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Author Topic: Turning Off Headlights in Drive-In Joshua Waaland Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 800 From: Cleveland, Ohio Registered: Dec 1999 posted 06-16-2005 08:09 PM                     My wife and I went to a local drive-in last saturday night. We usually go about once a year. I always run into the same problem everytime we go though. I cannot turn off my headlights. I have a 1999 Chevy pickup and I have no control whatsoever over the headlights. They are the automatic kind which come on and shut off by themselves. In fact, I don't even see why they put a switch on the dash at all. It doesn't work to try to turn the knob to off when the lights are on at night because it won't shut them off.(now they don't even trust us to turn on our own headlights?) I read the owner's manual and couldn't find a way to get them to turn off. Only leaving the parking brake on when you start the car will make them stay off but then I can't drive with the brake on. When we showed up to the first movie we were late (it was a last minute idea)and I couldn't park because I didn't want to disturb the other people. Anyone else have this problem? I thought about cutting the wires and installing a toggle switch. When I lived in an apartment I couldn't come home late and park in front of someone else's apartment for fear of the headlights in their bedroom window waking them up. Anyone have any ideas? [ 06-16-2005, 10:22 PM: Message edited by: Joshua Waaland ]  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 06-16-2005 08:53 PM                        I believe I am correct in this: I think there is a software control that your dealer can change. You may note that rental cars are like this. My understanding is that if you purchase a used rental car; you can elect to have certain things "changed." If I am right, then there IS a need for the headlight switch. Good luck!! Louis  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-16-2005 09:20 PM                        There is probably a hidden control to turn off this "feature." On my Volvo, it's a little unmarked screw next to the headlight switch. Your car probably has something similar, although it might be in a less-accessible place (under the hood, perhaps).  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 06-16-2005 09:28 PM                        Where is the photocell which tells it it is night? That should be somewhere somewhat accesible, so that you might be able to make your modification there.  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-16-2005 09:55 PM                     No, it's "Daytime Running Lights". The headlights are on at all times whether you have the switch turned on or not. It's a FEATURE of many new cars. I also believe it's a requirement for new cars in Canada. I don't have a problem with DRL, per se, but I have always believed that there should be a way to manually override them. My thought that there would be a button you pressed to douse the headlights until the next time you alter the position of the headlight switch, hit the hi-beams or until you shut the ignition off.  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 06-16-2005 10:12 PM                       The trick is to apply your parking brake ONE NOTCH. This will kill DRL's in most vehicles, and allow you to drive about the lot. We address this in the Drive-In Policy Trailer, from Screen Attractions. Order from: Screen Attractions Online Catalog  |  IP: Logged Joshua Waaland Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 800 From: Cleveland, Ohio Registered: Dec 1999 posted 06-16-2005 10:17 PM                     Randy, It has daytime running lamps but they are separate bulbs under the headlights. I cannot control any of them. I would like to know if there is a way to "alter" them. Maybe I will do a search.  |  IP: Logged Brad Allen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 688 From: Evansville, IN, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 06-16-2005 11:33 PM                     Ok, I'll play the part of the smart ass. How about show up on time?  |  IP: Logged Joshua Waaland Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 800 From: Cleveland, Ohio Registered: Dec 1999 posted 06-17-2005 06:35 AM                     We didn't get there on time because my wife only thought of the idea about ten minutes before the first film started. It's a fourty-five minute drive and we still had to get all the blankets and pillows and radio together.  |  IP: Logged Oscar Neundorfer Master Film Handler Posts: 275 From: Senoia, GA Registered: May 2000 posted 06-17-2005 06:57 AM                        I feel about these daytime running lights the same as I do about things starting up automatically on my computer: I don't like it. If I want things on, then I will turn them on (with some notable exceptions like my firewall software which should run immediately). I am glad my car does not have this "feature". If it did, I would be disabling it even if it meant cutting into the wiring harness and adding a switch. Also, I find it distracting to see cars with lights on in the daytime. I suppose if all cars did it, and I got used to it, the distraction factor would go away, but I personally have no trouble seeing other cars in the daylight (and even in early dawn or dusk conditions), so I really can't see any reason to do this. I am sure someone will come along with a report about how it reduces accidents because of increased visibility.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-17-2005 09:16 AM                        Here's a page on how to disable daytime running lights: http://www.lightsout.org/disable.html I haven't figured out why car manufacturers would want to force this "feature" on car buyers. Do they make money off lightbulb sales? This morning, I turned on the daytime running lights and tried the parking brake trick; it didn't work on my car, though switching to "parking lights" mode did turn off the headlights (but, of course, turned on the parking lights). Your mileage may vary. Another option for temporarily disabling DRLs would be to remove the fuse for the headlights.  |  IP: Logged Barry Floyd Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1079 From: Lebanon, Tennessee, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 06-17-2005 09:56 AM                        If I'm not mistaken, on the full-sized GM & Chevy trucks, repeatidly pressing the "dome light switch" will over-ride the daytime running light feature. I think we discussed this on the UDITOA disicussion board once, or it may have been mentioned on the Yahoo Drive-In discussion group.  |  IP: Logged Joshua Waaland Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 800 From: Cleveland, Ohio Registered: Dec 1999 posted 06-17-2005 11:52 AM                     I tried the dome override switch this morning but it didn't work. I tried every variation of lights on, lights off, pushing button repeatedly, holding button down and nothing worked.  |  IP: Logged Jason Miller Expert Film Handler Posts: 241 From: Little Rock, AR, Registered: Mar 2004 posted 06-17-2005 12:05 PM                    use a hammer.  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-17-2005 01:06 PM                      |  IP: Logged

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