97 Olds Aurora headlamp issue

[TilliamWe]

I am am asking this to see if someone has specific knowledge of this issue in GM vehicles.
My parents 97 Olds Aurora's headlights won't turn off anymore. It has both Twilight Sentinel and Daytime Running Lamps. The DRLs are apprently working properly, and when it gets dark the headlamps, taillamps, and interior lights come on. But when the car is turned off, they do not turn off after the current 30 second programmed delay. My mom says she can hear it making a moise from inside the dash. She also says that turning the light swittch on the turn signal stalk does absolutely nothing. Doesn't turn them on or off. The fogs lamps have a separate switch and tunr on and off normally.
So is this a wiring issue in the dash? The twilight sentinal thing in the top of the dash going bad? Or an idication that the wiring is shot? Or is it something really silly and simple that they all do eventually? Thanks

 

[Xcusme]

Re: 97 Olds Aurora headlamp issue

I disabled my DRL the day I bought my 98 Venture van. It's a very simple, 1 wire change to disable. The best part is I didn't have to pull the dash or light switch.
I did it for personal reasons, I know when to turn on my lights. I don't need or want it controlled for me. BTW, when I made the change, the dash mounted light switch works like normal, on when I want it, off when I don't, parking lights only when needed too.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: 97 Olds Aurora headlamp issue

DRL and Twighlight Sentinel are two different thing, though. It sounds like you disabled the auto on headlamp feature (twilight sentinel), so that might work for my parents.
Do you remember what wire it was?

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: 97 Olds Aurora headlamp issue

I disabled my DRL the day I bought my 98 Venture van. It's a very simple, 1 wire change to disable. The best part is I didn't have to pull the dash or light switch.
I did it for personal reasons, I know when to turn on my lights. I don't need or want it controlled for me. BTW, when I made the change, the dash mounted light switch works like normal, on when I want it, off when I don't, parking lights only when needed too.

Will that trick work on my 99 Tahoe?

 

[Xcusme]

Re: 97 Olds Aurora headlamp issue

Yea, I meant auto on headlamp feature, not DRL. My van didn't have that feature.

Seems you could get your headlight switch to work normally, but only under the following conditions. The van had to be in Park, and the emergency brake applied. I've long stopped trying to figure out the reasoning for that one...way to go GM.

Anyway, yes, I do remember the wiring change. It's really pretty simple. I got the idea from looking at the wiring diagram. On the rear of the parking brake assembly (left side-drivers kick panel) I found a small mechanical contact switch with a single wire attached with a 1/4" spade connector. This wire gets grounded when the parking brake is applied. Grounding this wire negated the auto headlight feature and the headlight switch worked 'normally'. I removed the wire from the switch and grounded it....done. I made a short jumper, one end with a 1/4" male, the other end a ring connector. I grounded the ring end and plugged the male end into the now removed wire from the parking brake assembly. I could have just grounded the small wire going to the brake switch anywhere along it's length to accomplish the same result. I did the pigtail thing so I could return the original wiring back to factory without any signs of modification.
I heard of some folks pressing the emergency brake until you hit the first 'click' . This would be enough to ground the factory switch wire. I feared driving around with the rear brakes engaged, it was easier to do the wiring mod.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: 97 Olds Aurora headlamp issue

Thanks! I will check that out.I hate those darn DRLs..
On the newer GM trucks (2001 and up) you can turn them off by pushing the round button for the interior lights two or three times.

 

[dolluper]

Re: 97 Olds Aurora headlamp issue

Parking brake>>> closes brake switch .....in park closes neutral safety switch..,If the dash switch will not operate the headlights it has a short in it or the ground is bad.....the ground is your door switches ...in fact the door switchs ground pretty much everything in the dash.....check to see if they work and are not rusted where the switch attaches in the door

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: 97 Olds Aurora headlamp issue

Thanks I will pass that along.