The easiest thing to do would be for Nissan to get with the program like almost every other auto manufacturer in this country and have DRLs on their vehicles from the factory. I'm actually not a big believer in DRLs but if the other manufacturers are doing it, cops can give tickets in some states for not having lights on, and some insurances will give discounts for them, just put them OEM from the factory.

I really think Nissan and especially Infiniti is really missing out on a great opportunity here with LED DRLs. Most of their vehicles have rear LED tailights now, some front white LED DRLs would complement that nicely, especially at nighttime. Nissan just needs to think of a clever way of doing it to make them standout so they just don't look like a copy cat of Audi like, Lexus, Mercedes, Kia/Hyundai, Buick, etc do.

 

I added DRL's not BECAUSE of insurance reductions, but that was a nice bonus. I added them because I like them and they do make your car more visible during the day/inclement weather, not a replacement for headlights but a good added value. I also have mine controlled by wireless remote so nobody is deciding when mine are on/off.

That's like saying because people have auto rain sensing wipers on their car they're going to forget how to use them normally. Or that because I have auto-dusk detecting headlights I'm going to forget how to turn them on normally?

It's interesting that adding DRL's to your car you equated with "abandoning individual responsibility"; for the most part I simply see people not turning their headlights on at ALL during inclement weather so I personally am glad DRL's are available for those people so that I can see them on the road.

 

Im trying to find a way to be able to turn on the fog lights without turning on the headlights... is there a bypass of some sort for this?

Thanks,
Dan

 

you'll have to install a switch and splice into the driver side line, check this thread:

http://forums.maxima.org/7th-generat...tallation.html

 

These are my DRL. Works out for me. Got complements during the first few days installed. I didn't splice/tap any wire. They turn on instantly when I start my Maxima. Brought it to Nissan the other day to replace a broken plastic cover in the interior and other Maxima owners asked me how the heck I managed to get LED strips near the fogs. I told them it was an accessory that can be found at Nissan's parts department.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43458603@N08/6450641929/

 

For the enthusiast - the group that I specifically aimed that comment at - I simply can't see how else an apparent willingness to not have to bother with operating any of the controls manually can be interpreted. Either you want to keep in touch with what it takes to properly operate a motor vehicle or you don't. There isn't much of a middle ground.

Whether it's better where Mr/Ms Lowest-Common-Denominator driver is involved (who'd rather be involved with most anything else it seems, anyway) is a completely separate matter.


Just so you know, I've been driving a rather long time - almost 48 years at this point - and I've never found it a hardship to turn some level of lighting on when conditions warranted. It's just one of the things that you do when you drive. It's also one of those things where the physical action can and should mentally prepare you for the fact that driving conditions have changed a bit from broad sunny daylight and that you ought to put yourself in a slightly different frame of mind. That's where I think the enthusiast needs to be able to get, and automating this, that, and everything else isn't working in the right direction to let that happen.


Norm

 

Your photos aren't showing. The flikr one is marked private. Let's see the goods.

 

Well put Norm. The DRL's
look like alley lights...at least we should be able to control them!

 

I'm having problems adding photos. Pasted my 15 post requirement so I don't really know how to.. You can view it in my album. LED strips turn on instantly when I start my car

 

For anyone looking at this thread for information, that fuse actually protects the Parking lights up front. I learned this the hard way by putting a non CK LED bulb into the parking light/turn signal and blew the fuse. It doesn't control the turn signal though. Just thought I would put in my two cents.
I would also like to install DRL's (the led bar style in the front bumper) to run when the car is on along with my halos. I think I'm just going to use and add a fuse and tap into an empty fuse location. I just hate drilling through the fuse box to add another line.

 

" I simply can't see how else an apparent willingness to not have to bother with operating any of the controls manually can be interpreted. Either you want to keep in touch with what it takes to properly operate a motor vehicle or you don't. There isn't much of a middle ground."

Power seats, power windows,Automatic trans, inside adjustable mirrors, auto dim rear view mirror, all of the electronic motor controls i.e. electronic fuel injection et. al.

 

↑↑↑ After only 2.5 years, I still haven't changed my position on this.

Let me clarify a few things about those other items on your list, which aren't quite in the same category . . .

It is not possible to keep up with what a engine demands in terms of fueling or ignition. Electronic or at least mechanical assistance is necessary and with appropriate tuning beneficial. These are functions necessary just to physically put/keep the car in motion. DRLs are not.

Most of the rest of your list sounds like a luxury wish-list that you apparently think nobody can or should be without. The best I'll give you is that power windows do give the driver better options when nobody else is in the car. Our 626 has fully manual seat adjustment, and the Mustang has manual seatback angle adjustment. Manual seat adjusters can actually be adjusted faster than their powered counterparts (sounds like a good thing to me).

Most of these things on your list still require active user input, unlike DRLs that automatically come on regardless of driver attention. You want to help the inattentive drivers who don't even want to know when they should put some lights on, fine. Just give me the choice to opt-out of being treated like a baby.

I really don't want to get involved in a contentious manual vs automatic transmission discussion here (there's a sticky'ed thread for that, one that I've been a frequent contributor to), so I'll just say that I don't like my gearshifting done for me any more than I want my car's headlights automatically turned on for me. Probably less, since there's going to be more shifting than need for changing whether the headlights are lit or not.


Norm