auto headlights

[finecrown]

My '96 Fleetwood headlights come on at dusk and turn off in full light automatically. I would like to be able to override this feature, turning the headlights off or on as I choose. Failing that, I would like to disable it altogether. It occurs to me, that, for the latter course, I could simply remove the sensor in the defroster grille on the dashboard. Will that work? Could an able service dept. do anything better if I were willing to spend money on a replacement relay or whatever?

[Cadillac Jim]

You can move the delay slider next to the headlight switch all the way to the left to put the headlights in manual mode.

I suggest that you tolerate the auto headlights. They way they work is to put the high beam filaments on 75% voltage during the day. That isn't enough power to affect your gas mileage or battery life. The 75% voltage means that the high beam filaments aren't hot enough to affect their life. What it does do is reduce your accident rate by 75%. Yes, your accident rate with this feature is only about 1/4 what it is without this feature. That's why all GM cars have had this since about 1990. It's the law in some countries, like Canada and Sweden, to run with headlights or driving lights, and it's also the law to turn on the headlights when the windshield wipers are on in most States in the U.S.

In summary, it doesn't cost you anything because of the way Cadillac has implemented this feature, and it has real and important safety benefits. But if you insist, just move the delay slider all the way to the left.

[Ranger]

I don't think the DRL's are turned off when you go to manual mode. They work independently of the auto feature. I was always under the impression that they ran at 50%.

[Cadillac Jim]

In my 1997 ETC, the DRLs are turned off with the slider all the way to the left. Another override is to pull out the headlight switch, which will turn the headlights on normally during the day or night. Whenever I let a valet park the car at night, this almost always happens to me and I have to find it and fix it. With the slider all the way to the left, you get a driver message "HEADLIGHTS ADVISED" when the system wants to turn on the headlights. There is a detent that you can feel in the slider when you switch to the manual mode.

Other models and years may differ.

[HartfordGuy]

If you have the shop manual you could see if there is a DRL relay that could be pulled. I know that on many cars the DRLS were standard on Canadian sold vehicles, but you could add the relay on US sold cars and get DRLS. So perhaps the reverse is possible.

[Cadillac Jim]

I think that 75% voltage is consistent with half power; perhaps a measurement of current and voltage could make this clearer.

I didn't know about the DRL relay that isn't installed for domestic cars. If you run across it, please let me know what page it is on in your FSM, and the year model of the FSM?

[finecrown]

You can move the delay slider next to the headlight switch all the way to the left to put the headlights in manual mode.

I suggest that you tolerate the auto headlights. They way they work is to put the high beam filaments on 75% voltage during the day. That isn't enough power to affect your gas mileage or battery life. The 75% voltage means that the high beam filaments aren't hot enough to affect their life. What it does do is reduce your accident rate by 75%. Yes, your accident rate with this feature is only about 1/4 what it is without this feature. That's why all GM cars have had this since about 1990. It's the law in some countries, like Canada and Sweden, to run with headlights or driving lights, and it's also the law to turn on the headlights when the windshield wipers are on in most States in the U.S.

In summary, it doesn't cost you anything because of the way Cadillac has implemented this feature, and it has real and important safety benefits. But if you insist, just move the delay slider all the way to the left.

The "delay slider" operates to leave the headlamps on after the car is stopped, so you can run through darkness and do whatever it would be that requires the light from the car and, yet, not return to the car to turn them off--a wonderful improvement. This control does not affect the auto off and on of the headlamps according to the general light conditions.

If I want safety advice, I'll ask in the nanny forum.

[Texas Jim]

You can move the delay slider next to the headlight switch all the way to the left to put the headlights in manual mode.

I suggest that you tolerate the auto headlights. They way they work is to put the high beam filaments on 75% voltage during the day. That isn't enough power to affect your gas mileage or battery life. The 75% voltage means that the high beam filaments aren't hot enough to affect their life. What it does do is reduce your accident rate by 75%. Yes, your accident rate with this feature is only about 1/4 what it is without this feature. That's why all GM cars have had this since about 1990. It's the law in some countries, like Canada and Sweden, to run with headlights or driving lights, and it's also the law to turn on the headlights when the windshield wipers are on in most States in the U.S.

In summary, it doesn't cost you anything because of the way Cadillac has implemented this feature, and it has real and important safety benefits. But if you insist, just move the delay slider all the way to the left.

The "delay slider" operates to leave the headlamps on after the car is stopped, so you can run through darkness and do whatever it would be that requires the light from the car and, yet, not return to the car to turn them off--a wonderful improvement. This control does not affect the auto off and on of the headlamps according to the general light conditions.

If I want safety advice, I'll ask in the nanny forum.

Not good...

[Cadillac Jim]

You can move the delay slider next to the headlight switch all the way to the left to put the headlights in manual mode.

I suggest that you tolerate the auto headlights. They way they work is to put the high beam filaments on 75% voltage during the day. That isn't enough power to affect your gas mileage or battery life. The 75% voltage means that the high beam filaments aren't hot enough to affect their life. What it does do is reduce your accident rate by 75%. Yes, your accident rate with this feature is only about 1/4 what it is without this feature. That's why all GM cars have had this since about 1990. It's the law in some countries, like Canada and Sweden, to run with headlights or driving lights, and it's also the law to turn on the headlights when the windshield wipers are on in most States in the U.S.

In summary, it doesn't cost you anything because of the way Cadillac has implemented this feature, and it has real and important safety benefits. But if you insist, just move the delay slider all the way to the left.

The "delay slider" operates to leave the headlamps on after the car is stopped, so you can run through darkness and do whatever it would be that requires the light from the car and, yet, not return to the car to turn them off--a wonderful improvement. This control does not affect the auto off and on of the headlamps according to the general light conditions.

<Redacted by Forum owner.>

I just went out to the car, parked in a dark garage, and checked, and, yes, with the slider all the way to the left, over the detent, the headlights respond only to the push-pull switch. The "Welcome" lights when the fob is used turns on only the parking lights. Different models and years, including the 1996 Fleetwood, may be wired differently, and even with an FMS handy the quickest way to tell for sure is simply to try it like I did; I'm very familiar with my 1997 FSM but decided to just try it.

[PermissonToSpeakFreelySIR]The combination of wanting to drive with the lights off, not knowing anything about Cadillacs, and the redacted remark make me wonder about the provenance of the request and the intent of fine60in96 that would warrant a strong desire to drive with the lights off.[/PermissionToSpeakFreelySIR]

[rockfangd]

now do the lights stay off once in gear or do they come on automatically in gear, with the slider all the way to the left