Weird Fender DRL issue

[frnkflp]

Hello All,

I installed the Quake Fender DRL LEDs on my 2021 JLU Sahara non-LED.

I’m getting some weird behavior where the driver’s side DRL illuminates only with the lights in the Parking Lights position.

Each setting on the headlights:

Lights Off, in Drive with e-brake off - drIver side DRL doesn’t work
Parking Lights - Driver side DRL works
On - Driver side DRL doesn’t work
Auto - Driver side DRL doesn’t work

The amber side marker on the driver side matches above (only works with parking lights on). But the turn signal and hazard light on drivers side work.

All passenger side functions of the DRL work as expected.

Could water ingress at the connector cause something like this (the harness connection is directly under the seam where fender meets the body)? Are there different fuses for each light setting? Could I have connected the harness backwards, is that even possible?!

I’m ready to revert back to the original halogens but curious if I should spend any more time troubleshooting this.

Many thanks.

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[frnkflp]

I meant to include, this is the second Quake DRL on the driver side with the same behavior (side note: quadratec was stellar on the exchange policy).

 

[Spank]

Quake products are made in China, so it's likely you're getting a faulty product. They're not exactly known for quality.

Have you tried swapping them just for testing purposes? Clearly the passenger light works as intended, but if you swap them and get the same result, you can at least eliminate the lights themselves as being the problem.

 

[frnkflp]

Quake products are made in China, so it's likely you're getting a faulty product. They're not exactly known for quality.

Have you tried swapping them just for testing purposes? Clearly the passenger light works as intended, but if you swap them and get the same result, you can at least eliminate the lights themselves as being the problem.

I hadn’t tried swapping left to right. Good idea. Thank you.

 

[MyDaughters20JL]

have you had your computer flashed/upgraded for led lighting?

 

[frnkflp]

have you had your computer flashed/upgraded for led lighting?

I didn’t get flashed. Quake state it’s not required. although I’m starting realize maybe that shouldn’t be trusted.

I THINK the drivers side worked fully for a short period of time. Could water have worked in and shorted something out? (It’s odd that two separate units on drivers side have failed)

 

[mark090852]

Some LED replacement light bulbs are polarized and will exhibit strange behavior like this if they are installed with the polarity reversed. Have you tried removing the bulb, turning it 180°, then reinstalling it? If not, you might want to give it a try.

 

[YippieKiYayMrFalcon]

Some LED replacement light bulbs are polarized and will exhibit strange behavior like this if they are installed with the polarity reversed. Have you tried removing the bulb, turning it 180°, then reinstalling it? If not, you might want to give it a try.

I’m not OP, but I have the same lights. These aren’t bulbs, it’s the whole housing that gets replaced and plugs into the factory harness. There’s only one way it can go.

Op, sorry you’re having issues. FWIW I’ve been running the same set for about a month with no issues and have not re-flashed to LED. Have you tried reaching out to Quake directly to see if they can help you troubleshoot?

 

[frnkflp]

I’m not OP, but I have the same lights. These aren’t bulbs, it’s the whole housing that gets replaced and plugs into the factory harness. There’s only one way it can go.

Op, sorry you’re having issues. FWIW I’ve been running the same set for about a month with no issues and have not re-flashed to LED. Have you tried reaching out to Quake directly to see if they can help you troubleshoot?

Thanks Yippie. Yes it’s the whole unit, not an individual bulb. I was even questioning if somehow I plugged the harness reversed, but that seems unlikely/impossible.

I’m on the second set. Quadratec was great exchanging out the first set but I’m having the same issue on the same side. I’ll contact Quake directly as they may have specific technical knowledge.

 

[frnkflp]

The plot thickens.

This morning I started the Jeep and all functions are restored to the driver side drl. I can think of a few possibilities:

-there was water in the harness that is now gone (?).

-the quake unit is finicky with the voltage of the heavy duty 240amp alternator?? I should have mentioned earlier that I have the HD alternator but didn’t think of it. This might explain why the unit worked when I tested it by turning the lights on, but without starting the Jeep, therefore the test was running on battery only.

 

[frnkflp]

The plot thickens.

This morning I started the Jeep and all functions are restored to the driver side drl. I can think of a few possibilities:

-there was water in the harness that is now gone (?).

-the quake unit is finicky with the voltage of the heavy duty 240amp alternator?? I should have mentioned earlier that I have the HD alternator but didn’t think of it. This might explain why the unit worked when I tested it by turning the lights on, but without starting the Jeep, therefore the test was running on battery only.

I’ll hold off on uninstalling anything for now. We have some rain/snow expected the next few days so that could be good test.

Otherwise if it’s not moisture related, maybe the HD alternator causes a problem for the circuitry of the Quake. @YippieKiYayMrFalcon do you have the hd alternator by any chance?

 

[YippieKiYayMrFalcon]

I’ll hold off on uninstalling anything for now. We have some rain/snow expected the next few days so that could be good test.

Otherwise if it’s not moisture related, maybe the HD alternator causes a problem for the circuitry of the Quake. @YippieKiYayMrFalcon do you have the hd alternator by any chance?

nope, I have a 2021 3.6 with eTorque.

 

[frnkflp]

Thanks again Yippie.

Update:
The light is back out again. To recap, the first Quake driver's side DRL I purchased worked for about 3 weeks, then it stopped working in certain modes. The replacement DRL worked for a day, stopped working for a few days, worked again for a few days, now out again. None of it maps to any pattern around rain or anything else I can determine.

Going back to the original DRLs.

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