Tony M.

As stated above, I'm tryting to find out the difference between the SIR headlights and the USDM SI headlights

Reason being I just bought a 2000 civic SI and the person told me that it has the SIR headlights. Before you start bashing, I have already tried searching and couldn't find anything.

I would like to know what are the visual differences bewteen the two so I can see if I actaully have "SIR" headlights.

Thanks in advance

SeanK325

No place for an amber reflector and daytime running lights...and overpriced.

Tony M.

What do you mean for daytime running lights?
What are daytime running lights? (I'm not trolling, I honestly don't know)

98civdx

Little lights next to the headlight. look in the headlight, and you should see them. OR turn on your parking lights. If they are there, and hooked up you can't miss them.
there called city lights.

DRL's are the highbeam on half power. You dont' need SIR lights to have those.

NOFX

Daytime running lights are often the headlight running at (iirc) half power. Some places, like Japan, use a city light instead, which is a small light bulb, often a 194/161 size in the headlight housing which lights up when the other lights are off (in Japan they don't have the parking lights that we have; they're just turn signals).

Japan has city lights, Canada has DRLs (daytime running lights). Some newer model cars in the US also have DRLs. You'll notice cars driving down the road with headlights on, but no taillights lit. Those are DRLs.

The most noticeable trait of "SiR" headlights (which are just standard model '96-'00 Civic headlights in other countries) is the lack of an amber or orange reflector in the parking light/turn signal housing.

The US headlights are always made by Stanley. The overseas lights can be made by Stanley or Valeo.

Oh, and Si headlights are the same as any other '99-'00 USDM Civic headlight. Yet another part on the US Civic Si that is often assumed to be different than other trims, yet is exactly the same as CX/DX/EX/GX/HX/LX/VP.

Tony M.

Thanks guys for the useful information

Tony M.

I just went outside to check and they are SiR lamps. As for "hooking" up the DRL, is there a specific harness that I need, or is everything plug and play?

NOFX

DRL or city lights? DRLs have a control unit and all. City lights just need the wiring and plug (if you don't have them).

So, do you have a small extra light bulb near the headlight bulb or not? It'd be in the same reflector cone area.

Tony M.

Yes there is a tiny bulb in the area where my regualer bulb is. like maybe 3 inches away from my normal headlight bulb.

NOFX

That's a city light.

There should be threads with instructions on getting them to work. I'd expect you tap into your parking lights. I have them in my '96-'98 CTR lights as well but never wired them up.

boostedef123

You would be the first person I`ve ever seen that would want DRLs. Honestly their annoying

NOFX

I don't think he wants DRLs. He just knows he has lights that aren't working.

DRLs, if they're not working, still would have bulbs that would work some other times. His just plain have no power to them because they're city lights that aren't wired in.

I wouldn't mind DRLs as long as I had an override switch.

98civdx

I don't mind the DRL thing, but I need to be able to shut them off. I hate how my dad's truck, and my mom's old expedition wouldn't shut off, and the was no swtich.


OP, don't make the mistake of splicing them into your turn signle's. My buddy did. lol

Tony M.

If I were to wire them into my parking lights, I would also create/make some type of bypass switch to where I can shut them off but still have my parking lights on.

Okay so my question is this, If I were to wire them up, whenever I turn on my parking lights, then the city lights would come on?

98civdx

Nope, just simply splice them into the factory wires. It's very simple. On the back of the headlight, you should see a plug with 2 wires. (if you don't, you'll need to buy the plug)
You then wire those into the parking light wire/ground.

When you turn your parking lights on, they will turn on.

98civdx

I belive it's the red wire, on the 3 pin park/turn signle plug.

I was told by my freind you can simply ground the city light where ever, but, personaly I would just tie it in along with the turn single ground.

NOFX

If you wired them to work with your parking lights, then they would turn on with your parking lights. They're supposed to do basically the same thing in Japan, only in Japan they don't have the parking light (they're just turn signals in the corners).

I personally don't often have just my parking lights on, nor would I ever have a reason to have my parking lights on but not my city lights on. They're very dim lights.

It's not like if I had DRLs and would want to be able to turn them off. DRLs are on whenever your car is on. Say if someone were chasing you or you were parked in a secluded spot and wanted to be left alone, you would need to turn your car off just to get your headlights to turn off.

DRLs and city lights aren't the same performance even if they do basically the same job.

City Lights - WHICH ARE A TINY BULB USED AS A WAY TO MAKE A CAR MORE VISIBLE IN CITY SETTINGS, BUT WITHOUT HEADLIGHTS ON.







Daytime Running Lights - WHICH ARE HEADLIGHT BULBS ON HALF POWER.

Tony M.

Now I'm not confused anymore.
Thanks!!

EDIT: How would you wire it up to where they would come on when you turned your car on?
Is there a diagram or some type of harness I need?

NOFX

So you want the city lights to function as weak DRLs, where they're the only lights that come on when the car turns on and they stay on?

Tony M.

Isn't that the purpose of the SiR headlamps I have right now? So when I turn on my car the little bulbs come on and stay on as long as I have the car on?

Or am I still confused? LOL

NOFX

You're still confused.

Remember you're still driving a USDM car. If you were in Japan your turn signals wouldn't act as parking lights either, but that could be illegal here.

People normally wire them to the parking lights. Search Google or this site for "city light wiring" and you'll find detailed how-tos with pics.

Tony M.

Is there any way to wire them up to where I wouldn't have to have my parking lights on? To where when I turn my car on they would turn on and stay on as long as my car was on?

NOFX

Instead of wiring them to the power of the parking lights, just wire them to constant.

Read through the multiple online instructions to get an idea of what you need to do.

DOHCED8

i wired mine up to my parking lights. i personally think its better that way. i myself think it would be dumb to have a light on in the front and not have your tailights come one. just another way for a cop to start something. so i wired mine up the the parking light and when it gets almost dusk, i just turn on my parking lights n roll that way. doesnt look bad either

NOFX

Lots of cars have lights up front and no taillights. Most new cars now come with DRLs. It might even be a law for certain years and up for all I know.