Maximum was wanting to know how to fix the no DRL issue for a US STI which is a federal safety requirment in Canada. A Subaru master technician simply changed a relay wiring & the car had DRL. Rally Subaru in Edmonton did the work cost ~$100. Happy winter driving.

Curious what light they are using for the DRL's. I would hope it's not the high volatge HID low beams. Which is probably not possible. Or did they use the high beams?
Can you find out?

I'd be interested too. The reason the Canadian STi doesn't have HIDs is that they have to have DRLs so it needs halogen low beams. They may have changed the wiring so the HIDs are on all the time, otherwise they would have to use the high beams. Either way kinda sucks compared to the factory system that uses the low beams.

I always thought DRL's were the high beams in a low voltage nature (better beam and more noticable, but not as bright for use during the day)

Either way, if your going to Canada and need DRL's, just turn on ur headlights as long as ur just visiting.

Subaru uses the low beams at a reduced voltage which is a better approach. Other mfrs. (GM) use high beams which sucks because oncoming cars with DRLs will be shining them right in your eyes, just not as bright. Saturn DRLs are probably the most annoying on the planet.
For a short-term stay in Canada it may be ok to just keep the lights on, but perhaps one of our Canadian bretheren can provide the specifics of their DRL laws. Under what circumstances does a vehicle have to be equipped with proper DRLs (i.e. is there a certain amount of time beyond which you must have the car modified?).

Our laws don't apply to your cars. If you import it, that is a different story, then you have to install them.

Have a nice visit and don't worry about your lights.

Our laws don't apply to your cars. If you import it, that is a different story, then you have to install them. Have a nice visit and don't worry about your lights.
Absolutley. Certainly one of my favorite countries to visit. I worry more about how to conceal my radar detector in Ontario then I worry about my lights.
( I dont use it there but I still want it in the car). But irregardless of the necessity of using DRL's in Canada the question remains as how one would achieve it if one wanted to. Inquring minds want to know.

WOW....I'd just leave the damn lights on all the time in the Federal Frozen Canadian Republik....never turn off the switch and be done with it. It isn't like you can accidently leave the lights on and drain the battery, now is it ;)

That's what I do Scotty. I hate the DRL's because they just look like dim or dirty lights. I still haven't gotten around to disabling the DRL's so I just leave the headlights on all the time. I highly doubt you'd get pulled over for not having the DRL's on before you'd get pulled over for modified exhaust of having any window tint on the drivers and passengers windows. For an import inspection, they'd want to say DRL's but unless they know what they are looking for, just leave the headlights on. Inspections here can be pretty slack if you know where to go.

There is an age factor as well as many cars did not have DRL (daytime running lights) when they were produced. I have disabled them completely and have had no problems.
Not sure what the rules are as minivans seem to get away with orange side lights as DRLs - like Audi

I'd do a fog light mod so you can run them independantly of evey thing & use them as DRL's.... a year or two latter when they burn out it will be cheaper than HID lamps.

Assuming you have fogs...

The first poster was interested in DRL's because he was "visiting" Canada. As others have said there is no need to worry about it. Canadian officials will not hold an American car up to all their standards "on a visit" and vise versa.
There are several other car part differences besides DRL's.
My interest in this thread has to do with the fact that I live on the border and may want , at some point, to sell cars into Canada. Consequently what the mechanic had done in the first post was of interest to me.

anyone know how to set a DRL in the "9005 highbeam"'s housing instead of the "H1 lowbeam"'s housing?

I'll say, Acura RSX has the "highbeam and DRL" in the inside headlite housing and "lowbeam" in the outside housing. But our 04-05's headlight does not go with this setup which I like.