GM head lights

After reading that here, I tried it but it doesn't work on my van. Not that it really matters to me, I don't care if they are on all the time. Well actually the only time it bothers me is after a tractor trailer passes me, it's difficult to blink the lights to let him know it's clear for him to pull over into my lane again. Ok, it also makes it difficult to warn oncoming traffic of an emergency situation ahead. This could be an accident over the other side of a hill, or a cop with radar.

Now that is just plain f*cked up!

Reply to
Tony Miklos
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Glad you're still around to talk about it, even if we didn't see brake issues the same way.

Reply to
SgtSilicon

How do you know it does work?

Even so, with no rear sensors letting it know which side is locked up, it would have to pulse both sides! Shitty setup if I ever heard of one.

Reply to
Tony Miklos

I can't imagine what conditions would require the headlights being on, when parked. H

Reply to
Hairy

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Both my 95 Taurus [with no DRL] and 2001 Impala flash headlights when I pull on the high-beam switch whether or not the headlights are on.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Elbrecht

Yes, but flashing the highbeams on the Taurus would be much more noticeable since they're going from complete off to complete on. The Impala uses the high beams as DRLs at slightly reduced intensity. So you're not really "flashing" them. The best you can do on the Impala is go from a dimmer light level to a brighter light level...the person you're intending to "signal" a warning will likely miss your signal as a result. One of many reasons why the high beam implementation is the worst of all DRL designs.

Reply to
James C. Reeves

Maybe, but it basically gives you full control the light system. I don't drive that vehicle often, but that's my best recollection of the behavior of that system the last time I drove it at night.

Reply to
Mike Levy

Think about the typical plumbing of the rear brake lines. A single line runs to the rear axle where it connects to a block that then distributes the pressure to both wheels. Only need one sensor, only one line to pulse, that sensor is in the tailshaft of the transmission.

Reply to
Mike Levy

And before ABS, the plumbing to the right and left front brakes were also on the same line, distributing the same pressure to each front wheel. They changed the front, why not the rear also? When towing and adding 750 pounds of tongue weight to the rear (add in the leverage factor and it's more than an extra 750 pounds to the rear wheels), they would be capable of more than the normal 20% braking. Why not use it? I know, I'm just being anal. They aren't going to design anything different for the few who use the vehicle for towing.

Reply to
Tony Miklos

Strange as it seems, not everyone has the vehicle parked while running the parking lights.

But back to the previous post, if conditions warrant full headlights being on, why would you only turn on the parking lights anyway? That sounds like a safety feature, if it's dark enough for the headlights to be on, you don't accidentally drive with only the parking lights and only the DRL on.

Reply to
Tony Miklos

Not to mention that the universal signal for telling a tractor trailer that he is clear to pull into your lane is to flash the lights off and on, NOT to go dim-bright or high-low beams. Flashing high beams is more often interpreted as a warning for a dangerous situation, not safety.

Reply to
Tony Miklos

Yeah, I know. It's like asking what day of the week Good Friday will fall on this year. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what 'parking' lights are for. The cops around here will cheerfully point out that error with a ticket, since it's illegal to run parking lights on a public roadway. H

Reply to
Hairy

The DRLs on the Regal are the parking lights inboard of the headlights.

Reply to
Mike Levy

Not quite. The DRLs on said vehicle (current iteration) are the turn signal filament, not the parking lamp filament...although the parking lamp and turn signals are contained within the same lamp housing (and bulb, for that matter).

Reply to
James C. Reeves

Well..... how long are you going to keep me in suspense?

Reply to
Tony Miklos

Hmm. Learn something new everyday. So these DRLs are only the front turn signal filaments and no other lights? Are these lights behind amber or red lens'? And with the light switch off, the headlights are on low, and turning on the parking lights turns off the headlight DRLs?

Well from what others said about it being illegal to drive with just the parking lights on, I guess it all makes sense in a strange wort of way.

Are the turn signal bulbs at full brightness? If so they must get hot! They are normally only on intermittently. I knew a trucker who insisted on putting brighter bulbs in his running lights. He was always replacing melted light fixtures.

Reply to
Tony Miklos

On some models, yes. GM has many many different implementations though. Some are high beams at reduced intensity. Some are headlamps at reduced or full intensity. Some are completely separate/dedicated units (on some large trucks/SUVs) and others are the turn signal lamp at "near-continuous" duty at full intensity (they still blink when signaling, then return to being continuously lit after the signaling is completed).

| Are these lights behind amber or red lens'?

Amber lens AND/OR amber coated bulb in those implementations. Red lamps are not allowed on the front of vehicles.

| And with the light switch off,

You're funny. There is no such thing as a "off" position on the light switch on most GM vehicles...The "off" position is replaced by the "Auto" position. Just so you know...you can't turn all lights off on most models today, even in the daytime...even if you want to exercise that legal right to do so...your out of luck.

| the headlights are on low,

If the car has headlight DRLs and you put the switch on "auto" and it's daylight out, then yes. If it has turn signal, high beam or separate DRLs then the headlights themselves are off.

| and turning on the parking lights turns off the headlight | DRLs?

Depends on the implementation. On the Malibu I had (which had headlight-type DRLs) the answer is yes at night and no during the day. But, different GM models with the same type of headlamp DRL behave differently. The problem with the Malibu is that IF you make the mistake and turn on only the "running lights/parking lights" when it is still fairly bright outside (say in daytime fog conditions) the headlamp DRLs are still lit. However if it eventually gets dark enough during your trip to trigger the ambient light sensor (the so-called "auto" light control system)...the headlight bulbs will actually go OFF (on their own)!!! Great desigh...huh!?

| | Well from what others said about it being illegal to drive with just the | parking lights on, I guess it all makes sense in a strange wort of way.

No it doesn't. GM's lighting control systems makes no sense at all! The fact that GM has dozens upon dozens of types and implementations and functional differences between models and model years within the same models speaks volumes upon volumes upon volumes to the fact that even GM is extremely confused about their own light control systems and how they _should_ work. Damn sad, if you ask me! The NHTSA should really crack down on all this oddball lighting stuff...set some standards!!!

| | Are the turn signal bulbs at full brightness?

If they are turn signal DRLs...yes...full brigntness.

| If so they must get hot!

Sure. That's normal and understood.

| They are normally only on intermittently.

Normal is the operative word. By definition then, are you saying GM's system is abnormal? ;-) Not that I disagree. The standard bulb duty cycle is designed for intermittant service, so burn out fairly quickly.

| I knew a trucker who insisted on putting brighter bulbs | in his running lights. He was always replacing melted | light fixtures.

That is only because he was using over-wattage bulbs...the housings weren't designed to dissipate the additional heat.

I've heard that there are problems with burnt and cracked lamp sockets though...not so much problem with melted hosings and lenses. Of course the larger problem really is that the duty cycle of the signal filament within the duel-filamant bulb is designed for intermittant service...so a special long-life version of the bulb should be used if it is a DRL (or just know you'll need to replace your bulbs once or twice a year if using the standard bulb). I believe GM is the only place that the special bulb can be purchased (last I heard). Hmmm....

| | -- | Tony

Reply to
James C. Reeves

The Jeep guys talk about pulling the fuse to go rock cralling????? Pat

Reply to
pat smith

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