Small rear lights - beside backup/reversing lights

[goldxc70]

Driving to work yesterday, I noticed an XC70 driving in another lane. Beside the backup/reversing lights on each side were 4 (??) small lights arranged vertically that were very sharp at about 45 degrees and less obvious at any other angle. Are these factory fitted on a particular model year/s or an after market addition? I don't have them on my 2004.

[gregvet]

Those are the LED DRL's. Have them on the 07 XC70 but I not sure when that became normal equipment.

[JRL]

Those are the LED DRL's. Have them on the 07 XC70 but I not sure when that became normal equipment.

TAILIGHTS or did you read? No such a thing as an LED DRL in a Volvo
DRL's are in the front

[Aviator]

TAILIGHTS or did you read? No such a thing as an LED DRL in a Volvo
DRL's are in the front

If the tail lights are on as part of the DRL system, then they are also considered DRLs. Some cars have all the lights on in DRL......some don't. Plain and simple !!;)

Dave.

[jckpui]

Driving to work yesterday, I noticed an XC70 driving in another lane. Beside the backup/reversing lights on each side were 4 (??) small lights arranged vertically that were very sharp at about 45 degrees and less obvious at any other angle. Are these factory fitted on a particular model year/s or an after market addition? I don't have them on my 2004.

I have them on my 2005 XC70. But agreed, I don't see them on 2004 models.

[gregvet]

TAILIGHTS or did you read? No such a thing as an LED DRL in a Volvo
DRL's are in the front

With your VAST knowledge of Volvo XC70s, I guess my 07 Xc70 must be unique as I do have the described LEDs on the outside of the rear lamps and they are on when DRLs are on. I did read and if you had read, the OP was talking about the lights next to the rear lamps. Besides, the subject is not my reading ability but rather about those lights. Stay on subject!!

[JRL]

If the tail lights are on as part of the DRL system, then they are also considered DRLs. Some cars have all the lights on in DRL......some don't. Plain and simple !!;)

Dave.
NO THEY ARE NOT), plain and simple.:eek:
Volvo happens to have all lights on when DRL's are on, looks just like all your lights are on. That is their stupidity, wear out all your bulbs during the daytime, but tailights are NOT part of, nor considered a DRL in any function at any time

[goldxc70]

Thanks all and I really didn't mean to start any wars :(

So, however they may be described, it appears that they were introduced on '05 model and appear on '06 and '07 as well. I find things like this very useful when "spotting" fellow XC70's.

[Aviator]

NO THEY ARE NOT), plain and simple.
Volvo happens to have all lights on when DRL's are on, looks just like all your lights are on. That is their stupidity, wear out all your bulbs during the daytime, but tailights are NOT part of, nor considered a DRL in any function at any time

Okay man.....you win there big guy !!! You stick to wheeling and dealing cars, and I'll stick to fixing them and being up to date with the terminology !! As an addendum.......I'd rather go through the expense of replacing bulbs more frequently than not being seen on a hot, shimmering highway in the summer, or otherwise not being seen by other drivers. Obviously safety is not on your agenda, nor a concern to you......you should be ashamed to say you drive a Volvo.....the epitome of safety !! If the lights are designed to be on when the DRL system is on, then they are part of the DRL system.....not just the headlamps. That goes for all car makers. Some opt to exclude rear lights in the system (really bad idea); some don't.

Dave.

[goldxc70]

On the subject of DRL, here is an extract from the standards document:

"daytime running lamp" means, for the purposes of section 108 of Schedule IV, a lamp used to improve the visibility of a vehicle when the vehicle is viewed from the front in daylight;

So it is pretty clear that it refers to the front lights only. I have to admit I thought it was always a poor regulation and that it should apply to the rears as well but I guess the lobbyists won.

[Omega5]

I am the only one right, and further to that statement, i am also ALWAYS right!

They are called marker lights! (At least in Europe that are called that aren't they?) Or as the Americans call them, parking lights! (stupidity) as they are on all the time when the head lights are on, not only when the car is parked, in fact, when the car is parked and off, these lights are OFF, making them really poor parking lights!

I propose that from here on, these lights shall be referred to as "corner marker lights" irrelevant of time of day, moon position, or weather. These lights mark the corners of the car.

[colin]

Or as the Americans call them, parking lights! (stupidity) as they are on all the time when the head lights are on, not only when the car is parked, in fact, when the car is parked and off, these lights are OFF, making them really poor parking lights!
The "parking lights" on my 04 come on with the middle position (2) of the light switch. This turns on just the front and rear "marker" lights when parked. I have not really seen much use for that position since if I were to park on the side of the road in the event of a breakdown I would use the emergency flasher system instead.
Before DRL became mandatory in Canada some people would use the parking lights as DRL . Which I suppose would make them running lights not parking lights.
The other two positions are daytime (1) and fully on(3). Position 1 runs with low beams and tail lights. The only difference I have discovered between position 1 and 3 is that when in 3 you can turn on the high beams. Position one is rather useless as far as I am concerned. There are differences between the European and North American systems and between the Canadian and US systems. I don't think you can turn off the DRL in the Canadian versions but can on a US market vehicle for example.

Now I have to go out an look for the led marker/tail/DRL ones that started this whole thread. ;)

[jckpui]

You can get the DRLs turned off with a software patch from the dealer.

[goldxc70]

You can get the DRLs turned off with a software patch from the dealer.

First, it depends on where you are. In some jurisdictions, dealers are not allowed to do that because it is a legal requirement to have DRL.

Second, DRL has been proven statistically to reduce accidents so why would anyone ever want to have it turned off?

[goldxc70]

I am the only one right, and further to that statement, i am also ALWAYS right!

They are called marker lights! (At least in Europe that are called that aren't they?) Or as the Americans call them, parking lights! (stupidity) as they are on all the time when the head lights are on, not only when the car is parked, in fact, when the car is parked and off, these lights are OFF, making them really poor parking lights!

I propose that from here on, these lights shall be referred to as "corner marker lights" irrelevant of time of day, moon position, or weather. These lights mark the corners of the car.

They are called "side lights" in the UK and Ireland to my certain knowledge. So maybe they should be called the "corner/side marker/parking lights"? :)

[JRL]

First, it depends on where you are. In some jurisdictions, dealers are not allowed to do that because it is a legal requirement to have DRL.



Not anywhere in the US, not a requirement in any state
Of course in Canada you MUST run them.
I have no idea what is or what's not required in every European country
or any other country outside the US

[gary]

Not anywhere in the US, not a requirement in any state


JRL,

I'm not going to disagree with you because I have no evidence to the contrary. However, I would like to offer up that in Howard County, Maryland, there is a stretch of Route 32 that is a "Headlights mandatory" section (signs are posted every 1/4 to 1/2 mile or so.) There may be other areas of Maryland that have a similar requirement and I've also seen this in certain parts of Virginia. I would assume that there are other areas of the country that have similar regulations as well. That said, at least when I drive that portion of Route 32, I see plenty of cars without lights on and have even seen the odd state trooper or county patrol car without their lights on, so have no idea how well enforced it is (I guess if they pulled you over for speeding, they MIGHT cite you for not having your headlights on.) I also see plenty of cars that do have their lights on.

I personally like DRLs and think they do serve a benefit for safety, so having that feature turned on is not an issue for me. As I said, not disagreeing with you, just offering additional information fwiw.

[jckpui]

First, it depends on where you are. In some jurisdictions, dealers are not allowed to do that because it is a legal requirement to have DRL.

Second, DRL has been proven statistically to reduce accidents so why would anyone ever want to have it turned off?

I like having the lights on when I drive. I turn them on in our other car which doesn't have DRL's. I would just like the option to have the XC70 idling at night with heat but without exterior lights.

[goldxc70]

Not anywhere in the US, not a requirement in any state
Of course in Canada you MUST run them.
I have no idea what is or what's not required in every European country
or any other country outside the US

Eh .... that's why I wrote "some jurisdictions" :)

Here's what I found about other jurisdictions:

In 1972, Finland mandated daytime running lights in winter on rural roads and a decade later made DRLs mandatory year-round. Sweden's law took effect in 1977, Norway's in 1986, Iceland's in 1988, and Denmark's in 1990. Hungary has required drivers on rural roads to operate with vehicle lights on since 1993. Canada requires DRLs for vehicles made after December 1, 1989. No US state mandates DRLs, but some require drivers to operate vehicles with lights on in bad weather.

[Omega5]

Statistically, yes they do reduce accidents.
But .. the question was front or back? And I believe during the day, having your tail lights on doesn't benefit you in any way, your head lights (DRL), absolutely.

PS: In Toronto it is not becoming more and more "hip" to be driving around with you high beams on during the day, has this stupidity caught on in any other areas or is it just a Toronto thing?

[goldxc70]

PS: In Toronto it is not becoming more and more "hip" to be driving around with you high beams on during the day, has this stupidity caught on in any other areas or is it just a Toronto thing?

Hmmm....now that you mention it, I have noticed that too but figured it was just driver error. Not alone is it stupid, it is also unreasonable, anti-social and ILLEGAL.