Switching off the headlights? (Vibe 2009)

alex_nrv · Post by **alex_nrv** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 9:57 pm

Hey there!There's one little thing that bugs me, though I don't use this method often, but it comes handy from time to time...All the cars I had and drove in the past, even early 2000s (don't know for more recent 2000s ones), when you had the handbrake ON, the headlights would turn off. There is some upside to be able to do this, in th elines of privacy and respect of others. I used to pull the handbrake 1 click when driving on a camping or at the cine-park. Now, during the movie, if I want to start the car, I shoot light as long the car is running...Is there something I am missing to be able to switch off the headlights on the Vibe 2009 ?The only "clever" but "ridiculous" way I figured would be to have some kind of light taped over the light sensor on the dash, but even then, I think the daylamps would still run...This is a tad of a bad engineering in my opinion. It's always useful to be able to shut the lights. Maybe it's illegal now for car manufacturers to give the opportunity to the driver to drive in "ghost mode"... I don't know.If anyone knows anything, please share it with me!Thaaanks!!

MotoAce51 · Post by **MotoAce51** » Thu Oct 06, 2011 6:02 am

Had the same issue with my 04. I put a thing in another thread about this. The best fix is to bypass the sensor with adding a switch in series.

vibenvy · Post by **vibenvy** » Thu Oct 06, 2011 8:28 am

Disabling the AHLs & DRLs on 2009 - 2010 Vibes.

metaxa44 · Post by **metaxa44** » Sun Oct 09, 2011 12:58 pm

Ok, I just did it...It toke 10 minutes total...You can pry the sensor out with two small flat head ...Than just disconnect it and put electric tape between connections ..Push them together a litle bit and tape them together before you push the sensor back in place , just incase you ever hook them back again...I went this way because I wanted my DRL automatic , but wanted to control my head lights...

alex_nrv · Post by **alex_nrv** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 4:12 am

Quote, originally posted by metaxa44 Â»Ok, I just did it...It toke 10 minutes total...You can pry the sensor out with two small flat head ...Than just disconnect it and put electric tape between connections ..Push them together a litle bit and tape them together before you push the sensor back in place , just incase you ever hook them back again...I went this way because I wanted my DRL automatic , but wanted to control my head lights...AWESOME!DRL... = Daytime Running Lights? or something like that?So, the way you hacked the system, you still have the daylights turning ON at any time? These are still bright enough to drive at night if you don't turn the headlights ON?But, if I want to have a complete black-out, let's say at the drive-in cinema (cine-park), I would need to follow the other procedure of cutting the blue wire going to the DRL module?Thanks for the clarifications!

09vGT · Post by **09vGT** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 4:50 am

Quote, originally posted by alex_nrv Â»AWESOME!DRL... = Daytime Running Lights? or something like that?So, the way you hacked the system, you still have the daylights turning ON at any time? These are still bright enough to drive at night if you don't turn the headlights ON?But, if I want to have a complete black-out, let's say at the drive-in cinema (cine-park), I would need to follow the other procedure of cutting the blue wire going to the DRL module?Thanks for the clarifications!DRL do equal Day Time Running Lights. They ARE NOT bright enough to drive a night. Plus, none of the other lights, rear lamps, interior lights, etc will come on either.

metaxa44 · Post by **metaxa44** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 2:20 pm

You can manualy control your headligts , but the DRL still work..If you in a drive in you have to shut off the car and pull the hand break in, than you can turn the engine on for heat and everything will be dark..as soon you rerease the hand break the DRL comes on...I tried it ..

alex_nrv · Post by **alex_nrv** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 2:12 am

Quote, originally posted by metaxa44 Â»You can manualy control your headligts , but the DRL still work..If you in a drive in you have to shut off the car and pull the hand break in, than you can turn the engine on for heat and everything will be dark..as soon you rerease the hand break the DRL comes on...I tried it ..Nice! So to summarize:You unplug the sensor on the dash near the windshield...Then, the only thing that is automatic are the DRL. If you want the headlights on at night, you have to manually turn the knob for either parking lights and/or headlights.If you don't want the DRL on, you pull the handbreak.The one single thing I'm not sure about: If you want the DRL turned OFF, do you really have to turn the engine OFF before pulling the handbreak? Normally, all the cars I had in th epast, you could pull the handbreak anytime to get the DRL turned OFF. So this isn'T the case with this hack?Thanks!!

vibenvy · Post by **vibenvy** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 7:11 am

Quote, originally posted by metaxa44 Â»You can manualy control your headligts , but the DRL still work..If you in a drive in you have to shut off the car and pull the hand break in, than you can turn the engine on for heat and everything will be dark..as soon you rerease the hand break the DRL comes on...I tried it ..Quote, originally posted by alex_nrv Â»Nice! So to summarize:You unplug the sensor on the dash near the windshield...Then, the only thing that is automatic are the DRL. If you want the headlights on at night, you have to manually turn the knob for either parking lights and/or headlights.If you don't want the DRL on, you pull the handbreak.The one single thing I'm not sure about: If you want the DRL turned OFF, do you really have to turn the engine OFF before pulling the handbreak? Normally, all the cars I had in th epast, you could pull the handbreak anytime to get the DRL turned OFF. So this isn'T the case with this hack?That sounds like a lot of work! Makes me glad I just snipped the wire .

metaxa44 · Post by **metaxa44** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 11:51 am

Yes , unfortunately you have to shut of the car pull the brakes than turn it back...All my other cars as soon you pull the hand break the lights go out , but not on the Vibe..I do not mind my DRL go on automaticaly because it is a law here in Ontario...

alex_nrv · Post by **alex_nrv** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 1:30 pm

Yeah, well it's not a big deal at all! And I like people having their lights on when needed... some jerks like to run in "ghost mode", and I hate them. Many also drive with only the daylights... aarrggh.I will probably look into doing the light sensor hack like you did, metaxa.But just to be sure, and I asked earlier:When I'll be trying to pop-out the sensor cap from the dash, does it look like it's "meant" to be poped-out or is it more like if you were breaking it out of the dash?And, when you put it back into the dash, does it hold on it's own?My car's pretty new and in really good shape and I don't wanna mess too much around with that kind of thing. But if it pops out really easily and then if there is no wires to cut, just to unplug, then I'm all in to give it a shot!Thanks!!

metaxa44 · Post by **metaxa44** » Sun Oct 23, 2011 10:22 am

Hey Alex,Easy job , just be patient...Use two screw driver to slowly pry it off....I did it at night with a flash light...Now when I turn it on in the morning with the remote no lights come on till I put them on...Like to have control over my cars...

Attached files

alex_nrv · Post by **alex_nrv** » Wed Oct 26, 2011 4:50 am

This morning I parked behind a car and I noticed my daylights reflecting in the car's bumper... so I tried a couple things... pulling the handbrake didn't shut the lamps off, but while the handbrake was ON, I stopped the engine and I restarted it and... the daylights did NOT come on ! I didn't knew that they stayed OFF if the handbrake was ON, until you pull it down. But if it's dark outside, like at the drive-in cinema, the night headlights will come on automatically, I'm pretty sure, since I tried it this summer at the cinema.So, this being said, if I ever get a remote starter for the car, I shoudn't worry about the daylights coming ON unless it's very dark.I will for sure try the sensor hack though, probably next summer, when it's hotter outside!

metaxa44 · Post by **metaxa44** » Sat Oct 29, 2011 7:12 pm

My Montreal Friend ,The job takes 5 minutes and you can have your engine running with heat on...

alex_nrv · Post by **alex_nrv** » Sun Oct 30, 2011 9:24 pm

Hahaha, got it......... Too lazy right now haha!

alex_nrv · Post by **alex_nrv** » Mon Nov 21, 2011 7:58 am

Hey Markham friend, I did the job, finally While I was waiting for the GF at the grocery store, I took my swiss knifw out and started pulling on the sensor cap to see how it would react... and I actually got it out very easily... so I waited to get home do finalize the work.I unplugged it and the I took a tie-wrap to attach the sensor to the wire connector so I would be able to get both of them out if I ever want to plug them back together. I also used some electric tape to be sure the tie wrap wouldn't get unhooked, the way it's made, it could have. When I check the photos I took, I could have just tape the connector to the end of the sensor without it being actually connected, and make an electric tape joint, buit whatever.Thanks a lot, metaxa44, for this little trick/bypass!Here's what it looks like, if anyone is interested in messing around with the daylight sensor:

metaxa44 · Post by **metaxa44** » Mon Nov 21, 2011 11:30 pm

Hey Montreal Friend,I knew you could do it...And it was easy ..Good pictures too ...Glad I could help...

Switching off the headlights? (Vibe 2009)

Switching off the headlights? (Vibe 2009)

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