In case no one has noticed, when you have the lights in "full auto", you get DRL when in drive during daylight. HOWEVER, there are no tail lights. My SO says this is a safety issue, and she insists that I turn the headlights on so that we do get tail lights. I think it's kind of a bother, and would prefer that the DRL included tail lights on.

Then I thought, oh maybe there is a way to turn on the tail lights if the headlights are in DRL mode with Forscan?

 

Have you searched through the spreadsheet that lists all the changes?

Personally I can't stand DRL mostly because people forget to turn on their regular lights and run around with dim headlamps and no taillights.

 

 

What about the dash lights?

 

 

It's because the silver truck doesn't look too different from pavement in the first place. She is all about safety, and I need to be sympathetic to her needs.

 

I tried that for a week or two, but the problem is that this dims the dash lights and makes the instruments hard to see in daylight.

 

I think you can do it with FORScan. Change DRL's to low beam and parking lights. I have parking lights and turns on and my tail lights are also lit.

 

I'll give that a rip. Thanks!

 

I don't know if this is approved or not, so if a moderator is looking and I'm screwing up, go ahead and slap me. I found this complete thread on all the ways to adjust what happens in DRL mode on the F150 forum: https://www.f150forum.com/f118/setti...80225/index13/

 

I've always wondered the thought process as to why tail lights weren't included with DRLs. There must be a reason. I forgot it's a government thing so there probably wasn't a lot of thought involved.

 

We wonder that too. In the "old days" before DRL, we would turn on our headlights pretty much all the time, just for the improved visibility. This, by default, included the full-intensity headlights as well as the tail lights. NBD, except that you had to remember to turn them off.

Phase II started circa 2005-2008 when some vehicles would turn off your headlights for you (Toyotas come to mind). That worked pretty well, as you could just leave the headlights on all the time. Our 2012 Tacoma does this, and it turns the headlights off when you open the driver's door. If you don't open the door, or if you happen to turn on the ignition through the window, you're screwed.

The "full auto" DRL on our 2015 F-150 is great, except that the DRL does not include tail lights. Not clear on the thought process. It is nice that the headlights operate at reduced intensity, but in reduced visibility situations when you need a little visual help, but not full headlights, it would seem to be good to have tail lights too. When I'm driving down our mountain road in the fog during the day, I have been caught coming up on someone driving slower in front of me, but didn't see them well enough because there were no tail lights.I haven't actually hit anyone, but I'd sure like a little more margin.

 

If you also have the automatic climate control that sensor is also a sun load sensor. Cover it and you'll have wimpy A/C in the summer and get cooked in the winter.

 

Here is the complete Forscan decoder ring for adjusting the way the DRL works. I did a mostly cut & paste from where I found this the first time. There are actually 3 places you have to adjust, 726-45-01, 726-50-01, and 726-26-02. The first one (726-45-01) removes restrictions on the way DRLs work. The second one (726-50-01) also turns on the front parking lights. The third one (726-26-02) enables the parking lights with DRL. Note that there are other options that would allow the (for example) Anzo Switchback lights to operate in halo mode.

Allow All Alternate DRL Options (Restrictions Removed - No Invalid Configuration Errors):

BdyCM (As-Built Modifications)

Allow All DRL Choices:
726-45-01: xxxx 7Fxx xxxx

Enabled DRL Selection:
726-50-01: XXxx

XX:

01 = Disabled / Parking Lights Only (See change below)
02 = Low Beams
04 = Front Fog Lamps
08 = Front Turn Lamps
10 = Dedicated DRL Lights (LED Light Bars/Strips) - Enables BCM DRL Outputs - C2280F (F-150) Pins 36 (Right) and 40 (Left)
20 = High Beams
40 = Low Beams and Dedicated DRL Lights

Optional: Enable DRL Parking Lights:
Can be combined with other DRL options above
726-26-02: x1xx xxxx xxxx

Optional: Disable DRL Switchback w/Turn Signal:
726-26-02: xxx0 xxxx xxxx

On/Off for these is controlled from the Instrument Cluster DRL Control.
I know many of you change wiring and such to accomplish some of these which can be now changed in seconds... so enjoy!

 

Postscript: All I really had to change was tyhe 726-26-02 x1xx xxxx xxxx to turn on the parking lights. That got the job done.