
 
Last edited:
Ah thanks. I think it's that yellowish hue that bothers me the most. Any recommendation on something with a whiter hue?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Mikey.Johnson said:
Ah thanks. I think it's that yellowish hue that bothers me the most. Any recommendation on something with a whiter hue?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Can't go wrong with Philips bulbs, put these in my son's 16.5 CX-5:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

A bit whiter and brighter, Philips bulbs are rated to have good life as well. Obviously they are still halogen and not Xenon, so you still don't have the pure white, but they are better than the stock bulbs.
 
Don't wanna really recommend but you can get eBay drls. They go around fog lights. Yellow DRL can be disabled. There are 4 or 5 styles. You also have option of few front bumper addons with built-in drls.
 
I just replaced my high beams with LED and was blown away by the improvement. I will get pictures this weekend . I have converted more than a few cars over to Both led and hid and I'm picky as hell. I have a cheep set of LEDS in my low beam since I had them sitting here and I'm not that impressed compared to the hid I put in my CX7 but the high beams are sweet. I think they are probably better than the KC led headlights I put in my wifes jeep and there isn't to many headlights I have seen that work much better. I need to de activate the drl yet though it flashes the lights every once in a while like it's building up and then gets enough to light them for a second. I ordered a set of low beams from the same manufacturer to see if they work better than the crap ones I had laying round.
 
MA2LA said:
I just replaced my high beams with LED and was blown away by the improvement. I will get pictures this weekend . I have converted more than a few cars over to Both led and hid and I'm picky as hell. I have a cheep set of LEDS in my low beam since I had them sitting here and I'm not that impressed compared to the hid I put in my CX7 but the high beams are sweet. I think they are probably better than the KC led headlights I put in my wifes jeep and there isn't to many headlights I have seen that work much better. I need to de activate the drl yet though it flashes the lights every once in a while like it's building up and then gets enough to light them for a second. I ordered a set of low beams from the same manufacturer to see if they work better than the crap ones I had laying round.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. I'm interested in the pictures and am also wondering what brand you used?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Mikey.Johnson said:
Thanks for the info. I'm interested in the pictures and am also wondering what brand you used?
Click to expand...
You do realize that MA2LA lost his stock high-beam DRLs and the LEDs now flash every once in a while? Kaps' suggestion is good but how are you going to control these eBay LED DRLs which go around the fog lights?
 
mGRhThH31J7Kzzu27
1BnNPHBKiXom6sXU8
mGRhThH31J7Kzzu27

Shot of low beam and high beam and a one of high beam driving. I replaced the low beam yesterday with the same brand as the high beam. The pics don't do it justice. I pulled the DRL fuse so I don't have them now but I could care less about them.
 
58e06b2a561fbf8a0df3528576535bec.jpg

2daee852a97f973d0686d9e9a632cf12.jpg

9b43bc94533c15025486267adc40e7a2.jpg

Maybe this will work better.. sometime technology and I don't mix.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
 
The parked high beam pic didn't catch how far it was reaching. There is a tree line about 100yards past where you see and it was lighting up the trees aswell.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
 
Please log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

ColoradoDriver
Osram Nightbreaker headlights - burnt out after a year
2
Replies
27
Views
2K
PatriciaRob
P
K
2015 DRL Daytime Running Lights repair / bulb change
2
Replies
23
Views
13K
jake8782
J
B
Can you remove LED DRL fuse on 2016 CX5 GT - Very disappointed in Mazda
2 3
Replies
48
Views
21K
mraub1
M

Latest posts

Back