Picked up my 2003 996 TT this week and was curious if there's a mod available where the lights can turn on automatically if it's dark? Coming from Mercedes, that was the greatest feature, never have to touch the light dials. Even if I can rig it up to have the lights on all the time, and shut off when I turn the car off, that'd be doable. Couldn't find anything in searches. Anyone tackle this issue?

Here's a pic of the new car. Tiptronic, bone stock. Just installed a CF wing today.

 

Given the way it seems people can't see my Turbo (pulling out in front of me, not yielding when they are supposed to), I tend to turn my lights on quite often during the day. I certainly turn them on before it gets dark enough for them to be turned on by the logic that cars with the automatic-on use.

 

Ya, I wouldn't mind them being on all the time either. My problem is that when I leave and lock my car, I forget to turn them off from habit and they stay on the whole night. So an auto off I guess would work too.

 

If I'm not mistaken, if you leave you lights on accidentally, the car turns the lights down to just parking lights. Not a crazy battery drain but I'm sure all night is bad. I've done that before when going to run errands and come out a couple hours later from a mall trip and the parking lights were on since I forgot to turn the lights off. Car started right up.

 

In Canada we are required to have daytime running lights. On the 996 TT this means the headlights are always on when the car is on (so to speak). You don't need to turn anything on when it's dark unless you want the foglights then you have to turn the headlight switch.

I think when 996 TT's are brought into Canada from the US the dealership or independent has to set this to the Canadian specifications so perhaps your dealership would know how to make the change to Canadian specifications for the lights?

John in Vancouver

 

Totally forgot about the Canada thing. I wonder if the dealer could just reprogram the DME with an option listing in the PIWIS?

 

What qualifies as "daytime running lights"? Do the headlights have to be on?

The daytime running lights on my Honda do not use the headlights. The car has full time daytime running lights, but the headlights have to be turned on when you need them.

 

The daytime running lights mod just turns on the headlights at all times. The interior is still "dark" at night unless I flip the switch to on.

Gotta find someone to rig something up so it turns on interior and headlights when the car is on, and all off when the car is off.

 

Any reputable car electrician could rig this up for you.