04 Corolla: headlights don't turn off....

Yea, I dug out the manual and found the part about the daytime running
feature. According to this, I should be able to come to a stop, engine
running, and apply the parking brake, and the headlamps should then go
off. But that is no good for my situation, as I am supposed to have
the lights switched off when approaching the guard shack, BEFORE
stopping at it. I am an avionics tech/electrician so I can easily add
a switch on the dash somewhere to turn them off. A lot of work for
some stupid feature not needed in the first place! I guess the next
thing the nanny govt. will mandate is that the car won't move forward
unless all passengers are buckled in...and of course no way to
over-ride that, either. Thanks, geronimo

On Tue, 04 Mar 2008 13:05:52 GMT, Jeff <kidsdoc2000 RemoveThis @hotmail.com>
wrote:

>geronimo wrote:
>> The headlights are ALWAYS on! I switch the headlights to OFF on the
>> stalk, but the headlights do not turn off. They do dim very slightly,
>> so I would think the stalk switch itself is OK. I just bought the car
>> with 80K miles. The seller says that there is nothing wrong, its a
>> security feature for them to be on whenever the car is on. This might
>> be OK for most people but not for me. I work nights on a military
>> base, and the guards are upset with me if I don't turn off my
>> headlights when approaching the gate...it blinds them. I just have a
>> hard time believing they are designing cars with headlights that
>> cannot be turned off.
>
>They're called daytime running lights (DRLs).
>
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daytime_running_lamp
>
>You may have a switch that lets you turn the DRL feature on or off. Read
>your owner's manual. And, if you don't have one, get one.
>
>Jeff
 >> Stay informed about: 04 Corolla: headlights don't turn off.... 

geronimo <Jamesw.TakeThisOut@grandecom.net> wrote in
news:edhqs39co9cke179sprfj593gnmcl7gfqu@4ax.com:

> The headlights are ALWAYS on! I switch the headlights to OFF on the
> stalk, but the headlights do not turn off. They do dim very slightly,
> so I would think the stalk switch itself is OK. I just bought the car
> with 80K miles. The seller says that there is nothing wrong, its a
> security feature for them to be on whenever the car is on. This might
> be OK for most people but not for me. I work nights on a military
> base, and the guards are upset with me if I don't turn off my
> headlights when approaching the gate...it blinds them. I just have a
> hard time believing they are designing cars with headlights that
> cannot be turned off.



They are called Daytime Running Lamps (DRLs).

Many people are annoyed at them, so many that Toyota has issued a document
describing how to turn them off.

I can email this document if you wish. You can then have your local dealer
or a garage perform the work of disabling the DRLs.


--
Tegger
 >> Stay informed about: 04 Corolla: headlights don't turn off.... 

Yes, please do email the doc!

I went and looked at the dash sensor. It is funny....it is just a gray
plastic (and opaque!) button that I can't pull up. How can it sense
anything when it is just an opaque plastic button? It appears like a
filler. But obviously the car does have this feature. I found
through google that on some cars, all you have to do is pull the
sensor up, and insulate one terminal, and this defeats the feature.
Thanks, geronimo



On Tue, 4 Mar 2008 13:20:53 +0000 (UTC), Tegger <tegger.RemoveThis@tegger.c0m>
wrote:

>geronimo <Jamesw.RemoveThis@grandecom.net> wrote in
>news:edhqs39co9cke179sprfj593gnmcl7gfqu@4ax.com:
>
>> The headlights are ALWAYS on! I switch the headlights to OFF on the
>> stalk, but the headlights do not turn off. They do dim very slightly,
>> so I would think the stalk switch itself is OK. I just bought the car
>> with 80K miles. The seller says that there is nothing wrong, its a
>> security feature for them to be on whenever the car is on. This might
>> be OK for most people but not for me. I work nights on a military
>> base, and the guards are upset with me if I don't turn off my
>> headlights when approaching the gate...it blinds them. I just have a
>> hard time believing they are designing cars with headlights that
>> cannot be turned off.
>
>
>
>They are called Daytime Running Lamps (DRLs).
>
>Many people are annoyed at them, so many that Toyota has issued a document
>describing how to turn them off.
>
>I can email this document if you wish. You can then have your local dealer
>or a garage perform the work of disabling the DRLs.
 >> Stay informed about: 04 Corolla: headlights don't turn off.... 

geronimo wrote:
> Yes, please do email the doc!
>
> I went and looked at the dash sensor. It is funny....it is just a gray
> plastic (and opaque!) button that I can't pull up. How can it sense
> anything when it is just an opaque plastic button? It appears like a
> filler. But obviously the car does have this feature. I found
> through google that on some cars, all you have to do is pull the
> sensor up, and insulate one terminal, and this defeats the feature.
> Thanks, geronimo
>
>
>
> On Tue, 4 Mar 2008 13:20:53 +0000 (UTC), Tegger <tegger.DeleteThis@tegger.c0m>
> wrote:
>
>> geronimo <Jamesw.DeleteThis@grandecom.net> wrote in
>> news:edhqs39co9cke179sprfj593gnmcl7gfqu@4ax.com:
>>
>>> The headlights are ALWAYS on! I switch the headlights to OFF on the
>>> stalk, but the headlights do not turn off. They do dim very slightly,
>>> so I would think the stalk switch itself is OK. I just bought the car
>>> with 80K miles. The seller says that there is nothing wrong, its a
>>> security feature for them to be on whenever the car is on. This might
>>> be OK for most people but not for me. I work nights on a military
>>> base, and the guards are upset with me if I don't turn off my
>>> headlights when approaching the gate...it blinds them. I just have a
>>> hard time believing they are designing cars with headlights that
>>> cannot be turned off.
>>
>>
>> They are called Daytime Running Lamps (DRLs).
>>
>> Many people are annoyed at them, so many that Toyota has issued a document
>> describing how to turn them off.
>>
>> I can email this document if you wish. You can then have your local dealer
>> or a garage perform the work of disabling the DRLs.
>

The sensor can be adjusted for darkness levels. The dealer may be able
to disable it entirely if you explain to them nicely that it is a
security issue for the United States Military.
 >> Stay informed about: 04 Corolla: headlights don't turn off.... 

The Toyota dealership will want to charge an arm and leg for disabling
it.
Looks like all that has to be done is cut red/wh wire going to term 12
of DRL module to disable DRL and auto-lights feature.






On Tue, 04 Mar 2008 09:14:15 -0500, "Ph@Boy" <user.TakeThisOut@example.net> wrote:

>geronimo wrote:
>> Yes, please do email the doc!
>>
>> I went and looked at the dash sensor. It is funny....it is just a gray
>> plastic (and opaque!) button that I can't pull up. How can it sense
>> anything when it is just an opaque plastic button? It appears like a
>> filler. But obviously the car does have this feature. I found
>> through google that on some cars, all you have to do is pull the
>> sensor up, and insulate one terminal, and this defeats the feature.
>> Thanks, geronimo
>>
>>
>>
>> On Tue, 4 Mar 2008 13:20:53 +0000 (UTC), Tegger <tegger.TakeThisOut@tegger.c0m>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> geronimo <Jamesw.TakeThisOut@grandecom.net> wrote in
>>> news:edhqs39co9cke179sprfj593gnmcl7gfqu@4ax.com:
>>>
>>>> The headlights are ALWAYS on! I switch the headlights to OFF on the
>>>> stalk, but the headlights do not turn off. They do dim very slightly,
>>>> so I would think the stalk switch itself is OK. I just bought the car
>>>> with 80K miles. The seller says that there is nothing wrong, its a
>>>> security feature for them to be on whenever the car is on. This might
>>>> be OK for most people but not for me. I work nights on a military
>>>> base, and the guards are upset with me if I don't turn off my
>>>> headlights when approaching the gate...it blinds them. I just have a
>>>> hard time believing they are designing cars with headlights that
>>>> cannot be turned off.
>>>
>>>
>>> They are called Daytime Running Lamps (DRLs).
>>>
>>> Many people are annoyed at them, so many that Toyota has issued a document
>>> describing how to turn them off.
>>>
>>> I can email this document if you wish. You can then have your local dealer
>>> or a garage perform the work of disabling the DRLs.
>>
>
>The sensor can be adjusted for darkness levels. The dealer may be able
>to disable it entirely if you explain to them nicely that it is a
>security issue for the United States Military.
 >> Stay informed about: 04 Corolla: headlights don't turn off.... 

geronimo wrote:
> The Toyota dealership will want to charge an arm and leg for disabling
> it.
> Looks like all that has to be done is cut red/wh wire going to term 12
> of DRL module to disable DRL and auto-lights feature.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Tue, 04 Mar 2008 09:14:15 -0500, "Ph@Boy" <user.RemoveThis@example.net> wrote:
>
>> geronimo wrote:
>>> Yes, please do email the doc!
>>>
>>> I went and looked at the dash sensor. It is funny....it is just a gray
>>> plastic (and opaque!) button that I can't pull up. How can it sense
>>> anything when it is just an opaque plastic button? It appears like a
>>> filler. But obviously the car does have this feature. I found
>>> through google that on some cars, all you have to do is pull the
>>> sensor up, and insulate one terminal, and this defeats the feature.
>>> Thanks, geronimo
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Tue, 4 Mar 2008 13:20:53 +0000 (UTC), Tegger <tegger.RemoveThis@tegger.c0m>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> geronimo <Jamesw.RemoveThis@grandecom.net> wrote in
>>>> news:edhqs39co9cke179sprfj593gnmcl7gfqu@4ax.com:
>>>>
>>>>> The headlights are ALWAYS on! I switch the headlights to OFF on the
>>>>> stalk, but the headlights do not turn off. They do dim very slightly,
>>>>> so I would think the stalk switch itself is OK. I just bought the car
>>>>> with 80K miles. The seller says that there is nothing wrong, its a
>>>>> security feature for them to be on whenever the car is on. This might
>>>>> be OK for most people but not for me. I work nights on a military
>>>>> base, and the guards are upset with me if I don't turn off my
>>>>> headlights when approaching the gate...it blinds them. I just have a
>>>>> hard time believing they are designing cars with headlights that
>>>>> cannot be turned off.
>>>>
>>>> They are called Daytime Running Lamps (DRLs).
>>>>
>>>> Many people are annoyed at them, so many that Toyota has issued a document
>>>> describing how to turn them off.
>>>>
>>>> I can email this document if you wish. You can then have your local dealer
>>>> or a garage perform the work of disabling the DRLs.
>> The sensor can be adjusted for darkness levels. The dealer may be able
>> to disable it entirely if you explain to them nicely that it is a
>> security issue for the United States Military.
>
I'm pretty sure it's accessed through the ECM. Just wear your uniform
and explain the situation of your funds. If I were running the service
department it wouldn't cost you a plug nickel. Thanks.
 >> Stay informed about: 04 Corolla: headlights don't turn off.... 

geronimo <Jamesw.TakeThisOut@grandecom.net> wrote in
news:ehmqs3pd44jqier8enel3ogvthbc7jd1g9@4ax.com:

>
> The Toyota dealership will want to charge an arm and leg for disabling
> it.
> Looks like all that has to be done is cut red/wh wire going to term 12
> of DRL module to disable DRL and auto-lights feature.



Sounds like you may already have got it from somebody. But check your mail
anyway.


--
Tegger
 >> Stay informed about: 04 Corolla: headlights don't turn off....