2018 CX-9 Grand Touring DRL LED ring?

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2018 CX-9 GT
During the day, when my headlights are on Auto, no lights are on. I can twist one notch to the 2-light pic on the stalk to have DRL (daytime running lights) with just the LED ring lit up, but why isnt this on with Auto? This defeats the purpose of auto if Im going to have to switch all the time and if I switch to auto before dusk all the lights turn off.

My Audi just has the LED accents on all the time and this is how I want the Mazda as well. Is there a way to switch it? I cant find any options in the system settings.
 
I'm not sure about your particular CX-9, but Canadian CX-9s (and Canadian vehicles in general) all have mandatory DRLs, so my LED rings are always on. Maybe contact your dealer to see if they know anything about this? On previous cars I've owned (Honda and Lexus), there is a DRL module that you can buy to assign a set of lights as DRLs. Not sure if this is how Mazdas work.

EDIT: Found this post on the edmunds forums for the previous gen CX-9:
"I checked with the dealer and they said there's no way that they could turn on the Daytime Running Lights (DRL) because it's NOT an option on the Electronic Control Module (ECM) for US cars. However, I was able to re-wire the relays to have my fog lights turned on with the ignition so they've become my DRL and they've been working well!"

I'm not sure if this has changed with the new generation, but hopefully your dealer has the answers you're looking for.
 
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I feel like that is a dealer excuse. There must be a way. C’mon Mazda! Every other car out there now has some sort of LED strip, Thor’s Hammer, eyes, whatever DRL. It looks dated without it.
 
I feel like that is a dealer excuse. There must be a way. C’mon Mazda! Every other car out there now has some sort of LED strip, Thor’s Hammer, eyes, whatever DRL. It looks dated without it.

There probably is a way, but you'd have to talk to your dealer to see if it's possible. Maybe a Mazda tech can figure it out for you. If it isn't an option available from the factory, as I mentioned before you can look into buying a DRL module.
 
Are you sure they are not on? They only come on with the car in drive and with forward motion. It seems silly to me but that is the way they work. Have someone else look while you pull up towards them.
 
I think in the US, they're tied to the parking brake and being in a drive gear? Parking brake must be off and in a drive gear.

We have our's set at auto and during the day, I can see the DRLs reflecting off the cars in front of us, but the headlights aren't on.
 
During the day, when my headlights are on Auto, no lights are on. I can twist one notch to the 2-light pic on the stalk to have DRL (daytime running lights) with just the LED ring lit up, but why isnt this on with Auto? This defeats the purpose of auto if Im going to have to switch all the time and if I switch to auto before dusk all the lights turn off.

My Audi just has the LED accents on all the time and this is how I want the Mazda as well. Is there a way to switch it? I cant find any options in the system settings.

If your DRLs aren't on when your lights are in AUTO, something is wrong. Most people would just leave their lights in AUTO, and I see too many Mazdas on the road with their DRLs on for it to be the case that DRLs are off even with lights in AUTO. By contrast, many Toyotas have a DRL/OFF position, and I see lots of Toyotas without the DRLs on during the day.
 
Thanks everyone. I’ll check tomorrow. It’s too dark already now. I haven’t seen it on from the outside without it in park.
 
Not a CX-9 but 2018 CX-5. However I believe it has the same implementations.

1st position = Off but has DRL when driven. It doesn't come on when started.

2nd position = Auto = It has DRL and automatically turns the headlights on when dark. Sensitivity can be adjusted at settings on Mazda Connect.

3rd position = The usual park lights

4th position = Headlights on.
 
Confirmed you are all right. Thanks for setting me straight. While I’d rather the lights stay on in park, I’m very glad they are working as designed.
 
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