Automatic Lights stopped working - 1998 Corolla

If the daytime running lights were disconnected, I believe that the automatic headlight feature is also disconnected. Is the headlight switch in the "auto" position?

Ray,

Can you clarify what you mean by the "auto" position? The way I understand it is that the headlight switch is left in the "off" position--Prior to this issue, I don't believe that I ever needed to even use the headlight switch. It remained in the off position, and everything happened automatically.

Hmmm, I had assumed that vehicles with daytime running lights and automatic headlights had a headlight switch with 4 positions.

1) Off - only DRL's are on, full headlights and tail lights do not come on. 2) Parking - DRL's, parking lights, and tail lights are on. 3) On - full headlights and tail lights on. 4) Auto - DRL's during the day time and full head lights and tail lights at night. This is the position we leave our Avalon, Sequoia, and Lexus for automatic headlight operation.

Much like the OP, I don't have an 'auto' either. On my 2002 CE Corolla, I have OFF (which is what it's always on..), ON, and then a mode for just the parking lights I guess. There is no 'auto.'

When I start my car and the parking brake is ENGAGED -- no automatic lights at all.

When I start my car and the parking brake is DIS-ENGAGED -- the DRL's come on first, if it's light out, they stay that way. If it becomes dark or is dark, my headlights turn on, parking lights, dash lights, etc..

This all happens automatically. I rarely EVER touch the headlight selector thing unless I want all my lights during the day for some reason. The default posistion for my vehicle is just OFF which allows the DRL's and then automatic when the sun goes down. :)

Hmmm, the OP is probably going to have to go back to the dealership to have it diagnosed and repaired, unless the parking brake is engaged when he starts the engine.

I"m pretty sure that the problem is with the DRL main relay.

I do start the car with the parking break engaged--once I release the break, the DRLs come on immediately and stay on during the day. At night, once I release the break the DRLs come on first (80 percent power) and then a few seconds later the light sensor tells the DRL main relay to switch over to full headlight power. Before the problem began, the dash and tail lights would also come on at this same point in time.

There is nothing wrong with the dash or tail lights, since they work when manually switched on. So, I assume that the DRL main relay is the issue, though I'm sure other things could be causing the problem.

I found a used DRL main relay at a junk yard for $27--kinda pricey, but not bad considering the cost of a new one (I've heard around $200).

Let us know if the replacement DRL relay does the trick.