Xantippa wrote: 22 Aug 2022, 18:36
Last year I finally managed to fit facelift-headlights on my -09 car, so no more need to replace those expensive bulbs.
Just the expensive LEDs instead
I don't think those are even replaceable from the diagram, so may have to break the lamp if the LEDs go, but hopefully not for a long time!
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Jay-Bruce wrote: 23 Aug 2022, 07:24
I've had our C5 for four years, and didn't even know it had DRLs - guess I'm going to need a bumper + headlight removal guide.
It may be possible they have not been activated. I helped somebody in Reading make them visible in the user menu (I had to use my Lexia to 'activate' them first).
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Jay-Bruce wrote: 23 Aug 2022, 07:24
I've had our C5 for four years, and didn't even know it had DRLs - guess I'm going to need a bumper + headlight removal guide.
In the UK prior to them being a legal requirement, they were fitted but never activated on pre-facelifted models. They need tobe activated in Diagbox first using the correct specific setting for UK use.
Settings
Type of daytime running lamps: Dedicated daytime running lamps
Simultaneous lighting of the daytime running lamps and sidelamps: No
This will make the DRLs available from the Lighting section in the configuration menu located in the instrument panel, activated via the steering wheel buttons when the car is stationary.
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I know Citroens to be quirky cars, but it genuinely made me giggle to read that I might have some 13 year old bulbs in my car that have never seen electricty, and won't do so until I "hack" the BSI with a laptop, to think on how much money could have been saved by not using those bulbs, bulb holders, wiring etc over tens or maybe even hundreds of thousands of vehicles, it's nuts. I'm picturing a french version of "computer says no" - with a french woman (rather than David Walliams in drag) saying "Voulez-vous avior de petite lumiere pour votre voiture? - L'informatique, a dit non..."
The reason is simply that in Europe DRLs are required and have been a lot longer than in the UK, so it would cost more to make different headlamp units just for the UK and a few other countries.
So they used the same lamp units for all models and just deactivated the feature. The facelifted model replaced these headlamps (both halogen and Bi-Directional Xenon units) with LED strips in any case, so the matter was no longer relevant and the UK followed suit requiring DRLs in 2011 for new cars, so it was no longer an issue.
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The BSI configuration has to account for the different models (pre-facelift and facelift) and I'm talking specifically for the C5 X7 here.
Prefacelift models had Halogen DRLs underneath the map unit and separate sidelights for both Halogen and Xenon lamps.
Facelift models have an LED strip light instead of sidelamps which have 2 intensities for daytime (brightest) and nighttime (dimmed) use.
The configuration also has to take account of the laws in Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Croatia, Slovenia, Estonia, Iceland, Macedonia & Czech Republic where the side lights are required to be on all the time, so the DRL operation and activation is shared with the sidelights.
For other countries the DRLs only are required in the daytime.
But in common with most modern vehicles, sidelights are no longer really necessary and have generally been dispensed with, leaving the LED DRLs do the job now.
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It´s not possible to enable led-drl -lights at the same time with sidelights on C5 X7. Also here in Finland facelift models don´t have sidelights on when DRL-strip is on (bright mode). My 09 that is sold new in Austria had also sidelights disabled with DRL with pre-facelift -headlights. So I didn´t have to do anything with diagbox after changing headlights to facelift -model.
That's correct, because the LED versions on facelift models don't have the sidelights separately.
I was referring to the BSI configuration setting and what it is called Marko and the information was for Jay-Bruce who has his DRLs deactivated at present in the UK.
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As my X7 has the later LEDs and is not affected I'm curious. Does the bulb assembly in the above photo disassemble further? For instance, can you pull the glass envelope out of its plastic holder?
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The are not meant to be no - but they can be modified which is what I did on my thread to change these to LEDs. One has to carefully prise the bulb out from the black holder and the plastic clips holding it, which are very brittle. Depending on what you are fitting (I used some Cree LEDs) the black housing plastic may need to be cut out to allow the new LED to fit in as they can have a larger base - and to then hold them firmly in accounting for road use and vibration. The Pin wires may also need trimming.
Good question Paul and was my thoughts (and reason for removing it today) I had a tentative wiggle at it and didn't seem like it would come apart readily. But seems I'm wrong, will have a read of Marc's post above.
Just to add. It is possible on a hydraulic X7 C5 to reach the drivers side (right) bulb holder with the above tool and without disassembly beyond removal of the top plastic flap above the headlamp unit. The LDS tank ridges around its circumference leave red marks just below your elbow.
So I'd say it's not so much a question of large / small hands, but "do you have slim arms?" (I'm, fortunately for this job, on the scrawny weakling end of the spectrum!)
