Auto DRL's with ABL

[Brave855]

Hi, in the USA user manual I read: "NOTE: Active Bi-Xenon headlights (option): Turn the headlight switch to position 0 to activate a
daylight sensor, which automatically switches the low beams on or off, depending on ambient light conditions. When driving in daylight, the headlights will switch off and the daytime running lights will
come on. In darkness, the daytime running lights will switch off and the Active Bi-Xenon headlights will switch on.

Now to my question:

which (low beam) daytime running lights are triggered by this daylight sensor in case the car is equipped with ABL's?
Is this the parking lights only or a combination of parking lights and front fog lights?

Currently no lights are switched on in my XC70 MY2007 in position 0,
I presume the automatic switching is not activated yet.

Thank you for your inputs

[JRL]

It probably ws deactivated, you should feel lucky.
It's a royal PIA to ALWAYS have a light on whether you want to or not.
It IS a VIDA car adjustment.
Activated, you will always have some lights on, either the DRL,s or your headlights when the sensor says it's too dark

[Brave855]

Thanks you JRL for your response.

Still I am puzzled by the text in the USA owners manual (in the UK and NL manual booklets I have, this explanation is nowhere given):

Active Bi-Xenon headlights (option): Turn the headlight switch to position 0 to activate a daylight sensor, which automatically switches the low beams on or off, depending on ambient light conditions. When driving in daylight, the headlights will switch off and the daytime running lights (which lights are this, see also below....??) will come on. In darkness, the daytime running lights will switch off and the Active Bi-Xenon headlights will switch on.

I conclude from above text that during daylight, triggered by this daylight sensor in the ECC console and ambient light conditions other (low beam) lights (the DRL's) are switched on than the Bi-Xenon lights.

This makes good sense to protect the Bi-Xenons from "useless" wear during daytime.

However the only other front lights my XC has as far as I can see are the little parking lights or the front fog lights, either of which Volvo would not approve as low beam DRL's from a safety standpoint, knowing Volvo.

So will any other low beam lights be triggered?

1) are the low beams somehow integrated in the Bi-Xenon lights?
2) are the low beams somehow integrated in the high beam lights via eg. lamps with two glow-filaments?

From a safety perspective this would make better sense than auto switching the parking lights only or a combination of parking+front fog lights.

Thx

[ifnt420]

I believe all XC70 in Taiwan are Euro Spec cars, hence no DRL (U.S. spec only).

Whereabout are you in Taiwan?

Ben

[JRL]

Thanks you JRL for your response.

Still I am puzzled by the text in the USA owners manual (in the UK and NL manual booklets I have, this explanation is nowhere given):

Active Bi-Xenon headlights (option): Turn the headlight switch to position 0 to activate a daylight sensor, which automatically switches the low beams on or off, depending on ambient light conditions. When driving in daylight, the headlights will switch off and the daytime running lights (which lights are this, see also below....??) will come on. In darkness, the daytime running lights will switch off and the Active Bi-Xenon headlights will switch on.


IF you truly have bi-xenons, the DRL is the inner most round light.
If the auto on feature is on (and it should be from the factory) what happens (switch on 0) in the daylight is all the lights shut off and those round DRL's turn on.
When it's dusk or you go into a tunnel (or your garage), the main low beams and all the other lights will turn on, the DRL's will turn off.
That was for US V70R Bi Xenons, (old style) The later 06-07 lights are different

[Brave855]

JRL,

Reviewing old threads. Like Ben stated my car is an Euro-spec with ABL's, hence no DRL's but high beam lamps as most inner lights.

Both the UK and NL manuals including sales brochures erroneously state that a sensor auto switches off the lights when it gets lighter to save the ABL's from wear. Unless it works as I hope see below.......

Currently my sensor is inactive. To save the ABL's from wear, I mostly drive with position lights on during the day + the fog lights on early mornings/evenings. ABL's only during nighttime.
Once I'm back in Europe I'll investigate what lamps the in-dash sensor would activate once I would have the software modified.

It would be cool if the sensor would/could auto-switch between the position lamps (for daytime) and ABL's (for nighttime).....like it does for DRL's and ABL's on the US-spec cars.

[smith401]

Where is the light sensor for the DRL on an 04?

[Art]

I concur with JRL's explanation with respect to the LSM. When it's at position '0', the sensor reacts to the ambient light conditions and switches automatically from DRLs to GDLs. You can perform a simple test yourself by covering up the twilight sensor shown in the illustration below. It takes a few seconds for the system to react but it works flawlessly on our '06.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b249/Batstar/P1211389.jpg

[smith401]

i covered up this sensor and waited a good 10 minutes and it didn't shut off the DRLs. Are you sure that's where the sensor is on the 2004 models?


I concur with JRL's explanation with respect to the LSM. When it's at position '0', the sensor reacts to the ambient light conditions and switches automatically from DRLs to GDLs. You can perform a simple test yourself by covering up the twilight sensor shown in the illustration below. It takes a few seconds for the system to react but it works flawlessly on our '06.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b249/Batstar/P1211389.jpg

[JRL]

No, that's not it.
It's a small square hole under the radio, above the HVAC controls, smack in the center of the radio pod

[smith401]

No, that's not it.
It's a small square hole under the radio, above the HVAC controls, smack in the center of the radio pod

i covered up that sensor and it didn't turn them off. Is there another sensor that I need to cover as well?

[Jeremy]

I took a quick look at the WD, group 35 and couldn't see any sensor shown. Not saying it's not there I just couldn't find it.

Take a look for yourself @: http://share.ovi.com/media/Gear-Up.Volvoxc/Gear-Up.10450

Jeremy

[Art]

No, that's not it.
It's a small square hole under the radio, above the HVAC controls, smack in the center of the radio pod

I'm almost certain the hole that you're referring to is the infrared port for the optional HU remote control. Perhaps someone who has this accessory can confirm this (ifnt420?).

According to VADIS, the twilight sensor is located in the forward dash location along with the sun sensor for MY 2005. The sensor appears to apply only to those vehicles with both DRLs and bi-xenon lights. I can only confirm that I've tested the sensor (position 0) in daylight and that it works on my '06 XC70.

DRLs on
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b249/Batstar/P1211384.jpg

Bi-xenons automatically turn on when the sensor is covered.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b249/Batstar/P1211385.jpg

[smith401]

i have both DRLs and bi-xenons. What did you use to cover the twilight sensor? I put my hand over it and that didn't work.

[Art]

A rag, towel or just about anything that will block out the ambient light will work. In fact, the sensor works so well that it can also be triggered by simply driving in and out of the garage.

[smith401]

A rag, towel or just about anything that will block out the ambient light will work. In fact, the sensor works so well that it can also be triggered by simply driving in and out of the garage.

ok. i put a towel over the whole top of the dashboard (including the twilight sensor/alarm indicator). The DRLs stayed on. I know there is a sensor somewhere because the DRLs are off at night.

[smith401]

The manual says "The sunlight sensor on the dashboard".

[Art]

Again, my findings are based on a 06 so I don't know where the sensor is located in the MY '04. VADIS doesn't mention anything about the sensor for 2004 either but oddly enough the '04 owner's manual does. :confused:

Just be thankful that it works. :)

[smith401]

Again, my findings are based on a 06 so I don't know where the sensor is located in the MY '04. VADIS doesn't mention anything about the sensor for 2004 either but oddly enough the '04 owner's manual does. :confused:

Just be thankful that it works. :)

It would be great if I could put them on a toggle switch so I could shut them off on clear days.

[smith401]

I just spoke with the dealer and they told me that it's in the alarm indicator light (twilight sensor). I wonder why a thick towel covering the light will not turn off the DRLs but if the car is in the garage or outside at night the DRLs are shut off.

[Art]

I just came across this so it appears that the location of the sensor was changed in 2005.

Taken from VADIS:


The intensity of the dashboard lighting is regulated based on a signal from the twilight sensor. The twilight sensor is located at the front of the dashboard environment panel under the button for air distribution to the floor.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b249/Batstar/112081867.gif

[smith401]

I just came across this so it appears that the location of the sensor was changed in 2005.

Taken from VADIS:



http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b249/Batstar/112081867.gif

Thanks Art. I was able to find that sensor after doing some trial and error during the daylight yesterday.