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View Full Version : Disabling wipers on/headlights on



Stephen Soulsby
07-03-2003, 09:56 PM
I am fed up with being forced to have my headlights switched on when my wipers are on. It is really annoying on days of intermittent rain. Is there a way to disable this feature?

TripleTransAm
07-03-2003, 10:23 PM
Snip a wire and tape it up... that's the solution that Ford has proposed, funny enough. It's the wire that feeds the light control module with a signal from the wiper motor.

Wiper motor turns on, headlight come on thanks to the light control module.

Talk to your dealer, the Ford computer system should have details on how to disable this - they should be able to do it for free, due to many complaints.

Mike M
07-03-2003, 11:45 PM
Why would headlights being on bother you?

Murader03
07-03-2003, 11:52 PM
I think that most states have a law that states that in inclement weather, headlights should be on. If it's enough that your wipers should be on, then your headlights should be on. There are plenty of people running around without lights now that it becomes a safety hazard. Others think their DRL's are enough, but they don't realize the taillights aren't on......My $.02's

TripleTransAm
07-04-2003, 06:57 AM
I personally find the headlight/wiper link annoying because in situations where you have an intermittent drizzle, you'll find yourself cycling the wipers on and off fairly often. That means your headlights/taillamps will be cycling on/off fairly often as well... kind of goofy when you're in stop-and-go traffic and your lights are coming on, then off 30 seconds later, then on 2 minutes from now, then off 2 minutes later, etc.

Also, my daily route takes me underground several times. It bugs me to keep the wipers active on dry glass so I'll turn them off. And then off go the headlights, IN the tunnel. And in some cases, there are lengths of the tunnel where it comes out into the open (and hence some rain)... more cycling of the lights as I head back underground. And then finally, in stop-and-go on the highway, it's not uncommon to stop under an overpass (same situation with the dry glass)... again, more annoyance.

I'm very pro DRL, but this is annoying... kind of like the always-on DRL kind of "annoying".

On the other hand, with RainX, it doesn't look like I'll ever be using my wipers ever again, so maybe this is all a moot point for me.:D

martyo
07-04-2003, 07:07 AM
Here's what I do. Start the car, turn on the headlights. I always run with 'em on. Black cars blend into the scenery. The lights help others see us. This can take some of the crunch out driving!

jgc61sr2002
07-04-2003, 07:36 AM
In New York State it's the law. Wipers on = headlights on. As Marty stated the headlights ON is a safety feature. I couldn't agree more.

CRUZTAKER
07-04-2003, 09:09 AM
Florida too......

Nothing PO'S me more than a driver with no lites in a down pour.

Therefore I over look the stupid auto wiper/headlite feature.

cyclone03
07-04-2003, 10:36 AM
I think the lights come on after a delay,so if you just turn on the wipers to clear the glass then off after one or two cycles I don't think the lights come on.

Stephen Soulsby
07-04-2003, 09:44 PM
Yes it is law here in Maryland too, however it is really annoying like TripleTransAm said. The point is as a driver I think I have the mental capability to determine when my headlights should be on or off. I have always preferred to drive with my driving lights on in the rain and cops have never bothered me. Weather it's law or not, I refuse to have a computer that htinks it's smarter than me. It's just as annoying to me as seeing somebody use a remote control to open the doors on their minivan. How stupid and lazy have people become?! Do we not posess the intelligence to turn our own headlights on or open our own hours and doors? Forgive me if I seem testy, I'm getting married in 17 hours and 16 minutes. I just need to know which wire to cut to disable this feature?

martyo
07-04-2003, 10:52 PM
Originally posted by cyclone03
I think the lights come on after a delay,so if you just turn on the wipers to clear the glass then off after one or two cycles I don't think the lights come on.

Ye. I belive the delay is 30 seconds or so, which gives you enough to clear the windows before the headlights come on.

Murader03
07-05-2003, 05:37 AM
Okay, as much as I disagree with your thought about the lights, cause there are more dimwits out there who "WON"T" use there lights in bad weather, here's your wires....

At the light control module pin 15 (Black/Pink) going to connector at location C2145c, behind dash panel center. You can also go to the wiper motor connector location C125, engine compartment left side rear, pin 2, also black/Pink. There are two more connectors you can look for, location C140, also engine compartment left side rear, and location C268, again engine compartment left side rear. Look for the black and pink wire. I think I'd snip it in such a way that you can reattach if need be.

Hope that helps in your haste to disable a safety function no matter how stupid you think it is.

MM03MOK
07-05-2003, 06:29 AM
Originally posted by Stephen Soulsby
Forgive me if I seem testy, I'm getting married in 17 hours and 16 minutes. I just need to know which wire to cut to disable this feature?
Talk about a dedicated MM.net Member!! Congratulations Stephen!!!! Now, we don't want to see you back here until after the honeymoon!
:D

jgc61sr2002
07-05-2003, 06:55 AM
Stephen - Congrats and good luck. Now you will have to share your MM unless you buy one for the wife.:up: :beer:

Stephen Soulsby
07-05-2003, 12:00 PM
Thanks for the help. I snipped the #2 pin (black/pink wire) at the connector at the back left under the hood. Works perfectly! Now I am ready for the drive to Virginia Beach for the honeymoon! 2 hours, 59 minutes left to go.

TripleTransAm
07-05-2003, 01:38 PM
Originally posted by Murader03
Hope that helps in your haste to disable a safety function no matter how stupid you think it is.


I do agree it's a safety feature, and I assure you I am in full support of it. I just think Ford should have done it a bit differently... dare I say better.

For example, reading the Service Bulletin regarding the snippage of wires to correct this issue, one would think that when the wipers are on, the headlights go in AUTO mode. That is not the case. They're ON, plain and simple. A little more engineering effort into the lighting control module and they could have put the system into AUTO when the wipers are on.

We can take it one step further... How about programming the light control module to use a different threshold for the AUTO headlights, in addition to my suggestion above? In full AUTO mode (ie. using the switch), lights come on when it's dark. In WIPER-ON AUTO, then the lights come on when it's kind of dark, but not if it's a bright rainy day, for instance.

For that matter, on a Canadian car, the WIPER-ON headlights are redundant... we already have the full-time DRLs (again, which I support totally and 200%...)

The problem is that Ford cuts corners... ie. putting WIPER-ON auto headlights on a car with full-time DRLs, making DRLs functional at all times without even checking for parking brake release... heck, some models only activate DRLs once you're in gear! And these cut-corners can irritate sensible folks into wanting to defeat these systems overall.

Rest assured, Murader03, that any modification I do to my car as far as foglamp or DRL/headlight/wiper systems go simply mean I'll be more vigilant in using them manually. As Stephen mentions, he's already a believer in using lights in the rain, so in the end there's really no compromise in safety.

PS: congrats on the Big Event, Stephen.

Murader03
07-06-2003, 12:07 PM
Didn't mean to ruffle any feathers. And I agree they could have done a better job. In fact, I would have like to have seen a variable delay as I had on my old '92 CV. I could adjust when the headlught threashold was as where they came on and for how long after I turned the ignition off at night. As for the wipers on/lights on, there are just to many fools running around in heavy downpours, wet dense fog, etc. who don't have enough brains to know that other people can't see them. Enough said.............

jgc61sr2002
07-06-2003, 02:18 PM
Originally posted by Murader03
Didn't mean to ruffle any feathers. And I agree they could have done a better job. In fact, I would have like to have seen a variable delay as I had on my old '92 CV. I could adjust when the headlught threashold was as where they came on and for how long after I turned the ignition off at night. As for the wipers on/lights on, there are just to many fools running around in heavy downpours, wet dense fog, etc. who don't have enough brains to know that other people can't see them. Enough said............. My 2000 GM also had the variable delay on the lights. You could set them top go off after you parked you car. This gave enough time to get into your home keeping your path well lighted. Seems like FMC always does away with good features. They know how to save a buck. IMHO.

TripleTransAm
07-06-2003, 02:45 PM
Originally posted by jgc61sr2002
My 2000 GM also had the variable delay on the lights. You could set them top go off after you parked you car. This gave enough time to get into your home keeping your path well lighted. Seems like FMC always does away with good features. They know how to save a buck. IMHO.


You mean you CAN'T do this with the Marauder? I *think* I read something about this in the owner's manual, but no mention was made as to how to adjust it (just that it was "adjustable"). It's one of the things I was going to ask the dealer how to do, on my next visit.

Sucks...

jgc61sr2002
07-06-2003, 02:55 PM
TripleTA - The head light switch on the 2000 GM is different than the MM. When you set it to auto headlights on you can turn the dial to the left to keep the lights on ( for longer periods of time) after you shut the car off. Keep us posted.

frdwrnch
07-06-2003, 08:26 PM
My complaint is they got cheap and integrated the autolamp delay timer adjustment w/ the instrument panel dimmer. This is a pain in the a-- because you get the autolamp delay where you want it and the dash lights are too dim. Earlier model G.Marquis had a seperate control for each. PURE FORD MAGIC!

Murader03
07-06-2003, 11:16 PM
Originally posted by frdwrnch
My complaint is they got cheap and integrated the autolamp delay timer adjustment w/ the instrument panel dimmer. This is a pain in the a-- because you get the autolamp delay where you want it and the dash lights are too dim. Earlier model G.Marquis had a seperate control for each. PURE FORD MAGIC!

Well, that's a new twist. IAW the manual, it says the delay is preset by the factory and there isn't any adjustment for it. I'll have to try the delay via the panel light adjust to see......

jgc61sr2002
07-08-2003, 06:32 PM
Originally posted by frdwrnch
My complaint is they got cheap and integrated the autolamp delay timer adjustment w/ the instrument panel dimmer. This is a pain in the a-- because you get the autolamp delay where you want it and the dash lights are too dim. Earlier model G.Marquis had a seperate control for each. PURE FORD MAGIC! What else is new tipical FMC. Look at the decontented 300B :(

Patrick
07-08-2003, 07:05 PM
Congrats Stephen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is just my 2 cents! Not personall!!!! We have laws on the books for certian reasons and this is a GOOD one! When I get in car in bad weather or hit and miss rain, After I start the car, get the right music going, ( AC/DC, Back in black is my currant choice) I turn on the head lights and fog lights. We have enough stupid drivers as we need. Putting my LIFE in danger as well as others. Sum people NEED a computer to help them out!!!!

And yes Black does blend in, I think I might start turning on mine all the time!! Thanks for that tip!!! Forgot who mentioned it! Sorry!!

I would to be around to keep posting this site!!!!!

LincMercLover
07-08-2003, 08:56 PM
Tis one of the reasons why I run around town with running and fog on all the time.

jgc61sr2002
07-09-2003, 06:57 AM
Patick - I agree. You can never have enough light. I am thinking about installing the DLR kit in my MM.

TripleTransAm
07-09-2003, 08:04 AM
Originally posted by jgc61sr2002
Patick - I agree. You can never have enough light. I am thinking about installing the DLR kit in my MM.


Based on some info RC posted a few months back, I think the only difference between the Canadian and US models is the presence of the DRL module instead of a 'dummy plug'. So, in theory, it should really only involve purchasing and installing the module (located up front just ahead of the radiator) and installing 1 or 2 fuses in the appropriate locations (provided the wiring is there from the factory, of course... can someone confirm the US cars still have the wiring present, just no module?) .

Personally, I'm all for DRLs... provided I have a way to turn them off (like, when working on the car in the driveway with the key ON or the engine running, or when I'm at a Drive-in theater, or at a Fireworks show, etc.)