quick question about headlight functionality

Noob question:

Ok, so if you turn on the headlights, then turn off the vehicle, and then open the door, they shut off. Does this mean its ok to leave the headlight switch turned on all the time? Kinda like DRL's? Or is this going to drain the battery at some point.

Just curious; this thing is still very new to me. (its an 07 access if that makes any diff).

Thanks,
Ben

 

I leave my switch on all the time.

 

So there's basically no ill effects if you leave the headlights in the 'on' position all the time?

If this is the case, Great. I like drivin with mine on all the time, for safety sake.

Thanks!

 

Actually, i dont know, i was once eating at a restaurant and another tacoma in the parking lot had his lights on the wholleee time (i was there for atleast an hour) and no one was in the truck. It was a black gen II DC tacoma. Poor guy, i bet he had a dead battery after lunch lol.

But, i have had my mom move my truck in the morning while i was sleeping because i forgot shes working the next day and i parked behind her car ...but yeah,she left my parking lights on (or what ever that is before the full headlights). They weren't on when i went outside, when i went to start my truck the lights came back on. I didnt even know we had that feature till then!

 

It won't hurt your battery at all, there is no power drain when that switch is left on. That is a feture on these trucks when there is no daytime running lights. That way if you want like a day time running light feature you can just leave the switch on. But if you turn the truck off and open the door then switch them back on or on from the off position, they will stay on till you turn them off and of course then killing your battery.

 

If you turn back on the lights after it goes off automatically, it stays on (basically a manual overwrite)

 

Thanks for the replies. Sounds like a smart feature. My lights will now be set to 'on' indefinitely. No point in doing the DRL mod if you ask me.

 

Yea in theory what everyone said is correct... but my 2010 I somehow managed to defeat that the other day (no idea what I did either). All I know is somehow the doors were closed, locked, and the lights were still on (and I didn't mess with the switch either, it was already on from driving). So.... I don't trust it now. I left them on a lot on my 08 though...

 

Well, the point of DRL is that you dont have to burn the bulbs unnecessarily. Not a huge issue if you don't mind replacing them every year or so but it could be an issue to people who live away from supplies.

 

I leave mine on all the time, they shut off when I close the door and lock the truck. No battery issues for me.