I searched the forum earlier today on how to disable my DRL on my 02 SSEi today and couldn't really find any good how-to'* so i made one myself in case anyone else wanted to do this but was unsure on the steps.

1. The relay you will pull to disable the Daytime Running Lights (DRL) is the black micro relay located on the far right side. If you look at the label on your fuse box cover it is number 30


2. Once you remove the relay you have to put together a jumper to bridge terminal 30 and 87. I used some 12ga wire i picked up at Lowes for another project and some spade terminals i had laying around. My spades were for a 10 ga wire so i had to take a cutter and dremel to the spade part to make it small enough to fit, but if you used a smaller spade solder-less connecter it may fit unmodified.



Assembled, soldered and electrical taped up



3. Once your jumper is fabricated all that is left is to bridge terminals 30 and 87 where you removed the relay. There is a diagram showing you what terminals are 30 and 87 on the side of the relay that you pulled in step 1, or you can just reference the picture.



Note that my jumper is a bit too long and optimally should be a little shorter so it fits better and doesn't have to be folded over when i put the fuse cover back on. I really like the DRL disable thus far. The only thing you lose is the perimeter lights if thats an option you have selected in your DIC, and also when using the keyless to lock or unlock the DRL'* don't flash anymore. Hope this helps any skeptical users.

Nice job.

I'm putting a link into the Gearhead area. Would you approve of us using this for a Techinfo article?

Great post. I did this when I first bought the car and have been very happy with being DRL-less.....

we should note that this doesnt work for 2004-2005 GXP/SLE (maybe SE as well) Models

i believe the 04/05 only have to remove the relay

That was my plan actually. There'* a DRL disable procedure in tech info for the 96-99 but not for the 00-05. Not that it was hard to do a search and follow written directions but having it in tech info might avoid it coming up as a question every couple of months.

That is correct for the GXP.

Just curious...why do you have to make a jumper? What would happen if you didn't?

the relay provides the ground for one of the headlamps, without the jumper we would all be driving around as cyclopses

i read in a different post that it was said if you have the Perimeter lighting Feature, with the DRL'* disabled you would loose that feature??

correct.

you still get the confirmation beep, and the reverse light perimeter, but not the headlight perimeter lighting

correct in the GXP as well.
I have all perimeter lighting except the headlights. Since that is the most useful part of the whole thing I turned it off in the DIC.