Thank you for the video. With your help, I was able to get to the unit. I opted to completely remove the entire unit as I was having trouble locating the DRL socket and the inside of the light lens needed cleaning. Once I removed the unit I saw there is no DRL in the fog light housing. I have a 2015 SL. Did some gen 1 models have no DRL lights in the housing?
Also, does anyone know of a source for replacing the plastic tabs in the plastic cowling? A couple of the ones I removed were pretty weathered and brittle and parts broke off when I removed them.
I just got a 2012 SV, built for the US market (so no DRLs at all), and I was hoping to find a way to install some kind of DRLs. Looks like I may be out of luck, eh?
That depends on how involved you want to get. You could install aftermarket universal DRLs, or you could get fixtures from a variant which has DRLs and retrofit them.
@@GaryMeatsLife I deleted my other reply because I've found out that's a very common fog-light package and I've found LED units really cheap! I'll have to run a wiring harness, of course, because the US doesn't want me to have DRLs, but I can handle that. Do you have any ideas about where to tie into ignition-switched power on this car? (it's a long shot, but worth asking)
@@jayparr9719 Disclaimer: do at your own risk I don't know for sure, but I would imagine that the fusebox in the US Leaf is the same as other versions. You want to pop the hood. There are 3 fuse boxes. 2 rectangular ones near the 12V battery and a third square one to the left side of the hood. Lift the cover and it will show you what fuses are there. There should be 4 rows with fuses and blanks. The DRL fuse is the second row from the top and in the middle. It should read DTRL. If there is no fuse there, you can check if there is voltage (if you are competent) with a multi-meter once the car is powered up. If there is voltage, or if there already a fuse, this is where you can tap into. If however there is no DTRL fuse allocation, you can tap into anything else that turns on when the car is powered up. I would be looking for a 20-30A location, but check what the kit needs first and go from there.
All bulbs can be LED. My headlights are LED in both 2012 and 2014 Leafs. The 2014 came with LED pre-installed, as it was the premium model. As an aside, I think FOG LEDs are pointless as they are so rarely used. It is the DRL bulbs changed in this video, which are housed in the fog bulb headings.
Are you sure you’re not mistaken? The DRL (day running lights) in this case are housed in the same units as the fog bulbs. Often the DRLs are separate units but are usually low down on the bumper. The small bulbs inside the main headlight are called parking or side lights. DRLs cannot be turned off, unlike most parking/side lights.
@@GaryMeatsLife absolutely right Gary. We don't have the fog lights on the S line here and so no drl at all, only parking. I was mistaken and ordered some bulbs that arn't even available on my car LoL. Lesson learned.
@@Chris_Mc. I am assuming you mean that the “s line” (base model) does not have the fog lights in the lower section of the bumper. It would have fog lights in the main headlamp, wouldn’t it? It would be a legal requirement to have them I think, but I could be wrong on that point. The models in Ireland from base to top spec are XE, SV, SV+, SVE. In the UK they are Visia, Acenta, Acenta+, Tekna. The plus is now rebranded to premium in both territories. The base model misses out on a lot of what I consider to be standard equipment, but all the UK built models (August 2013 forward) included the CHAdeMO rapid charger. I understand the US base model never got that and it was an expensive option.
Extremely useful vid, thanks!
You're welcome. Hope it helps people out.
Useful information 👍🏻
Great video, thank you!!
You're welcome.
Thank you for the video. With your help, I was able to get to the unit. I opted to completely remove the entire unit as I was having trouble locating the DRL socket and the inside of the light lens needed cleaning. Once I removed the unit I saw there is no DRL in the fog light housing. I have a 2015 SL. Did some gen 1 models have no DRL lights in the housing?
Also, does anyone know of a source for replacing the plastic tabs in the plastic cowling? A couple of the ones I removed were pretty weathered and brittle and parts broke off when I removed them.
You’re welcome. You are correct that some models did not come with DRLs. This was market dependent but was generally the base spec.
What size or model bulbs should i get for DRL? Is is H11?
They are P13W. I first learned of them from this site => pwrkiter.wordpress.com/2014/08/14/nissan-leaf-led-running-lights/
I just got a 2012 SV, built for the US market (so no DRLs at all), and I was hoping to find a way to install some kind of DRLs. Looks like I may be out of luck, eh?
That depends on how involved you want to get. You could install aftermarket universal DRLs, or you could get fixtures from a variant which has DRLs and retrofit them.
@@GaryMeatsLife I deleted my other reply because I've found out that's a very common fog-light package and I've found LED units really cheap! I'll have to run a wiring harness, of course, because the US doesn't want me to have DRLs, but I can handle that. Do you have any ideas about where to tie into ignition-switched power on this car? (it's a long shot, but worth asking)
@@jayparr9719 Disclaimer: do at your own risk
I don't know for sure, but I would imagine that the fusebox in the US Leaf is the same as other versions. You want to pop the hood. There are 3 fuse boxes. 2 rectangular ones near the 12V battery and a third square one to the left side of the hood. Lift the cover and it will show you what fuses are there. There should be 4 rows with fuses and blanks. The DRL fuse is the second row from the top and in the middle. It should read DTRL.
If there is no fuse there, you can check if there is voltage (if you are competent) with a multi-meter once the car is powered up. If there is voltage, or if there already a fuse, this is where you can tap into. If however there is no DTRL fuse allocation, you can tap into anything else that turns on when the car is powered up. I would be looking for a 20-30A location, but check what the kit needs first and go from there.
Thanks Gary. Found this very helpful. I'm having difficulty finding these bulbs on ebay. Would you be able to share a link for them, thanks, Paul.
The shop I purchased from on Ebay before is www.ebay.ie/usr/mnftech_led
The bulbs are not always available, but you can mail them.
@@GaryMeatsLife Thank you will try, P
I've a 171 30kw leaf, not sure if my fogs are led.
Is it possible to get led for headlights
All bulbs can be LED. My headlights are LED in both 2012 and 2014 Leafs. The 2014 came with LED pre-installed, as it was the premium model. As an aside, I think FOG LEDs are pointless as they are so rarely used. It is the DRL bulbs changed in this video, which are housed in the fog bulb headings.
@@GaryMeatsLife Thanks.
Is it easy to replace the headlights to led
@@gareth3044 Headlight replacement/upgrade is easy.
@@GaryMeatsLife What website did u use to buy the leds
@@gareth3044 The DRL LEDs I got from Ebay. I got sidelight LEDs on Amazon.
That's called a fog light or driving light in the US. DRL is the small bulb inside the headlight unit.
Are you sure you’re not mistaken? The DRL (day running lights) in this case are housed in the same units as the fog bulbs. Often the DRLs are separate units but are usually low down on the bumper. The small bulbs inside the main headlight are called parking or side lights. DRLs cannot be turned off, unlike most parking/side lights.
@@GaryMeatsLife absolutely right Gary. We don't have the fog lights on the S line here and so no drl at all, only parking. I was mistaken and ordered some bulbs that arn't even available on my car LoL. Lesson learned.
@@Chris_Mc. I am assuming you mean that the “s line” (base model) does not have the fog lights in the lower section of the bumper. It would have fog lights in the main headlamp, wouldn’t it? It would be a legal requirement to have them I think, but I could be wrong on that point.
The models in Ireland from base to top spec are XE, SV, SV+, SVE.
In the UK they are Visia, Acenta, Acenta+, Tekna. The plus is now rebranded to premium in both territories.
The base model misses out on a lot of what I consider to be standard equipment, but all the UK built models (August 2013 forward) included the CHAdeMO rapid charger. I understand the US base model never got that and it was an expensive option.
i have a 2012 SL and i don't think mine has DRL only fog.
Only 1 bulb per unit then.
Oh man so much to remove :( i almost don't want to do it.