Twilight Sentinel

[FlamingGoatBalls]

I noticed the other evening that my headlights werent on as they should be so I check the sentinel and they should have been on. I ended up having to pull the knob out next to it to get the headlights to turn on. When I turn the car off and restart it the lights have been coming on with the twilight sentinel but at some point during driving they will just go off. Turning the car off seems to be the only thing that will get the sentinel working again. Any thoughts? Thanks guys.

[Marcus815]

Sounds like a short in the wiring that is sending a faulty signal via the Twilight Sentinel knob. That would explain why the lights go on when you use the knob, thus ruling out a problem with the lights themselves.

[FlamingGoatBalls]

Hmmm well I cant have that. Suppose its a simple fix? I already tried forgetting about it and hoping the problem would take care of itself but that didnt work. I didnt really have a plan B if that didnt work. Not sure where to start.

[Cadillac Jim]

The slider control that is next to the headlight knob -- You have moved it around?

[Marcus815]

Well, if you wanted to go out and play John Wayne and try and fix it yourself all the more luck to you, but something like that shouldn't cost much to have repaired. How much they will actually charge you is an entirely different matter.

[BodybyFisher]

Well, if you wanted to go out and play John Wayne and try and fix it yourself all the more luck to you, but something like that shouldn't cost much to have repaired. How much they will actually charge you is an entirely different matter.

John Wayne? This on your 12th post after joining yesterday? This member came here for help. For your information, we try to help everyone, RARELY does a member need to take their car to the dealer. Typically if you can't help a member, its not necessary to post. If we were lazy, we could close the site altogether and just leave a message for members, "TAKE IT TO THE DEALER", and be done with the aggravation. We have many John Wayne's here and many of them can help this fellow

You probably have a bad (open) Twilight Photo Cell. Check to see if you have any codes.

This comes from a 1999 manual

The resistance of the ambient light sensor varies as the outside light changes. When the resistance of the ambient light sensor is less than 23 Kohms for bright light. It is greater than 31 Kohms for complete darkness.

[Marcus815]

Jesus christ, I was trying to be helpful. I gave him my opinion, and if you have a problem with me posting my opinion then why not remove me from your forum's altogether, because I assumed that was what these forums were. Kind of a long rant to lay on me for that, longer than the answer you actually gave him.

[BodybyFisher]

Jesus christ, I was trying to be helpful. I gave him my opinion, and if you have a problem with me posting my opinion then why not remove me from your forum's altogether, because I assumed that was what these forums were. Kind of a long rant to lay on me for that, longer than the answer you actually gave him.

The long rant is the result of you being NEW, you being here on your SECOND DAY, and you being on your 12th POST. Its sort of like reading you the riot act and sort of like saying, that is not the way we operate here. Opinions are like A-holes everyone has one. When a member comes looking for HELP we try to help. We have the service manuals, history, experience, etc, to simply say take it to the dealer and get it fixed HAS NEVER EVER been suggested here unless the member is basically not mechanically inclined at all. We consider ourselves ADVANCED DIYers here. I am especially hard on new members to let them know how to act, if you actually spend some time and look around you will see this is a very mature, controlled, organized site, there are NO off the cuff opinions, suggestions, etc.

I suppose you would have told me not to be John Wayne and not do this job huh? >> http://caddyinfo.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=13481

The key here is NOT to reply or post unless you have DIRECT experience and can help, we are trying to AVOID going to the dealer here and only suggest it as a last resort IF EVER.

[Marcus815]

I can appreciate the fact that you have a vast knowledge of cars. I understand that takes time to acquire. I also understand that I'm a new member and that takes time to get over. What I don't understand is why I'm hassled for being new by you, this isn't the Marine's. "Off the Cuff Opinions" or opinions that don't fall in line with yours? Sounds a bit fascist to me. However, if you really want to dish out numbers in capital letters, I can certainly do the same for you. You have 4136 posts, and rounding up to saying that you've been here two years (730 days) and then dividing your posts by days would mean that you post 5.66 posts per day (it's actually a bit higher, closer to 5.9 since I rounded up). That's a lot of posting. I got excited finding a community that shared my interest in caddy's, so I've posted a lot, that I'm guilty of. It will teeter down, don't worry about that. You could have sent me a PM explaining that to me rather than making a scene with an audience? If it makes you feel macho to push the new guy around on an Internet forum, then good luck to you. I like you quoting Harry Callahan there. I'd like to share one as well..."Go ahead, make my day".

I came here to discuss cars in a friendly fashion, and I didn’t think my amount of knowledge would cause an uproar with another member. If that’s how you look at people whom offer opinions differing from yours, and you do seem to be one of the higher members here, than I will gladly leave, as I don’t want to stay in a place if you're going to push me around like that. I’m not trying to be a martyr here, but you’re really carrying on about that comment, which while you've given me an explanation for disliking it, it isn't really a justification. I’ll save you the trouble of banning me though, because I’ll walk out the front door before I’m pushed out the back.

I don't want to start problems here, I'd much rather learn more about my car than make enemies. I mean no disrespect towards the members or towards Bruce; the owner. Bodybyfisher, I harbor no grudge towards you, I've found grudges very unproductive, but I can't say that I respect you either. And FlamingGoatBalls, I'm sorry that your thread got hijacked. I think it'd be great if you fixed it yourself. I build computers for friends and family, I've built over a dozen, so I can definitely assimilate with fixing my own stuff over taking it to the guys who charge an arm and a leg. However, if someone really doesn't feel comfortable fixing something themselves and I can't possibly help them, then I would tell them to call up the Geek Squad, lol.

BTW: John Wayne is a great character, it was a compliment

[BodybyFisher]

This was not personal, afterall, I don't know you so it can't be personal. I am even helping you with your parking brake problem on another thread. It was just related to telling a member to take it to the dealer, its just not something we do here and quite obvious besides, I mean members that come here are DIY types for the most part looking to fix and understand these complicated vehicles, we are the antithesis of the types that go to the dealer for oil changes. Lets wipe the slate clean and start over.

[FlamingGoatBalls]

Yes I have tried to move the switch a little bit. No luck. I havent been doing much night driving lately so I havent gotten a chance to really play with my headlights and see whats going on. So far, out of the 3 or 4 times that I have been out after dark they have shut off on me. Im waiting for it to happen again to see if I can detect some sort of pattern. As far as taking it to the dealer goes, I have thought about it and I still may. I always take my problems here first because people like BBF can usually tell me what kind of problem I am looking at at what its going to take to repair it. Once I have that info I can make a better informed decision as to whether I should take it to someone that knows what theyre doing or fix it myself. Love this board.

[Rickster]

I can appreciate the fact that you have a vast knowledge of cars. I understand that takes time to acquire. I also understand that I'm a new member and that takes time to get over. What I don't understand is why I'm hassled for being new by you, this isn't the Marine's. "Off the Cuff Opinions" or opinions that don't fall in line with yours? Sounds a bit fascist to me. However, if you really want to dish out numbers in capital letters, I can certainly do the same for you. You have 4136 posts, and rounding up to saying that you've been here two years (730 days) and then dividing your posts by days would mean that you post 5.66 posts per day (it's actually a bit higher, closer to 5.9 since I rounded up). That's a lot of posting. I got excited finding a community that shared my interest in caddy's, so I've posted a lot, that I'm guilty of. It will teeter down, don't worry about that. You could have sent me a PM explaining that to me rather than making a scene with an audience? If it makes you feel macho to push the new guy around on an Internet forum, then good luck to you. I like you quoting Harry Callahan there. I'd like to share one as well..."Go ahead, make my day".

I came here to discuss cars in a friendly fashion, and I didn’t think my amount of knowledge would cause an uproar with another member. If that’s how you look at people whom offer opinions differing from yours, and you do seem to be one of the higher members here, than I will gladly leave, as I don’t want to stay in a place if you're going to push me around like that. I’m not trying to be a martyr here, but you’re really carrying on about that comment, which while you've given me an explanation for disliking it, it isn't really a justification. I’ll save you the trouble of banning me though, because I’ll walk out the front door before I’m pushed out the back.

I don't want to start problems here, I'd much rather learn more about my car than make enemies. I mean no disrespect towards the members or towards Bruce; the owner. Bodybyfisher, I harbor no grudge towards you, I've found grudges very unproductive, but I can't say that I respect you either. And FlamingGoatBalls, I'm sorry that your thread got hijacked. I think it'd be great if you fixed it yourself. I build computers for friends and family, I've built over a dozen, so I can definitely assimilate with fixing my own stuff over taking it to the guys who charge an arm and a leg. However, if someone really doesn't feel comfortable fixing something themselves and I can't possibly help them, then I would tell them to call up the Geek Squad, lol.

BTW: John Wayne is a great character, it was a compliment

Welcome to the board Marcus...even if it was a rough welcome. We are all freindly here...after a cup of coffee.LOL

Back to the topic. Every once and a while my twilight sentenal acts up. Sometimes the lights stay on all day and yes the wipers are off. Next day or two later, everything fine. I figure it's just a virus in the system. If you haven't tried a battey disconent, maybe try that. That seems to fix most of my irritating little problems. I,m thinking maybe Bill Gates had something to do with the computer programing on theses beasts.

[FlamingGoatBalls]

Come to think of it I think I saw a "Designed for Microsoft Windows 95" sticker on the PCM. : ) That explains the frequent crashes.

[Logan]

Uhhh....we have the same problem in Washington. Anyway to the ORIGINAL poster...the light sensor has a habit of shifting in calibration. So as time goes by..the sensor works differently. My '93...it got to where the overhead Mall lot lamps would turn off the auto lamps. And I was only simply driving by the Mall on the highway..

[FlamingGoatBalls]

Well it no longer works at all. Im back to turning my light on manually by pulling the knob out on the dash,...lame. What i the procedure for testing\ repairing the sentinel?

[Logan]

Well it no longer works at all. Im back to turning my light on manually by pulling the knob out on the dash,...lame. What i the procedure for testing\ repairing the sentinel?

The twilight sensor is one of the 2 sensors located in the top, center of the dash defrost vent. The twilight often shifts in calibration, causing issues. About a $30 part.

[FlamingGoatBalls]

So there isnt any testing required? Its most likely the sensor? How do I remove it?

[BodybyFisher]

So there isnt any testing required? Its most likely the sensor? How do I remove it?

I just replaced mine, I picked up three from the junk yard. They all had different resistence measurements (even though I subjected them to the same lighting conditions). My TS caused the headlights to come on during the day, as if it was reading that it was dark out when it was daylight. I used the sensor that provided the highest indication of light (if that makes sense) and my TS is working better, not perfect but better. I will someday order a new sensor it was $47 at the dealer, probably less at our favorite on line parts stores.

I was wondering if there was a way in the TS system to set the ON/OFF threshold... probably not, I will buy a new sensor some day. But it is working for now. At least when I flash to pass, my high beams are not ON!

Your sensor might be saying the opposite of mine, "its 100% light out"... and refusing to turn on your lights, where as mine was saying, "its 100% dark out" and turning on my lights during daylight....

As Spock would say, its Logical!

The sensor is in the middle of the dash, lift the plastic speaker/grill cover, its not the one with the round top, its the flat one....(blue color)

[FlamingGoatBalls]

Gotcha thanks. Do you know what year\ model sensors are compatible with my 93 sts? PS ,...you must have a very small pointy head if you could get it up far enough to see what you were doing under there. : P

[BodybyFisher]

Gotcha thanks. Do you know what year\ model sensors are compatible with my 93 sts? PS ,...you must have a very small pointy head if you could get it up far enough to see what you were doing under there. : P

Once you pull the grill up you see the two sensors the TS and the Sun Load Sensor. Just twist them off and they come out, the TS is a plug in sensor.