2002 BUICK

To idle the car without the headlights, set the parking brake then start the car. The headlights won't automatically come on again until you release the parking break. There also may be a programmable option that determines whether or not the headlights come on automatically at dusk. Both of these statements apply to my '99 Regal and I assume other late model Buicks as well.

Roger

Thanks so much....

I'll give it a try tonight.

With many GM vehicles, the only way to turn the lights off in that situation is to apply the parking brake before starting the car, and then the lights will stay off while the brake is on.

One important step not mentioned in these posts. If the lights come on again while standing and you want them back off, you will need to _wait_ for the delay off cycle to turn them off, after shutting off the ignition, (or pull the owners manual to find out the override-off procedure, but by then they will be off on their own). THEN, after the delay off, restart your car with the parking brake set to keep the lights off. Now, isn't that procedure just so intuitive and convenient?! :-)

Curious, which Buick model do you have? Some model GMs with auto-light control do not typically turn the lights on when its raining, snowing or foggy during the day. Some models seem to be tied into the wipers so they do, but not all are. You may find that in many cases (like daytime fog situations) you might likely still need to manually turn your lights on to comply with many state vehicle lighting laws (all lights required in fog for example). Also, be careful that the auto system doesn't start with the lights on on a foggy morning when leaving your home only to turn them off without you noticing (when they shouldn't) at some point before arriving at your destination. Don't rely 100% on the auto feature, in other words, it isn't reliable on many models (except for night only use). _Always_ use the manual switch to turn the lights on no matter what when you need lights for daytime inclement weather, limited sight distance situations or any other state law mandated situations (construction zones in some states).

Hope that helps...

| > I DONT WANT THE HEADLIGHTS ON ! | >

| > I thought if I "out-waited" it, | > the car would realize it's still in PARK, | > and turn the lights off. | >

| > NOPE ! | >

| > I've scanned the owners manual, | > but can't find anything about forcing the headlights "off". | >

| > Am I missing something here ? | > | |

Yes the headlamp switch! Take a look at it! Specifically for the automatic position. Turn if off.

mike hunt

"" wrote:

In many of the GM vehicles with Auto lighting, there is no "Off." Only an "Auto."

Name one, please. Perhaps you are referring to DRL's?

mike hunt

Isaac Beard wrote:

Nope, not DRLs...headlamps/dash/tail and marker lamps at night. Name a model?...2003 Malibu...the "light switch" does NOT have a "Off" position. Impala is the same, as I understand it. The positions on the "light switch" are...

"Auto" | "Park"| "Head"...that's it!!

At night, you _can't_ turn off _any_ of the lights (tail/parking/dash lights) by the so called "light switch" (Pure GM idiocy at it's worst). The switch basically does NOTHING at night! One person in this NG called GM's so called "light switch" implementation in his Impala as a "ornament" or "decoration stick" he was so frustrated with it. One has to perform a unrelated unintuitive ritual similar to swinging a dead chicken over ones head six times to the left and four times to the right while jumping up and down on your left foot in order to turn the lights off (rather to keep them from coming on in the 1st place since once they're on there is nothing that can be done to turn them off without turning off the engine and waiting for the delay cycle to extinguish them!).

| > In many of the GM vehicles with Auto lighting, there is no "Off." Only | > an "Auto."

Not so, the 'Park' position will turn the headlamps off. If you set the parking brake or disable the DRL feature the other lamps will go off as well. If you live in Canada you do not have the option of disabling DRL's, unfortunately.

mike hunt

"James C. Reeves" wrote:

Another example: The "park" position in a 1999 Regal will NOT turn off the headlamps or prevent them from turning on automatically. Later Regals have this capability, but my '99 does not. You can either pull the DRL fuse to disable the DRL and the automatic headlamp feature with no other "side effects" or you can set the parking brake before you turn on the ignition.

Roger

That's easy: My 2002 Pontiac Grand Am. There's three settings: ON, parking lights, and Auto. That's it.

Nope! Once again, I know of GM vehicles where the headlamps are ON at night, even in Park.

Park will ONLY turn off the DRLs. But of the ALC has turned on the headlights, then they stay on. The only time they remain off is if you start the car with the parking brake set.

What part of, the 'Park' position will turn the headlamps off, didn't you understand? Read you manual, the parking brake should be used whenever the vehicle is parked. It's your vehicle you can do as you please but if you ever saw the skimpy little parking pall in the transmission, that you trust your vehicle to when you don't use the parking brake you would understand why you should always us the parking brake.

mike hunt

Isaiah Beard wrote:

| | Isaiah Beard wrote: | >

| > snipped-for-privacy@mailcity.com wrote: | >

| > > Not so, the 'Park' position will turn the headlamps off. | >

| > Nope! Once again, I know of GM vehicles where the headlamps are ON at | > night, even in Park. | >

| > Park will ONLY turn off the DRLs. But of the ALC has turned on the | > headlights, then they stay on. The only time they remain off is if you | > start the car with the parking brake set.

This describes _exactly_ as the 2003 Malibu I used to own worked...drove me absolutely crazy until I just dumped the damn thing! Headlamps WOULD NOT turn off once they were turned on by the ambient light sensor. Not when placing the tranny in Park. Not when setting the parking brake. Not anything done with the so called bogus light switch. The ONLY way to have them off at night when needed with the engine running is to never release the parking brake. Once you release the parking brake (even in Park), on come the headlights never to go out again until you kill the engine and wait until the delay cycle activated. The DRLs needed both the brake released AND the tranny out of Park and they WOULD go off when placing in Park or setting the parking brake. It certainly is more confusing than it needs to be...good going GM!!! You've made a car that is just like the VCR...which studies show only 2% if the owners fully understand it's unintuitive functions!

Nope, it doesn't...not on the 2003 Malibu I had. If it did, explain then how the delay off feature would work if the lights actually would turn off immediately when placing the tranny in Park! ;-)

| If you set the parking brake or disable the DRL feature | the other lamps will go off as well.

Nope, parking brake will turn them on when released, but once on will not turn them back off when set. You must kill the engine and wait for the delay cycle to kill the lights and restart the engine with the brake set. BTW: You can't "disable" the DRL either.

| If you live in Canada you do not have the | option of disabling DRL's, unfortunately.

You don't in the US either...well not with GM vehicles at least (most other manufactures you can though)