What can be done with a TechII?

[RisingX2004]

My girlfriend's dad is a mechanic at GM dealership and is finally going to have some free time in the next week or two at work (just got done undergoing an ownership change) and said I could bring my car in and we could mess around with it and run a bunch of tests and other stuff. But the main reason why I ask about the TechII is can you disable the DRL's with it? That is on my list of things to do and if it can be done with the programmer on 96-98's, I'd rather do that than cutting any wires. Thanks!

[coupe]

Wrong section

[Matt95GT]

^It's DRL related... fine here.

[coupe]

Thats true, my bad.

I am curious about that also, im gonna assume you cant do that with a techII.

[Matt95GT]

I bet it's possible, but I doubt it's as simple as a "DRL enable/disable" kinda deal... more likely you'd have to flash raw code to the BCM, which will be beyond the capabilities of most people who aren't GM engineers.

[coupe]

It would be way over my head then lol

[MantaGreen97]

Originally posted by Matt95GT
I bet it's possible, but I doubt it's as simple as a "DRL enable/disable" kinda deal... more likely you'd have to flash raw code to the BCM, which will be beyond the capabilities of most people who aren't GM engineers.

Nope, it's really that simple. For 96-98s it is. There's an option for DRLs in the PCM, accessible by the Tech-II. It's a simple Enable/Disable bit setting which can be used to properly/safely disable the DRLs ;)

Since it is like this from 1996 at least, I'd be willing to bet it's the same on 99+ cars as well.

[RisingX2004]

sweet, I'l have to ask him to check it out for me

[Matt95GT]

Originally posted by MantaGreen97
Nope, it's really that simple. For 96-98s it is. There's an option for DRLs in the PCM, accessible by the Tech-II. It's a simple Enable/Disable bit setting which can be used to properly/safely disable the DRLs ;)

Since it is like this from 1996 at least, I'd be willing to bet it's the same on 99+ cars as well.

Hmm, cause I heard from someone else about how they "obtained" GM non-DRL code and flashed it in order to pull it off. Although, I don't think it was a GA.

Either way... simple wiring and OBD1 FTW! :woot:

[TurboSupra12]

SOmone's gotta fill me in here. Why the HELL do you want to disable your DRLs?! They're there for a reason. Mostly being safety. Leave them on. Easier for me to see you at dusk, or other limited visibility situations.

[ramairgt2]

some of the people simply do not like the DRL's to be on while driving during the day. Others have after market true HID kits in their cars and if you leave the DRL's hooked up it will burn the ballast or the bulbs out because the kits still connect to the stock headlight wiring harness so they have to have the DRL's disabled. Basically its a preference thing. I had them in my 91 grand am because the people I bought my car from had a DRL kit put it so the lights would automatically come on, I didn't care for it very much so I took the kit out of the car.

[Azrael]

There's also evidence that current DRL usage can cause as much trouble as it prevents. You can read a little more about it here: http://faqlight.carpassion.info/drl-systems.htm

[VanishingImage]

I disabled mine,without the TechII,more in a wiring kind of way rather then TechII,lol. Ive never really liked DRL's. Actually kind of distract me while Im driving.

Sometimes its the little things that distract people while they are driving

[MantaGreen97]

Originally posted by TurboSupra12
SOmone's gotta fill me in here. Why the HELL do you want to disable your DRLs?! They're there for a reason. Mostly being safety. Leave them on. Easier for me to see you at dusk, or other limited visibility situations.

Though I agree with your comments about DRLs being for safety and you shouldn't disable them, at least the OP is trying to do it the right way. (The only such way being to disable them with a Tech-II.)

This creates absolutely no problems for you or the car, the DRLs just don't ever come on.

Disabling them properly causes relatively little safety problems compared to how some people are doing it otherwise.

Here's an example... I remember one method had something to do with the parking brake circuit. Of course we all know, however, that puts on the "BRAKE" [US] or "(P)(!)" lamp permanently. The "solution" to this problem was to "remove the brake lamp bulb" :roll2: A very very stupid thing to do because that is a dual purpose light that also notifies you that you have low brake fluid/hydraulic failure in the braking system and your brakes are not going to be working properly!

If you removed that bulb for a silly DRL disable and your braking system really did have a hydraulic failure and you didn't know about it, you could easily get into an accident, get injured and possibly even killed. All because you wanted to disable the DRLs in haphazard fashion.

(What was worse in that particular case, IIRC, was that the guy was actually doing it for other people on their cars as well. That could result in one very nasty lawsuit!)

I'm not saying all DRL disables are like this but I've seen way too many of them that engage in electrical and safety-related shenanigans that I'm glad there are people willing to have it at least done properly.

[RisingX2004]

Why the HELL do you want to disable your DRLs?! They're there for a reason. Mostly being safety. Leave them on. Easier for me to see you at dusk, or other limited visibility situations.

1. Pontiac's ALC should take car of that (if you have a GM car) unless you've disabled that too
2. Why doesnt the Corvette have DRLS's? Are those cars safer than any other car, so they dont need them?

People just have their personal preferences, and mine is no DRLs

[Bumpin1OHM]

so if you take it into a gm dealership and ask them to use a techII to disable ur DRL's... think they will let you? i probably want to get mine disabled now since ill be running expensive PIAA bulbs

[RisingX2004]

If it can be done and if they are willing to disable it they wil probably charge you for it.

[MantaGreen97]

Originally posted by Bumpin1OHM
so if you take it into a gm dealership and ask them to use a techII to disable ur DRL's... think they will let you? i probably want to get mine disabled now since ill be running expensive PIAA bulbs

I doubt they would just do it for you, but you might find one dealer or tech that would do it no problem. You probably have to have the car in for other service though or they're going to charge you for it for sure.

In Canada it would be illegal for them to do it pretty much but in the US there is no DRL legislation in place so it's not beyond reason that someone might do it for you.

As for the PIAAs I'm assuming they're the same as other such bulbs which have a limited lifespan (usually around a year or so)? Though the DRLs may shorten the bulb life a little it isn't that much. The main reason these bulbs burn out quicker is because they run hotter while running with the full 12V. DRLs actually run the bulbs at reduced voltage so the wear on the bulbs shouldn't be too significant.

[TurboSupra12]

Originally posted by MantaGreen97
I doubt they would just do it for you, but you might find one dealer or tech that would do it no problem. You probably have to have the car in for other service though or they're going to charge you for it for sure.

In Canada it would be illegal for them to do it pretty much but in the US there is no DRL legislation in place so it's not beyond reason that someone might do it for you.

As for the PIAAs I'm assuming they're the same as other such bulbs which have a limited lifespan (usually around a year or so)?

I dobut it. I've ran PIAA bulbs for about 2 years now with my DRL's and they've worked great the whole time.

[Bumpin1OHM]

eh, its only money i guess. $50 per set isnt too bad i guess every year for the highs, and another $50 for the lows... and then probably another $50 for the fog/driving lights....

yea... its only money.

[MantaGreen97]

Originally posted by TurboSupra12
I dobut it. I've ran PIAA bulbs for about 2 years now with my DRL's and they've worked great the whole time.

Hmm? You just agreed with me pretty much but then said "I doubt it"??? :???"

[TurboSupra12]

Whoops sorry, quoted the wrong part. Meant to just quote the part where u said u assume they have limited life like most bulbs like t hat. My bad.