[wine_lover]

My light sensor for the auto headlights feature intermittently does not see the light. It works abut half the time. I do sart in a garage, so whenever I start my car in there the lights are turned on. When they don't go off after I get out of the garage, they will not go off, even though I can restart my car several times after that. At other times it works just fine. Any ideas?

 

[JohnWR]

The sensor has to see "enough" light for several minutes before it will switch to DRL mode. It basically takes direct sunlight on the sensor for this to happen. This time of year the sun is low enough in the sky that you only get enough light on the sensor from late morning through early afternoon.

 

[jrsno1fan]

I agree with JR. There have been several times lately where I've had to either turn my off or on manually because it was either not bright enough or not quite dark yet. If you're concerned about you could alway take it in and have the sensor tested.

 

[Gary Combs]

My auto switch just started keeping my headlights on for 15-20 minutes before shutting them off. Is this a module problem or or a sensor problem.

 

[TomShadow]

My light sensor for the auto headlights feature intermittently does not see the light. It works abut half the time. I do sart in a garage, so whenever I start my car in there the lights are turned on. When they don't go off after I get out of the garage, they will not go off, even though I can restart my car several times after that. At other times it works just fine. Any ideas?

Perhaps I'm unclear in what you're saying, but if you have the headlights on 'AUTO' mode, then they should stay on ALL the time, right? Day and night, rain or shine. Maybe newer models (I have an '07) have different switches.

I do know that newer models have those tire sensors which mine doesn't have.

John, for those of us who haven't read the manual since we bought our cars, what is DRL?

 

[blackbirdracing]

Drl is Daytime Running Lamps.

For the record I hate mine and will be disabling them in the near future.
I'm a big boy, I'd like to decide when my headlights turn on and not our government.

 

[Rusty Boltz]

Perhaps I'm unclear in what you're saying, but if you have the headlights on 'AUTO' mode, then they should stay on ALL the time, right? Day and night, rain or shine. Maybe newer models (I have an '07) have different switches.

I do know that newer models have those tire sensors which mine doesn't have.

John, for those of us who haven't read the manual since we bought our cars, what is DRL?

With the headlights in "auto" mode, they should come on automatically when the sensor does not detect enough light. They should go off when there is enough light.

 

[Rusty Boltz]

Drl is Daytime Running Lamps.

For the record I hate mine and will be disabling them in the near future.
I'm a big boy, I'd like to decide when my headlights turn on and not our government.

I like my DRLs. They make me more visible.

 

[blackbirdracing]

I like my DRLs. They make me more visible.

I will not argue thier safety benefits...

 

[wine_lover]

I know my sensor has enough light because a lot of my driving is into the sun. Even after 1/2 hour or more of driving, when they stay on, they stay on no matter how much sunlight reaches them. Not sure where the problem is.

 

[TomatoSoup]

Some confusion here (maybe on my part )...

First, talking about Solstices (some Sky owner(s) responded and they may well be different) and with the switch set to "Auto"...
- In early model years 2006-?, the DRLs were in the fog lights and only they would come on during the day. The light sensor switching between fogs (daytime/bright) and Headlights (nighttime/dark).
- In later model years (I believe from sometime in MY2007 on) this changed to the headlights only, switching between low intensity (day) and normal intensity (night).

If you have a later MY car, then your headlights should be on ALL the time in auto mode. NOTE: if you put the handbrake on, the headlights will turn off when in 'day' DRL mode. If the sensor thinks it's night time, the handbrake has no effect on the lights.

This message brought to you by the letters "R", "L" and "D".

 

[blackbirdracing]

I have a 2007 and lights are always on...

 

[JohnWR]

Which lights are used as the DRLs does vary by model and model year, but the general function is mostly the same. Usually when the headlights are used as DRLs, they are illuminated at approximately half power, so will change intensity when switching modes.

When the light sensor detects a "daytime" condition, the DRLs are ON. The headlights, taillights, and side marker lamps are OFF. The instrumant panel lights are OFF, unless a progaramming change has been made by a dealer, in which case they are always ON. The radio and DIC displays are at maximum brightness.

When the light sensor detects a "nighttime" condition, the DRLs are OFF. The headlights, taillights, and side marker lamps are ON. The instrumant panel lights are ON. They and the radio and DIC displays are at a brightness level controlled by the panel dimmer switch. The maximum display brightness achievable is less than the "daytime" brightness.

The most consistent indication of day or night mode is the brightness of the DIC and radio displays. Twist the headlight control knob backwards, and, if the displays brighten, you were in night mode.

 

[JohnWR]

blackbirdracing : For the record I hate mine and will be disabling them in the near future.
I'm a big boy, I'd like to decide when my headlights turn on and not our government.

Unless you are in Canada the government has nothing to do with it, and you can control when they are on, by using the headlight control knob. Rotate it backwards and it will turn off the system. Then you can be like the idiot that got splattered by a semi right in front of me the other day. He was driving a dark grey SUV on a dark gray day, and was too macho or too stupid to have his lights on. I was behind the truck when it pulled out. Neither of us could see him until he suddenly appeared out of the mist. It got real ugly, real fast.

While DRLs may or may not reduce the chance of an accident, there is no logical reason to have the lights off while driving.

 

[blackbirdracing]

I will not argue thier safety benefits...

Then you can be like the idiot that got splattered by a semi right in front of me the other day.
While DRLs may or may not reduce the chance of an accident, there is no logical reason to have the lights off while driving.

I just like having the choice. Does that make me an IDIOT?
If it's foggy or crappy out, I will make the choice to turn them on. But when it's sunny and 80, I see no reason for them to be on.

 

[JohnWR]

blackbirdracing : I just like having the choice. Does that make me an IDIOT?
If it's foggy or crappy out, I will make the choice to turn them on. But when it's sunny and 80, I see no reason for them to be on.

Unless your car is radically from mine, you already have a choice.

You are only an idiot if, having decided to turn them off, you have an incident that could have been prevented by having them on.

Maybe your driving conditions are a lot different than mine. We have lots of trees on the roads we like to drive, therefore lots of shady spots. Also open areas, so lots of sunny spots. We also like to drive pretty fast. Driving out of shady areas into sunny areas at a high rate of speed makes it quite difficult for someone in the sun to see the car coming out of the shade. Anything I can do to make my car easier for someone to see coming at them is a good thing, any way I look at it.

 

[ophidia31]

Disabled my drls and light sensor on the dash on my car so that I can turn the lights on when I want to, not when the car wants them to be on. ie. start the car at night, lights stay off regardless if the lights in the auto spot. This is mainly for the hids and dont need them turning on and off at random times if driving through a tunnel or under a bridge or overpass. As for the drl safety aspect, dawn dusk or bad weather i usually turn my lights on anyway.

 

[jimbo]

I hate the automatic headlights on the Solstice.

On my Silverardo, the headlights go off after 15 seconds or less in full sunlight.

On my 2008 Solstice, I don't believe the lights ever go off in direct sunlight. I'm not against the lights staying on so much as I detest my inability to see the DIC and radio controls due to the lights being on.

Oh well, just another idiotic feature of our cars. It's not like it's a short list. :brentil:

And on the one hand, I understand our low cars are hard to see, so I would often have the lights on in daytime anyway, when running around town where there are uncontrolled intersections, but every time I take it out on the freeway, I have to turn off the auto lights, and I just find that supremely annoying.

All automatic features should be user programmable. :cuss:

 

[timlange3]

Well from many years on a cycle I always ran with headlights and taillights on. The Solstice is wider but shorter profile than a cycle rider so I still have headlights and taillights on all the time when driving. Granted my red shows up just fine, but greys, silvers, blacks and other background colors don't, I figure at least if one of us sees the other it is a good thing.

 

[JohnWR]

jimbo : I hate the automatic headlights on the Solstice.

On my Silverardo, the headlights go off after 15 seconds or less in full sunlight.

On my 2008 Solstice, I don't believe the lights ever go off in direct sunlight. I'm not against the lights staying on so much as I detest my inability to see the DIC and radio controls due to the lights being on.

If your headlights never go off, there is something wrong with your car. The ambient light sensor is either obstructed, malfunctioning, or disconnected.

Mine are on longer than I like sometimes in the early morning or evening, but they work perfectly well during the day.