How can I make Autolights come on sooner?

[Ozz]

With winter here I am doing a lot more driving at dusk and dawn. I have noticed that just about every other car has it's lights on in the evening before mine finally come on. Is there any way to make the autolights come on a little sooner (short of covering up the light sensor or turning them on by hand :rolleyes: )?

Thanks.

[David Morton]

Well if you cover up the light sensor they'll be on all the time, if the autolights are on.

Anybody try putting some sunglasses over the sensor? (hint, hint)

[Marauderjack]

Spray the sensor with Night Shades paint!!:beer:

Just pry up the trim piece (I use a wooden paint stir stick) all the way across the dash...remove the sensor...paint it and re-install!! Should add a couple of hours on both ends of the night!!:bows:

Marauderjack:burnout:

[Eric91Z]

I agree. I have times that I, too, wish it would come on when it is a tab brighter out than what the sensor wants to come on with. Might have to try the nightshades trick this spring when it gets warmer out.

[cyclone03]

I just turn the switch too on.


Some of the local deer hunters put a small piece of window tint over the light sensors on their deer feeders, that may work to "tune" the light meter and if you go too dark just pull it off.

[duhtroll]

That's exactly what I was going to say. Use the switch, dude. If you try to get out of the car w/lights on you get a loud warning.

I'm the guy who repeatedly taps the wiper arm on misty days rather than turn them on, so I'm no dummy. :P


I just turn the switch too on.


Some of the local deer hunters put a small piece of window tint over the light sensors on their deer feeders, that may work to "tune" the light meter and if you go too dark just pull it off.

[rumble]

Spray the sensor with Night Shades paint!!:beer:

Just pry up the trim piece (I use a wooden paint stir stick) all the way across the dash...remove the sensor...paint it and re-install!! Should add a couple of hours on both ends of the night!!:bows:

Marauderjack:burnout:


Interesting, might I impose on you to post a picture 'how to"?
I am not sure where this sensor is located so I am very curious
about this trim piece. I want to dig into my dash but am not sure
where to start.

Thanks.

[Eric91Z]

The sensor is the little bubble piece with the red flashing light in the upper left hand corner of the dash near the windshield.

[Ozz]

Yea, I could just turn them on but being the engineer that I am, I want to 'tune' it in so that it comes on at what I consider to be 'the right level of darkness'... What good is having 'autolamps' if they don't come on at the right time anyway.

Thanks for the replies. I will investigate both the 'night shades' paint and window tint.

Thanks!

[Donny Carlson]

seems like an inordinate amount of work. Try using a piece of electrical tape to partially cover the sensor. This will allow you to experiment with how much needs to be blocked before the sensor comes on. Once that is established, you can trim off a piece that's the right size, then affix it. I don't think it will be very noticable, and you have the bonus of removing it later if you want to go back to factory settings.

Note that if the lighting control module or sun load sensor malfuctions, the system will default to lights and instruments on all the time, except when the ignition is off and key is out.

[QWK SVT]

I'm the guy who repeatedly taps the wiper arm on misty days rather than turn them on, so I'm no dummy. :P

Are you doing this to avoid the autolights, while still light out??? And all this time I thought I was to only one crazy enough to do this! ;)

[Second Wind]

I bought one of the dark translucent "sticky pads" and laid it over the sensor. Easy to remove and put on, and won't slide around the dash. Works great! Available at Advance Auto, and Walmart here. Be sure to get the smoke colored translucent one. A solid color will keep them on all of the time.

(A sticky pad is a small square of gummy feeling plastic designed to hold glasses, etc on your dash. It won't damage your dash.)