Norman L. Posted January 20, 2008 Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 I wasn't aware of this but after driving to a restaurant this morning, I turned off the engine and removed the ignition key but the warning bell sounded. I coudn't figure out what was causing this but discoved the headlamps were on. No one had driven the car for two days and at first thought I figured the car had set with the headlamps on for two days and was surprised I still had battery power. However, my wife mentioned that the bell went off when she drove it last but "forgot" to tell me about it. Long story short, I checked the manual and the headlamps will automatically turn off within ten minutes, after the ignition is turned off, when they are accidently left on. Great feature!!!!! Don't know how far this feature goes back but my car is a 2001 Deville and this is the first time I knew about it. ps. The manual indicates that if you want the headlamps to stay on, for some reason, turn them on AFTER the ignition is turned off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digital_dad Posted January 20, 2008 Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 Of all odd things that you can do with your head lights is if you start the car with the parking brake set they will not come on! Appearently, this is a feature? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CadillacETC1997 Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 Of all odd things that you can do with your head lights is if you start the car with the parking brake set they will not come on! Appearently, this is a feature? what!? your kidding right? The Twins 1997 ETC & 2003 STS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 Long story short, I checked the manual and the headlamps will automatically turn off within ten minutes, after the ignition is turned off, when they are accidently left on. Great feature!!!!! Don't know how far this feature goes back but my car is a 2001 Deville and this is the first time I knew about it. That feature has been around for a long time. Of all odd things that you can do with your head lights is if you start the car with the parking brake set they will not come on! Appearently, this is a feature? You have a problem. That is not normal. Mine come on with or without the parking break set. I am pretty sure that there is no interface between the two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digital_dad Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 No, I'm not kidding you. I can't remember how I got on the topic with a friend of mine last Friday, but he showed me this feature in my Silverado. I would assume it is a GM wide thing. Perhaps the mechanics from time to time need to use this to eliminate possible problems with other systems? There's is another feature that all cars have, but I have only seen it done in a Dodge truck. You can stop the mileage from ticking away and still have all the features of your tach and speedometer. Dealers use this to keep the miles down on cars in transport. It's amazing that it is still a little secret no one knows about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarrenJ Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 Of all odd things that you can do with your head lights is if you start the car with the parking brake set they will not come on! Appearently, this is a feature? You have a problem. That is not normal. Mine come on with or without the parking break set. I am pretty sure that there is no interface between the two. I'm with Ranger on this one. My last three have certainly not acted this way. Regards, Warren There is no means of avoiding the final collapse of a boom brought about by credit expansion. The alternative is only whether the crisis should come sooner as the result of a voluntary abandonment of further credit expansion, or later as a final and total catastrophe of the currency system involved. - Ludwig von Mises Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digital_dad Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 I just went outside to at least prove to myself I wasn't crazy, and Ha Ha my parking brake in the Caddy is frozen. Hope it is just the cold here. I know for a fact though, this is what happens with my truck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digital_dad Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 Ya know, I have another question. Don't all these cars have the sentenial lighting were the lights turn on automatically? Both my truck and Caddy have this feature and thought all Caddy's were this way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 Don't all these cars have the sentenial lighting were the lights turn on automatically? Both my truck and Caddy have this feature and thought all Caddy's were this way. Yup, standard Cadillac feature for as long as I can remember. There's is another feature that all cars have, but I have only seen it done in a Dodge truck. You can stop the mileage from ticking away and still have all the features of your tach and speedometer. Dealers use this to keep the miles down on cars in transport. It's amazing that it is still a little secret no one knows about. Never heard of that one either. I would venture to guess that the government might have something to say about that seeing as it is a federal offense to tamper with the odometer. I guess AJ would know if anyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thu Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 What you are referring to is the 'feature' to disable the DRLs. Setting the parking brake one notch will shut off the DRLs. This was implemented across the entire GM line, pretty much. I don't know if it still is. It does NOT disable normal operation of the headlights - that is an urban legend/wives tale. 2003 Seville STS 43k miles with the Bose Sound, Navigation System, HID Headlamps, and MagneRide 1993 DeVille. Looks great inside and out! 298k miles! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 What you are referring to is the 'feature' to disable the DRLs. Setting the parking brake one notch will shut off the DRLs. Really? Of all the threads about disabling the DRL's, no one ever mentioned that. This is the first I have heard of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
95SevilleSLS Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 Actually, my 01 suburban and my 05 avalanche behave this way. I can put the parkin brake on when the truck is off and then start it in pitch black and the lights will not come on. But if you put the parking brake on while the truck is started, it will not shut off the lights. The cadillac on the other hand will not do this. I'm thinking it may only be GM trucks. Never heard of the odomter thing, sounds a little fishy to me. I didn't think anyone could just stop recording miles to look better after they were in transit. Also Cadillac hasn't had automatic headlights standard for that long. I know they were availble starting sometime in the early 70's, but they weren't standard. My 90 deville didn't have automatic headlights, but my 75 eldorado was ordered with them. I think they started that in 92 or 93. The DRL's should go off by just putting the vehicle in park. All of my vehicles are like that, even the cadillac. -Dusty- - 02 Seville STS, white diamond - 93 Sixty Special, Tan with vinyl top - 79 Coupe DeVille, Tan with Tan top - 06 GMC Sierra Z71, Black - 92 Silverado C1500, black and grey - 83 Chevy K10 Silverado, Black and Grey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 I had three 70's Cadillacs and all had twighlight sentinel (likewise three 80's models), but now that you mention it, I am not sure if it was standard or optional, or if it was optional, when it became standard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterset Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 My 1996 Deville has no way of turning off the headlights/DRL with the parking brake. My 2002 Chevy Venture, does allow this. ignition off, step on the parking brake, then start the car, and no headlights. as soon as the brake is released, the lights come on. This comes in handy when I wait on a car, when parked against a restaurant window or something. I Park, shut the van off, step on the parking brake, then start the car, and I can keep the heat on. For this, the Caddy is easier - I put twilight down, and as soon as I put the car in Park, the headlights go off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonA Posted January 22, 2008 Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 GM has used two mechanisms for controlling the DRLs, and in general, it appears that it depends on whether a vehicle is available with a manual transmission. All Sevilles/DeVilles/Eldorados had automatic transmissions. Thus, all have "Park". That's what turns the DRLs off on these vehicles. My wife's former '97 Saturn SC2 had an automatic transmission. But not all did. Manual transmissions were available, and common, in Saturns. Thusly, putting the transmission in Park did not control the DRLs on her car, because all SC2s didn't necessarily have automatic transmissions. The parking brake controlled the DRLs in that car. Likewise with the Silverado. Most certainly have automatics, but I believe a manual is available in some of the lower trim lines (at least 5-8 years ago). Thusly, Park doesn't control the DRLs...the parking brake does. Now the Venture van stumps me -- because I'd think that a manual transmission was not available in that van. So it doesn't follow my theory, but in general, I think the availability or non-availability of a manual transmission dictates what has control of the DRLs. Jason(2001 STS, White Diamond) "When you turn your car on...does it return the favor?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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