Daytime running lights (DRL) are more or less a standard safety feature found in most modern passenger vehicles, despite conflicting reports of their impact on safety endpoints as described in this transportation research synthesis in November 2010.
Last weekend our family attended a socially distanced drive-in movie. The temperature was above 100°F as we approached our 8:00 PM showtime, so we were debating whether we should periodically run the air conditioning in our vehicles or just leave the windows down for the duration of the movie. One of the many sensible rules of the drive-in theater was to keep headlights off during the movie. Since my 2019 Honda HR-V is equipped with DRL, and I could not figure out how to disable the lights, we had no choice but to leave the engine off, roll the windows down, and bear the heat for a couple hours. The audio for the movie required us to tune in to a specific FM station, and fortunately I was able to start the engine (which activated DRL), turn on the radio, turn off the engine (to disable DRL), and continue to receive audio through the FM station.
After the fact, I discovered that there is a simple way to disable DRL while the vehicle is running. Simply (1) turn off the vehicle, (2) engage the parking brake, and (3) turn on the vehicle. You may need to make sure you are pressing the brake pedal to engage and disengage the parking brake. Viola, the engine should be running with headlights completely off. I wish I knew this before going to the drive-in movie, but at least I will be prepared for the next one. I don’t know if this same method works for vehicles other than Honda, so give it a try and let me know.
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