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View Full Version : DRL wiring and the e-brake light circuit - throwing out an idea


Souls
06-15-2010, 09:30 PM
Hey all,

This is in regards to a 2006 Sport GT:hawt

so I've read the many old posts in here (and mazda2forums) on IFM - firewall and non-firewall method (I did the latter), HID mods, flickering issues yadd, yadd, yadda.... I've read enough info that it's A LOT of work to obtain simple stock features without DRL & relays upon relays...

So after I fabricated my own LED rear side reflectors, LED'd rear lower reflectors to lightup with my brakes, and made a LED 3rd hatch brake light (pics to come later)... I was thinking about how the switch and circuitry work with the ebrake (it's indicator) and the DRL system. the switch grounds out to make the e-brake indicator light up and the DRL's go off. I've engaged the brake many times, but I can not hear the low beam relay click, for comparison, I listened to the fog relays... it's noticeable. SO my question is simple - where's the relay that controls DRLs?? if it isn't relay driven, then it must be driven by the 'micro-computer' where it simply engages the headlight system to come on.

What I'm thinking is I want to know what colour wire from the back of the cluster is for the e-brake indicator. If I can find this out, then I'll run a separate 'normally closed' switch using the existing switch from the e-brake handle and leave the original wire (cut and) grounded to keep the DRL's off. I've not cracked open the cluster yet... I'm hoping this 3 is like my old VR6, that it doesn't care if the cluster is there or not... will I need a reflash (or anything) from the dealer if I unplug my cluster?

Even if I can at least trace the indicator wire to the cluster bundle... i've got this DRL thing BEAT DOWN!:headbang stock features kept, DRLs off, and no 3 additional relays (macguyver's mod)
xxSlidewaysxx
06-15-2010, 09:57 PM
I've got an 09 and I know there is a DRL relay which then send 12 VDC through both highbeam lights in series and it has nothing to do with the indicator on the dash. I had a thread showing my mod, I know not an 06 but I think it would be very close, I'd love to check it out sometime.
Noisy Crow
06-15-2010, 10:09 PM
You are sort of on the right track....

Relay is likely under the hood.... at least it is for the '07+
The ebrake switch connects directly to the PJB, which then controls the switching of the DRLs as well as the indicator

But since you are willing to take your cluster apart, there is a slightly easier solution:
When the headlights are on, so is the LED on dashboard. So take a standard HID relay harness, and connect up as normal, except don't plug the trigger harness into the stock headlight harness. Instead connect the trigger to the +ve side of the headlight indicator. Done.
Noisy Crow
06-15-2010, 10:12 PM
I've got an 09 and I know there is a DRL relay which then send 12 VDC through both highbeam lights in series and it has nothing to do with the indicator on the dash. I had a thread showing my mod, I know not an 06 but I think it would be very close, I'd love to check it out sometime.


'04-'06 and '07+ cars do DRLs very differently. On the '04-'06s DRLs are done by rapidly switching the power the bulbs on and off. Hence the capacitor fix.... smooths out the voltage at a level that keeps the relay powered.
Souls
06-15-2010, 10:42 PM
'04-'06 and '07+ cars do DRLs very differently. On the '04-'06s DRLs are done by rapidly switching the power the bulbs on and off. Hence the capacitor fix.... smooths out the voltage at a level that keeps the relay powered.

Thanks, I knew there'd be posts from different years, which is why I posted my year first.

I've been lurking and found some open cluster pics.... the indicators are SDM LEDs, there's no way I'm gonna find the connection to run a separate e-break switch.


You are sort of on the right track....

Relay is likely under the hood.... at least it is for the '07+
The ebrake switch connects directly to the PJB, which then controls the switching of the DRLs as well as the indicator


my garage was very quiet.... I listened from the hood and under by the PJB - zero sound, which is why I think it's chip driven from a small computer in the PJB, that simply tells the standard low beams to come on, I'm guessing the 'computer' does the same when the low beam switch is on and probably allows that "Auto On" system to work.
Souls
06-15-2010, 10:44 PM
gonna check some wiring diagrams... and see if I can trace anything that way..

done my shift for the evening... I'll post pics of my LED 3rd light, lower and side reflectors tomorrow maybe
Noisy Crow
06-15-2010, 11:45 PM
I'll post pics of my LED 3rd light, lower and side reflectors tomorrow maybe

Look foward to seeing them!
htc***
06-16-2010, 10:47 AM
Look foward to seeing them!

+1
Souls
06-17-2010, 03:50 PM
ok so I studied the wiring pics... and spent time today fishing around the PJB and cluster. i was very unsucessful in finding which wire become the one to light the brake indicator. BUT I did find something else about the low beam relay's behavior

A:
e-brake on, turn car 'on', DRL's are off, when I lower the brake, the low beam relay clicks, the DRL's are on --> BUT subsequent raising/lowering the brake and the DRL's go on/off and the relay DOES NOT click, like it's "already activated"

B:
e-brake on, turn car 'on', DRL's are off, when I lower the brake, the low beam relay clicks, the DRL's are on, turn on/off low beam from stalk, again, no relay click, it's already "activated"

so I've concluded that it's driven by the chip inside the PJB where the low beam relay is hiding. Still though if I can find which wire turns on the e-brake indicator, I can produce another DRL removal while keeping stock functions. I want to slice the indicator lead and wire up to the ebrake handle switch, and separately ground the old e-brake lead to the PJB to shut off the DRLs.

make sense? seems they made that slight change with the 07's by adding a fuse.
Noisy Crow
06-17-2010, 04:16 PM
Still though if I can find which wire turns on the e-brake indicator, I can produce another DRL removal while keeping stock functions. I want to slice the indicator lead and wire up to the ebrake handle switch, and separately ground the old e-brake lead to the PJB to shut off the DRLs.

There is no wire! The PJB talks to the cluster using CANBUS.
Souls
06-17-2010, 06:32 PM
There is no wire! The PJB talks to the cluster using CANBUS.

Well holy poop!! you're kidding!

BAH!:bang
garboui
06-18-2010, 06:39 PM
time to start sniffing the CAN data when doing these things and then have full functionality with no physical modifications necessary ;)

http://www.autosec.org/pubs/cars-oakland2010.pdf