DRL Issues

[racer26]

Ok, so I know this is going to be tough, as there's only a few members here from Canada, and the US cars didn't have DRL.

My car has recently started exhibiting the following issue. Initially it was only occasional, and flicking the headlights on and back off again would fix it. Now, not so much.

Most times when I release the parking brake, (there's a switch there, that is used to determine when to turn on DRL), my left headlight comes on with half intensity highbeams, but my right stays dark, and I get a godawful grinding noise from a grey relay on the driver's side kick panel (P/N RC-5102 Mitsuba).

If I don't get the grinding noise, then the rightside DRL works fine.

Switching the full headlights on also makes the sound go away, and both work correctly, as do my high-beams.

Removing the offending relay obviously solves the grinding noise, but whats interesting is that with the relay removed, both DRLs work fine, and both main headlights do not. Switching the switch to headlights on results in the DRLs going off, and leaving the headlights dark.

This says to me that the relay is actually for the main headlights, and for some reason, the DRL module is causing it to switch extremely fast.

Any ideas?

[racer26]

*Sigh* I don't understand Honda sometimes. This DRL module has been a sticking point for Honda's for YEARS.

I seem to have fixed it. All I did was remove the DRL module (which hides behind the driver's side kick panel chunk of carpet, below the cabin fusebox, attached to the kick panel with 1x 10mm bolt.), pop the cover off it (use a slotted screwdriver), and take a soldering iron and a bit of solder to each of the connections on the big black relays inside.

This is a common problem in Hondas using this module (which includes Civic, Accord, and Prelude); the right side headlight stops working in hi-beam/DRL mode, and the relay may or may not buzz away. Has been for years (read: since the early 90s [DRL was first required in Canada for all vehicles as of Jan 1 1990]), and for some reason, Honda hasn't seen the need to fix the obvious engineering or manufacturing flaw that causes this to happen in the first place.

Procedure link: http://www.nyx.net/~smanley/hondadrlfix/

Its the same on the insight, apart from the location of the module in the car.

[AbCaRed00]

Glad you got it fixed quick & thanks for posting and the link. Saved down for future reference.
I'd wonder if given the amount of power possibly going through there so consistently, if it's a heat thing over time that loosens up the connections?