2012 LR4 LED Disabling...

TheWidup said:

You guys are funny. I love my LED halos in the my13. They look great at night and I don't want them running as DRLs. I guess I'm winning?

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Same here. Everyone does the traces nowadays. I like the "vintage" look of the dots. Only RR's and the LR4 have it.

I owned an LR3 a while back too and appreciated the looks along with the vehicle as a whole but not a fan of the under-powered V8. On this LR4 I never cared for these ridiculous LED dots that were clearly an after-thought by Land Rover's Design Team to offer a headlight that is similar to everyone else on the road at the time but to each their own. If you like them enjoy them, if you don't there is now a solution. I will probably enable Scandinavian DRL with the yellow bulbs I have installed to create a French Spec effect I have temporarily created in the image below.

I don't really think they were an after-thought. When the LR4 came out, it was really only Audi with the LED DRLs, and Audi just had the horizontal line of dots. Land Rover's nicely surrounded the headlight, which was later improved on with the '14+ refresh. If anything, Land Rover was one of the innovators in the LED headlight signature lights, along with Audi and BMW.

If you want a manufacturer that's really slow in headlight updates, it's Toyota. The Land Cruiser wasn't even available with xenon headlights until the '13 model. That's crazy. Hell, they still aren't even an option on a lot of their most popular cars.

BMW was the first to have this type of headlight with their Corona rings debuting with the E39. I had it on my M5 back in the day. Then Audi was the first to market with the LED DRL starting in 2008 for the North American Region. Then Mercedes-Benz added them to W212+ and other Marques followed. The LR4 debuted in 2010 (iirc) and was just adding this to their line-up along with the face lift L320 and L322. When it comes to tech or lighting Land Rover is not innovating anything and far from the leader but I do not buy these vehicles because they offer the latest and greatest more so because they're not offering it. In any event, I didn't like it on the Audi vehicles I have owned and shut them off. I did not have to use my VagCom or VCDS just go into the MMI and turn them off. Unfortunately LR never makes anything easy despite being very simple vehicles. Again if it's your taste; great. Enjoy! If not? Disable!

Agreed. I don't mind them on mine, but it's weird how the LEDs on the '10 through '13 models don't really serve any function.

On the updated 2014+ you can disable or enable the LED DRL by following this procedure:

• Make sure the vehicle's ignition is switched off, and the lighting switch is in the Off position.
  
  
• Switch the vehicle's ignition on.
  
  
• Turn the lighting switch to the Low beam headlamps on position.
  
  
• Turn the lighting switch back to the Off position.
  
  
• Press and hold the rear fog lamp switch for more than 2 seconds.
  
  
• Release the rear fog lamp switch.
  
  
• Turn the lighting switch to the Low beam headlamps on position.
  
  
• Turn the lighting switch back to the Off position.
  
  
• Turn the vehicle's ignition off.

iconoclast said:

Attached below are images of what to do and where to do it.

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I'm trying to visualize the part(s) you removed to get to that white plug. Is it the nuts that hold the main rear housing on? And no wires are clipped, just unplugged, tucked away, and the other part is sealed and protected with tape so it is easily reversible? I may do this, too. I've gone on record as a fan of the LR3 simple face and this is a nice clean look to try...especially for those with commitment issues.

It is very simple. If you go through the normal steps of removing the headlight as you would when replacing the bulbs you then have to remove the bracket that is held on with four (?) 7mm bolts. Once you remove that bracket you will find a round cap which gives access to the wires I photographed. You will see that there is a white plug with two wires coming out of it. Those are powering the LED only. I unplugged them and then tested before reassembling. No errors or issues. I then placed black electric tape over the contacts and tucked the female portion of the plug into the housing and covered it with tape as well despite the cap offering an adequate seal. I assembled the headlight then reinstalled and now achieved the desired effect.

iconoclast said:

It is very simple.

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Outstanding! Thanks @iconoclast

I wonder if Land Rover USA will stop featuring my Instagram pics on their owner site if they notice that I hacked the LEDs this way?

HAHAHA! Let's hope not. Unfortunately LR has never reposted, hosted or featured a photo of mine. How did they stumble across yours and post on the owner site?