Problems with DRL-1

Looking for some help and advice (don´t know if this is the right place): I did the same question at CrownVic.net but seems that nobody has an answer.


I bought a DRL-1 module from Webelectric products. A shop installed it and worked ok for about 2 months, after that, It made a short circuit (just one turn signal worked, the other remained off). Something similar as explained here.


Thought that it was a defective module or may be the shop installed wrong. I bought another one from Daniel Stern and the same happened. Apparently, something is causing a short circuit in the module. You can see the pics here, here, and here.


The strange thing is everything looks and works normal in my 2002 Crown Vic: the turn signals works fine and also the parking lights. It is just that the module seems that is making a short circuit.

Anybody have any clue about what is causing this? Defective module? Bad installation from the shop? Something wrong with the electrical system of the car itself? Any opinion will be very much appreciated.

In addition, I was trying to look for other universal modules, but seems that all of them are for those Led strips. I would like to use something that looks more factory installed. For example, any clue about the quality of this module? Or this one? Any other suggestion?


Thanks in advance for your help.

1990CrownVic said:

Something similar as explained here

Click to expand...

A '91 Miata isn't a '90 Crown Victoria, but you DID check to see if your glove compartment bulb was burned out, right? And verified all the other exterior lights you expect to work are working? Registration plate lights? All the sidemarkers? And all the grounds for the lighting are good?

Yes, but I'm going to double check. Yesterday I opened the glove box and seems that the bulb is working, but I couldn't swear for it, so I'm going to check again. The turn signals bulbs are all working as they should. Low and High beam also ok. The only lights that I didn´t check are the reverse and brake bulbs, so I'm going to check them also, just to be sure.

Well, that sucks. The '90 Crown Vic uses two (2) front turn signal bulbs on each side, doesn't it? Or just one? Anyway, Dan Stern is superseding the old DRL-1 with an all-new heavier-duty module; go to here. Depending on how long you had the module before it failed, you should probably ask about warranty coverage. The installation should also be checked carefully to make sure it was done correctly, though, because without plotting out all the different possible hookups it seems likely there's at least one way to do it wrong that could cause problems, possibly including short-out and early failure.

Those Ebay modules you linked won't do the same thing; they're for dimmed-headlight DRL operation (won't work if you have installed headlight relays of any kind) or other types other than the turn signal DRL you're trying to get to work.

-Virgil- said:

Well, that sucks. The '90 Crown Vic uses two (2) front turn signal bulbs on each side, doesn't it? Or just one? Anyway, Dan Stern is superseding the old DRL-1 with an all-new heavier-duty module; go to here. Depending on how long you had the module before it failed, you should probably ask about warranty coverage. The installation should also be checked carefully to make sure it was done correctly, though, because without plotting out all the different possible hookups it seems likely there's at least one way to do it wrong that could cause problems, possibly including short-out and early failure.

Those Ebay modules you linked won't do the same thing; they're for dimmed-headlight DRL operation (won't work if you have installed headlight relays of any kind) or other types other than the turn signal DRL you're trying to get to work.

Click to expand...

Thank you Virgil for that comment. And, yes, indeed, I have installed relays in both cars, so I'm going to discard those options that I linked in my first post.

Just to clarify: it is my 2002 Crown Vic that has the problem, not the 1990 (I also installed a DRL-module in this one, and no problems for more than 6 months). The 2002 model uses 3457 bulbs (one per side) for the front turn signals/parking lamps.

Another clarification: I bought the first module form Webelectric products. It lasted about 2 months. And I had another one from D. Stern bought some months before (as a spare) from a member of CrownVic.Net that sold his car and he's not going to use it. I can't discard that this last module could be defective, but I don't think so, and the shop installed it some weeks ago, but it burned out just minutes after installation.

Now, I have a third module from webelectric, ready to install, but I (and also the shop) don't want to install it before have clarity about the problem. According to the shop, they double checked and the module was installed correctly. I also sent an email to web electric (I sent them the same pics that I linked in my first post), and they say "sorry for the problems, let me have my tech guy look at your issue, I'll get back to you as soon as I can". Well, that was on July 23rd​, so, that's why I'm trying to look for some help in this forum lol.

1990CrownVic said:

Now, I have a third module from webelectric, ready to install, but I (and also the shop) don't want to install it before have clarity about the problem. According to the shop, they double checked and the module was installed correctly. I also sent an email to web electric (I sent them the same pics that I linked in my first post), and they say "sorry for the problems, let me have my tech guy look at your issue, I'll get back to you as soon as I can". Well, that was on July 23rd​, so, that's why I'm trying to look for some help in this forum lol.

Click to expand...

Judicious use of 2A fuses on the leads off the relay might help pinpoint the problem. Sounds expensive, of course (fuses are cheap but adding the holders and all that, too). Surely the current used by the turn signals isn't inordinately high (they're not blowing their own fuses) but check their usage anyway.

Also, this seems to come with those "quick splice" connectors; I'd use Posi-Products of some kind (Posi-Tap, Posi-Lock, Posi-Tight, etc). Intermittent shorts from some of the worse "quick splice" connectors can be troublesome for relays.

Here's a second vote for the Posi connectors. I keep a couple of these assortment-packs around and they have saved my bacon (or my Sunday...or my temper...my project or repair, anyway!) more times than I can count.

You checked the bulb itself to make sure it isn't the problem right?

lightfooted said:

You checked the bulb itself to make sure it isn't the problem right?

Click to expand...

It reminds me of how on my '76 Corolla DX wagon, signaling a left turn would sometimes pop the turn signal fuse; the left rear turn signal bulb's feed wire had worn insulation and occasionally would touch the metal part that wore it down. And as the wear was reciprocal (the paint was burnished off in that small contact area) it was more prone to be conductive than a well-painted surface.

A little electrical tape, and some friction tape over that, and the universe was once again in harmony.

-Virgil- said:

I keep a couple of these assortment-packs around and they have saved my bacon (or my Sunday...or my temper...my project or repair, anyway!) more times than I can count.

Click to expand...

Pricey, but you don't get what you don't pay for. Also, working lights are cheaper than a fix-it ticket or an accident. And they are so incredibly easy to use (and reuse!) compared to those chintzy fold-over things. It's almost as if those things WANT to fail! Yet, they are fairly strong sellers-- and you see them in stores everywhere. Posi-Products are rarely (never?) seen in stores, which is a real shame.

Many thanks for all the advise. I checked last night and all the bulbs are working as they should (including the glove box bulb lol). So, I suppose it is a bad connection problem or something with the car itself. I'm going to order a set of those posi tap connectors and see what happens. I'll let you know.

Update on this issue.

So, I went to the shop again, and asked them for to install the new DRL-1 module (the third one). They tested all the circuits of the car again and find no issues, so they installed it, but this time located inside the car (near the fuse box). They don't know if this is going to be a difference, but just in case (because they thought that may be could be a temperature issue, or something like that, that caused the failure of the 2 previous modules: the idea was to avoid the harsh environment for the module in the engine bay, considering that the first 2 modules were installed near the turn signals lights, and in front of the radiator). Also, instead to use the quick connectors, they soldered the wires (they told me that is better in that way), so they didn't use the Posi-Tap Connectors.

Well: the good news is that the new module from Webelectric products is working good, until now (just 2 days from the installation). I'm crossing my fingers and hope that this time is going to last.

You can find here, here, here, here and here pics from the second module that burnt out. Some curious things:

1.- As you can see in my previous posts, supposedly this module was purchased from Dan Stern (I bought it from a member of Crown Vic.Net that told me he bought it from him), but the module it's from WEP, with parts made in Philippines by NEC (I don't know if this is an indicative of bad quality or not, just saying). So: or the CVN member lied to me, or Stern is/was selling the same product that WEP.

2.- The module burnt out in the same part that the first one did. I don't know if this means a defective product or there is something wrong with my car.

Anyways, the new module is working fine for now. We'll see if it lasts. If it fails again, I'm going to get one from D. Stern directly.

Thanks for all the help and information.

So what's the difference between a DRL-1 from Webelectrics and one from Stern?

In the past, it was that Stern would sell to Canadian/foreign customers and WebE would not. In the future (maybe present?)...see post #4 in this thread.

Ls400 said:

So what's the difference between a DRL-1 from Webelectrics and one from Stern?

Click to expand...

Supposedly they are different, but now I'm not sure. The price for the WEP module is $40, and the Stern module is about $60… Anyways, now seems he has available a heavier duty version of the module, as it was informed by the user Ofelas in the post linked above .