auto lights issue, changed photocell but no cigar

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[npfd]

hi all,

I posted a few posts on the autolights issue, or twilight sentinel problems. With the lights not coming on at night at the start. I have to manually select the light switch to have the headlights/dash come on.

I went ahead and changed the photo cell, based on voltage readings, at the DRL unit I couldn't get the measurements for the photocell, but at the photocell connectors I read the voltage fine. This photocell costed a good bit due to being a discontinued part, and shipping etc... its kind of frustrating now that this didn't solve the problem.

What I find strange is after 10 mins of driving around and playing with the switch headlight switch, and I put it to off then the lights work, e.g. stay on. Another problem we had is lights randomly coming on during the day...

Does anyone have any ideas and cost effective solutions?

When coming to get the new photo cell I called around the scrapyards here and they dont have a similar W-body lying around, e.g. same years for the autolights.

This is on a 97 Cutlass Supreme sedan, Canadian version.

Thanks.

[SofaKingWeToddDid]

run new wires to drl from photocel

[npfd]

hey there,
thanks for the quick reply.

Could the wires go bad? I was thinking the DRL is the unit with the purple heatsink? Or the black box with two connectors in which I was testing from? I think that was the DRL unit, but the purple thingy is also a DRL....

thanks...

[94CutlassVert]

here is a pm i got when i was looking into adding this to my car i will just directly paste it here it may help you out on what is what

in order to add DRL's and AUTO headlights to you car, you will need to get some parts from a junkyard.

You will need the DRL module, the DIODE box, and the light sensor on the dash.  The easiest way to get these parts is to look for a 1996 or newer GEN 1 w-body.  1996 Grand Prix, 1996-1997 Cutlass Supreme, 1996 Regal.

The light sensor is mounted in the DEFROSTER GRILL on the top of the dash.  Both the DRL module, and the DIODE BOX are under the DRIVERS SIDE of the dash attached to the box that the EBCM is in. 

What I recommend doing is finding a car that has them, and pull out as much of the wiring as you can.  I would try to get the whole dash harness out out of the car, untape it, and pull each wire out.  You are going to have to add in some wires, mount some things, etc.

The easiest way to see if a car in the junkyard has DRL's is to open the DRIVERS DOOR, remove the side cover on the dash (it is just a jellybean shaped access panel that pulls right off), and shine a light in there (there might be enough daylight to see it), and look for the DIODE BOX.  It is PURPLE.

Here are some pics to show you what to look for.

This is the inside of the drivers side access panel.  The dark purple box is the DIODE BOX.  If a car has that purple thing, then it has DRL's.



This is the underside of the drivers side of the dash.  This is just looking up on the underside of the dash.  You can see the EBCM (ABS computer), the DIODE BOX, and the DRL MODULE. 



If you get those 2 modules, and the sensor in the defroster grill (I don't have a pic of it, but if you pull the dash grill off you will see it in the underside.  You just twist it off.  It will be BLUE in colour), then you will have everything but the wiring diagram.  Get those parts, and I will do a write up for you on how to wire it into your car.

[npfd]

Thanks 94CutlassVert,

I will keep tinkering with this and see what I can come up with.