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Trailer running lights without truck headlights?

scdo said:
that the camera does not get power from turning on the running lights alone
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Which is not surprising at all. The running lights (in contrast to the parking lights) are only on the front. The rear taillights are not on when DRL are on, and so neither are the taillights on the trailer.
 
AH64ID said:
That’s not how it’s supposed to work. The running lights on the trailer are on the same switch circuit at the parking lights.

I’d be talking the truck to the dealer.
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I have DRLs but when towing during the day in good weather, I switch to parking position to power the running lights on both truck and trailer. If the trailer lights don't come on with the switch in the parking lights position, I agree there is something wrong.
 
Making some distinction between parking lights and running lights is almost worse than saying "CCC" when talking about "payload." Literally nobody does that.

Parking = Running. Running = Parking. Same thing. Always was always will be. Or if you do all your own stunts, "Chicken Lights."

"Daytime Running Lights" is a new thing and is = "DRL," not just "running lights." If you're saying that, you're doing it wrong.

:p

Rant over.
 
Wow, I really stirred up some emotions here.

Bottom line, the (extremely minor) annoyance is that you seemingly cant have the trailer lights turn on while in auto headlight mode (DRLs enabled or not).

The only way to enable them is to manually turn the headlights on or manually turn the “parking lights” on.

Either way, you are out of auto and the dash then dims for nighttime driving. So, then you have to manually adjust the dash lighting with the dimmer.

The uconnect setting to turn on DRLs does not help this situation.

Not a huge deal. And if I’m wrong that would be great… but this is how it appears to work.

Statement of facts over.
 
No emotions except humor at the worst game of telephone this week.

My trailer "running lights" are on with the headlight switch in the "parking light" position or "On" position. I'd expect nothing less, nothing more.

I guess I don't understand why anyone would expect the running/parking lights to be on with the switch in auto during daylight or with DRL's?
 
Brutal_HO said:
No emotions except humor at the worst game of telephone this week.

My trailer "running lights" are on with the headlight switch in the "parking light" position or "On" position. I'd expect nothing less, nothing more.

I guess I don't understand why anyone would expect the running/parking lights to be on with the switch in auto during daylight or with DRL's?
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I’m with you, it’s working as intended. I just wanted it to work differently but I think I’ve spent for more energy on this than just turning the knobs as needed lol!
 
Brutal_HO said:
No emotions except humor at the worst game of telephone this week.

My trailer "running lights" are on with the headlight switch in the "parking light" position or "On" position. I'd expect nothing less, nothing more.

I guess I don't understand why anyone would expect the running/parking lights to be on with the switch in auto during daylight or with DRL's?
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And DRLs only are on the front of the truck. I think DRLs should include running lights/tail lights especially if they are LEDs but our "really intelligent" government thought different. DRLs have been a thing in Canada for many years.
 
CdnHO said:
And DRLs only are on the front of the truck. I think DRLs should include running lights/tail lights especially if they are LEDs but our "really intelligent" government thought different. DRLs have been a thing in Canada for many years.
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Its been almost 30 years now! I dont agree with the lights being all on since they all have auto and no off position here now plus when your wipers are on the lights turn on automatically. So they have it covered now not that i agree with some things like no off position but i see far too many people driving at night with no lights on and no clue!
 
H3LZSN1P3R said:
Its been almost 30 years now! I dont agree with the lights being all on since they all have auto and no off position here now plus when your wipers are on the lights turn on automatically. So they have it covered now not that i agree with some things like no off position but i see far too many people driving at night with no lights on and no clue!
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The "no clue" part is a dead giveaway. LOL
 
CdnHO said:
And DRLs only are on the front of the truck. I think DRLs should include running lights/tail lights especially if they are LEDs but our "really intelligent" government thought different. DRLs have been a thing in Canada for many years.
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I’m going to dig into AlfaOBD and JScan to see if there’s an option to enable marker/parking/tail lights (whatever we want to call them) with the DRLs. Doubt it.
 
scdo said:
I’m going to dig into AlfaOBD and JScan to see if there’s an option to enable marker/parking/tail lights (whatever we want to call them) with the DRLs. Doubt it.
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There isn’t, because that situation you described would simply be turning the headlight switch to the headlights on or auto position.

I guess we should clarify this- which lamps in the headlight housing do you think are the DRLs?
 
Jimmy07 said:
There isn’t, because that situation you described would simply be turning the headlight switch to the headlights on or auto position.

I guess we should clarify this- which lamps in the headlight housing do you think are the DRLs?
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I’m trying to use Ram’s own language here.

There’s an option in Uconnect to turn on “daytime running lights”. That option turns on front headlights only and not the marker lights (truck or trailer). Turning the headlight selector manually to the first position (parking/running lights) turns on the markers on both the truck and trailer. Alternatively, I can turn the knob to ON. Either way the trailer markers get power as does the camera.

It would be slick if I could have all markers automatically enable when hooked up to a trailer but alas it’s literally just turning a knob and turning the dash dimmer to full brightness.
 
scdo said:
There’s an option in Uconnect to turn on “daytime running lights”. That option turns on front headlights only and not the marker lights (truck or trailer).
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Funny thing about it is that the, let's call them "signature lights", the dimmer ones next to the headlights, are on regardless of that setting.
Unlike my wife's jeep, which also has Uconnect: there that setting actually turns on the signature lights (which are off otherwise), but not the headlights.

I have that setting to "on", so the headlights are on, too. Makes for being more visible to others and since they're LED headlights doesn't harm mpg's at all.
 
DrTron said:
Funny thing about it is that the, let's call them "signature lights", the dimmer ones next to the headlights, are on regardless of that setting.
Unlike my wife's jeep, which also has Uconnect: there that setting actually turns on the signature lights (which are off otherwise), but not the headlights.

I have that setting to "on", so the headlights are on, too. Makes for being more visible to others and since they're LED headlights doesn't harm mpg's at all.
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Having lights one would not harm MPG anyway…
 
DrTron said:
Funny thing about it is that the, let's call them "signature lights", the dimmer ones next to the headlights, are on regardless of that setting.
Unlike my wife's jeep, which also has Uconnect: there that setting actually turns on the signature lights (which are off otherwise), but not the headlights.

I have that setting to "on", so the headlights are on, too. Makes for being more visible to others and since they're LED headlights doesn't harm mpg's at all.
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What model is your wife’s Jeep?
 
H3LZSN1P3R said:
Having lights one would not harm MPG anyway…
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It used to a little bit, not by much, of course, and mostly only in smaller/lighter cars with smaller engines, not trucks.
But incandescent lighting had 2x55W headlights, 4x5W parking lights and 2x5W tag lights. Totaling to 140W.
But yes, didn't amount to much mpg decrease.
 
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