Dealer says it can't be done

[K9DAVE65]

I went to my Dealer today to get my Daytime Running Lights activated. he says since my Journey was made in USA/Mexico, they can't be activated. Only the ones made in Canada.

I told him that all you need is the sales code and add it to my VIN, (flash computer) he says it didn't work.

My question is, should I try another Dodge dealer in town and see what they say?

Thanks.

[larryl]

There are NO Journeys made in Canada that dealer should stop inhaling

[rolly]

Now that's funny. I live in Canada and my Journey was built in Mexico and I have Day Time Running Lights. Several of the forum members from the U.S. have had this done as well. Hopefully they'll share their experiences and provide you with the information you need.

[wingit11]

Double checked my DJ and it was built in Mexico.

[webslave]

Check the thread for DRLs in this forum. My unit was made in Mexico as are all of them, for the most part, for sale in the US and Canada. All the dealer needs to do is get the LMK code added to your VIN and then flash that new VIN into the BCM. You will then have DRLs. Worked for my made in Mexico, bought in PA, 2013 DJ R/T, just as it has for others. Don't really call BS on the Dealership, they probably don't know any better and have not had a great deal of experience with the CANBUS system aside from "stock" usage.

There is a post in the other thread detailing exactly what I had my dealership do (they are very used to me now; I'm retired high-level IT (Systems Integrator, FDA) and have done a lot of "not quite by the book" computer changes for me on several vehicles. If your dealership flat out refuses to even try, then find another dealership that has a higher competency level of technician working for them; it is easy to get the DRLs lit. There is a member in New Zealand that has had zero luck in getting his done, but, according to what he's been told, the CANBUS there is different...I find that hard to believe, but, can't really say since we're half a world away. However, the North American DJ's just need the code (which is automatically added for those shipped to Canada) and the BCM flashed. Not a big deal. Once the code LMK is added to your VIN and the BCM is flashed with the new "build" information, the DRL On / Off control in the UConnect system will turn them on and off based on your choice (the Canadian's software switch is disabled by the CANBUS being set for "Canada" as its "home turf"). The car is built with all the appropriate software and hardware needed to have DRLs, it just needs the LMK code attached to the VIN to let the CANBUS know about it. Once that happens, your DRLs will work just fine and since your DJ is set for United States, the software switch will even allow you to turn them off if, for some reason, you decide that you don't want them on.

[redtomatoman]

If this is true, why didn't DodgeCares or my dealer or STAR or anyone in this forum know about this? I tried like heck in 2011-2012 to get my DRLs activated at two different dealers. I even PM'd DodgeCares personally and I currently have no DRLs. Everyone told me my DJ does not have the correct hardware. Even DodgeCares after running my vin. There is truly some confusion on this issue. I'll try again. Is there some financial reason a dealer would not want to activate the DRLs?

Peace.

[webslave]

redtomatoman,

Can't attest to your 2011, but, my guess is that the "equipment" is there. The Cannucks have required DRLs for eons and I don't see them making a special version for Canada. Now, having said that, I can say that my 1996 Grand Caravan didn't have DRLs and I was told that it never could. I got a parts listing and it turned out that all I needed for it was to order a Canadian turn signal relay. The DRL is built into the turnsignal relay for the Canadian Grand Caravans (1996). I got the relay and unplugged the US relay and plugged in the Canadian relay and had DRLs. Near as I know, probably the only 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan with DRLs in the US. (on the Caravan the DRLs were the turnsignals on bright)

On my 2008 Jeep Hemi Commander, it turned out that I had to have my CANBUS set from US to Canada. Once that was done the "switch" (software switch) became visible to the diagnostic tool at the dealership. They enabled the DRLs and then changed the code back to the US so that I wouldn't have metric readings. Again, the hardware for the 2008 was there, it just took some software "massaging" to get them to be "on".

So... If the Canadian DJs have DRLs (and they are required to), then there is a path to getting the US versions to work. They don't build a completely different car for each country. The wiring harness is there, the sockets for relays would be there, even if the relays themselves weren't, and the Canadian version of the software would be set to enable them (as I discovered with my Commander). It just takes some "creative" investigation (what's different between the US and Canadian units?) and time at the dealer with a competent technician that is willing to experiment. Fortunately, I have such a dealer and they respect my "savvy" enough to be willing to "tinker".

Initially they were hesitant to mess with the software, but, I finally managed to convince them that it is just like any other software...you can wreck it, but, you can also always reload a fresh copy and you'll be back to square 1. If you corrupt your Windows OS, you haven't ruined the computer, you just need to reload the OS. Fortunately, the CANBUS software pack is very robust and reasonably bullet-proof; very hard to screw it up if you are just "poking around" in it.

Again, if the Canadian DJs have DRLs, then there is a way, a path, to get the US version to also have them; it is just a matter of finding the path and a lot dealerships don't have the time or are willing to invest the time to find that path. My dealership was told initially, by the Mopar main engineering unit in Pittsburg (east coast troubleshooters), that there was no way to have the DRLs on a 2013 DJ activated. It couldn't be done. Well, my DRLs work just fine. I was told the same thing with my Grand Caravan; I had that vehicle for 12 years and my son another 4 and it had DRLs. My Commander was also deemed "not DRL capable" by Mopar. When I traded it in on my DJ, it had working DRLs. Perseverance, a good "insider" with the company willing to invest the time and put up with some "hounding" and a dealership willing to experiment is all that it takes. The DJ, any car, is just a machine and they are mass produced, they aren't "one offs" that have different hardware and software for the basics and most of the world requires DRLs to be operational, so the ability is inherent to the design, not the country. GM took the most logical step and since the rest of the world requires them, they enabled the US versions as well. I don't understand why Ford and Mopar don't follow suit. The cost is minimal; on the 2013 DJs at least, it was just a matter of adding a three letter code to the VIN reference.

[Journeyman425]

Webslave is correct. All that has to be done is for the dealer to add sales code LMK to your vehicle's options list (easily done) and then reconfigure the vehicle so that the new sales code is picked up (also easily done). See below:

STAR Case

Contact the STAR Center for assistance if no solution is found

Chrysler Group LLC Version 1

Case Number:

S1108000159

Release Date:

04/02/2013

Symptom/Vehicle Issue:

Daytime Running Lamps Inoperative

Diagnosis:

Owners may complain that the daytime running lamps are inoperative.

Repair Procedure:

Daytime running lamps will not operate. No DTC’s in any modules.

Select the radio settings menu

and select lighting, select Daytime Running Lamps (enable or disable feature).

If the radio option is not available, review the vehicle configuration to make sure the vehicle is

equipped with the daytime running lamps sales code. Adding the sales code LMK and performing a

vehicle restoration will add the feature.

Verification:

Test the operation to complete.

[redtomatoman]

Thanks guys. I will try again at my next maintenance visit. What is all this about units? I certainly don't want the tech to get the DRLs to work and reset the units. Or worse, reset the units then tell me the DRLs wont work. I'll let you know how I do.

Peace.

[webslave]

The "unit" I was talking about is the DJ that I own... "Unit" in this context just means a car produced at a factory, a unit of that factory's production. As for "resetting" a unit or component, it just means "refreshing" the software; kind of like a "system restore" in Windows. It clears the settings and resets them to the factory defaults. If you "reset" your UConnect unit (CPU), you will lose your stored radio stations or anything else that is stored on "temporary" memory. It won't delete your songs on a USB stick or memory card, but, you will lose your equalizer settings or any other custom settings; door lock preference, headlight "on" time, etc. Easily reset. If they reset the PCM, you will lose "stored" driving style habits, etc. Your DJ will have to go through the "learning" curve again; still not a big issue. The same things will happen when you put a new battery in unless you take care to have a "jumped" alternate power source hooked up to keep power on the individual CPUs in the car. In fact, one of the first things that most dealers will do if you report "strange" behaviour attributable to one of the logic systems is to disconnect the battery, wait a minimum of 30 seconds, better a couple of minutes, and then hook the system back up. That "resets" all of the systems in the car and they re-establish communications with each other ("handshakes" in the industry) and will quite often correct any errors that are communication issues and not hardware failures. I made the final fix on the display of the compass in my DJ by doing it. I didn't have the direction letters in the 8.4 system even though the dealer got them to display in the EVIC (they were absent, too, when I first picked it up). I pulled the power (disconnected the battery) for 5 minutes and reconnected the cable. The EVIC and the 8.4 UConnect restored fresh communications and in the process the UConnect realized that it was receiving directional information and promptly displayed that information on the bottom of the screen, instead of a blank, empty icon, it now had the directional letters inside it.

When they "reset" the units (computer - PCM and BCM) on my Commander, after going to "Canadian" for "Home", to enable the DRLs, it was to get the units to display units in English units and not metric. They could have left in Canadian, but, then my speedo would have been in KPH and my fuel gauges would have been in liters. "Resetting" the "unit" (the Jeep) to US, put all the reporting back to US units of measurement. I lost all of my settings; radio stations, equalizer settings, etc. but, not the information (music) stored on the MyGig hard drive. A nuisance to go back in and reset my "preferences", but, it only takes a couple of minutes and was worth the effort. In fact, I (with the dealership) did so much messing around with the software, via the StarScan tool, that resetting my preferences became almost a habit! The systems in the car are just little "computers", nothing magical, most aren't any more sophisticated than your smart phone. It is a shame that the StarScan tool is so expensive...I'd buy one just to be able to "poke around" Of course, I'd need the full set of backup software CDs in case I did an "oops"...

[Windancer]

Now that's funny. I live in Canada and my Journey was built in Mexico and I have Day Time Running Lights. Several of the forum members from the U.S. have had this done as well. Hopefully they'll share their experiences and provide you with the information you need.

Ditto here too.........

Terry

[rolly]

The "unit" I was talking about is the DJ that I own... "Unit" in this context just means a car produced at a factory, a unit of that factory's production. As for "resetting" a unit or component, it just means "refreshing" the software; kind of like a "system restore" in Windows. It clears the settings and resets them to the factory defaults. If you "reset" your UConnect unit (CPU), you will lose your stored radio stations or anything else that is stored on "temporary" memory. It won't delete your songs on a USB stick or memory card, but, you will lose your equalizer settings or any other custom settings; door lock preference, headlight "on" time, etc. Easily reset. If they reset the PCM, you will lose "stored" driving style habits, etc. Your DJ will have to go through the "learning" curve again; still not a big issue. The same things will happen when you put a new battery in unless you take care to have a "jumped" alternate power source hooked up to keep power on the individual CPUs in the car. In fact, one of the first things that most dealers will do if you report "strange" behaviour attributable to one of the logic systems is to disconnect the battery, wait a minimum of 30 seconds, better a couple of minutes, and then hook the system back up. That "resets" all of the systems in the car and they re-establish communications with each other ("handshakes" in the industry) and will quite often correct any errors that are communication issues and not hardware failures. I made the final fix on the display of the compass in my DJ by doing it. I didn't have the direction letters in the 8.4 system even though the dealer got them to display in the EVIC (they were absent, too, when I first picked it up). I pulled the power (disconnected the battery) for 5 minutes and reconnected the cable. The EVIC and the 8.4 UConnect restored fresh communications and in the process the UConnect realized that it was receiving directional information and promptly displayed that information on the bottom of the screen, instead of a blank, empty icon, it now had the directional letters inside it.

When they "reset" the units (computer - PCM and BCM) on my Commander, after going to "Canadian" for "Home", to enable the DRLs, it was to get the units to display units in English units and not metric. They could have left in Canadian, but, then my speedo would have been in KPH and my fuel gauges would have been in liters. "Resetting" the "unit" (the Jeep) to US, put all the reporting back to US units of measurement. I lost all of my settings; radio stations, equalizer settings, etc. but, not the information (music) stored on the MyGig hard drive. A nuisance to go back in and reset my "preferences", but, it only takes a couple of minutes and was worth the effort. In fact, I (with the dealership) did so much messing around with the software, via the StarScan tool, that resetting my preferences became almost a habit! The systems in the car are just little "computers", nothing magical, most aren't any more sophisticated than your smart phone. It is a shame that the StarScan tool is so expensive...I'd buy one just to be able to "poke around" Of course, I'd need the full set of backup software CDs in case I did an "oops"...

Wow, you always give great detailed information. Good job!!!