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Cadillac DTS auto lights problem

19 messages,  Last post on Sep 30, 2009 at 3:58 AM

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#1 of 19 Cadillac DTS auto lights problem by louiephipps Dec 02, 2007 (12:26 pm)
I just recently started experiencing a problem with the automatic lights on my '07 DTS. I park the car in a carport. When I start it in the mornings (while the sun is up), the headlights come on in the carport. Normally the lights will go off within one minute. Now they will stay on until I park the car. When I return a few minutes later and start the car again, the lights do not turn on. In addition to the headlights being on all the time, the instrument panel lights are very dim and difficult to read. I bought the car in May and just started experiencing the problem in the past few weeks. I can't get my dealer to understand that I have a problem. Anyone else experiencing a similar problem? Replies to this message: bob247 (Jul 05, 2009 3:28 pm)
#2 of 19 Cadillac DTS auto lights problem [louiephipps] by jasper60103 Dec 03, 2007 (6:06 am)
Louie, your car has Daytime Running Lights, i.e. the headlights should be on all the time.   Also, your car is equipped with "Automatic Headlights With Automatic On and Dusk Sensor". i.e. the headlights and tail lights come on automatically when it gets dark. My guess is the instrument panel goes dim when the automatic headlights turn on (Probably adjusts itself for night time driving?). I would re-adjust the instrument panel lights to an acceptible level when the auto headlights are on.   If the "Automatic Headlights" stay on when driving during daylight hours, then I would suspect something is wrong. Maybe explain this to the service writer. The Automatic headlights should turn off during the day. My guess the sensor or timer is bad.   Hope this helps.   -jasper Replies to this message: louiephipps (Dec 03, 2007 6:30 am) sls002 (Dec 03, 2007 7:45 am) louiephipps (Dec 03, 2007 10:53 am) vic10 (Dec 03, 2007 1:15 pm)
#3 of 19 Re: Cadillac DTS auto lights problem [jasper60103] by louiephipps Dec 03, 2007 (6:30 am)
Replying to: jasper60103 (Dec 03, 2007 6:06 am) Jasper...thanks for the reply. My headlights stay on when I start the car the 1st time in the morning. I drive the car to the dealer and the service writer can see that the headlights will not turn off. He writes it up and then parks the car and turns it off for the mechanic to come work on it. When the mechanic comes along and starts the car, everything works fine and he says he can't find anything wrong. I've told the service writer that I'll just wait until the problem gets worse. I suggested that they need to replace the sensor and or the timer but I get a blank stare when I say that. Replies to this message: sls002 (Dec 03, 2007 7:45 am) louiephipps (Dec 03, 2007 10:53 am) vic10 (Dec 03, 2007 1:15 pm)
#4 of 19 Re: Cadillac DTS auto lights problem [louiephipps] by sls002 Dec 03, 2007 (7:45 am)
Replying to: louiephipps (Dec 03, 2007 6:30 am) The problem here is that we are in the winter months and the sun is now far south of the equator. This means that there is less light in the early morning and your automatic sensor thinks that it is night. So the headlights are turned on and the instrument panel lights are dimmed. Even if you turn off the automatic lights, the instrument panel lights will stay dimmed. I don't know if this is adjustable. The best you can do is to adjust the instrument panel light to be as bright as possible, but don't turn on the interior lights. They will still be dimmer than when the auto system thinks it is daylight out, but they should be bright enough to see, at least without sun glasses on. Replies to this message: louiephipps (Dec 03, 2007 10:53 am) vic10 (Dec 03, 2007 1:15 pm)
#5 of 19 Re: Cadillac DTS auto lights problem [sls002] by louiephipps Dec 03, 2007 (10:53 am)
Replying to: sls002 (Dec 03, 2007 7:45 am) By golly...I think you may be right. That had entered my mind when it first started happening and then I forgot about it. I leave about the same time in the mornings and I now realize that it is taking longer and longer for the lights to finally go off. If the trend reverses after December 21 we'll know for sure. Thanks for the reply.
#6 of 19 Re: Cadillac DTS auto lights problem [sls002] by vic10 Dec 03, 2007 (1:15 pm)
Replying to: sls002 (Dec 03, 2007 7:45 am) Just a follow-up comment: On my 300C I noticed the working of the auto lights is not as much a function of the ambient light as it is of the angle of the sun. In the wintertime, on my drive to and from work, there is more than enough ambient light to drive without headlights--and I often have my sun glasses on because of the glare of the sun sitting lower in the sky--but my headlights come on. Must be an interaction of the sun's angle with the windshield tint. I don't have the dash visibility issue since it's a different design but I do have a detent on the dimmer control that allows for full bright for the radio and trip computer when the lights are on during the day. The DTS must be similar....
#7 of 19 . by sls002 Dec 04, 2007 (7:54 am)
I also find that my auto headlights go off sooner if it is somewhat cloudy (more diffused light) than when the sky is clear.
#8 of 19 2006 DTS Headlight Problem by rctrego Feb 01, 2008 (8:22 pm)
I have a 2006 DTS. When the headlights turn on, about 80% of the time only one headlight comes on. It can be either the left or the right, which ever one decides not to come on. You trun the lights off and back on manually and both lights will come on. This happens both in auto mode or manual mode.   Also note another problem. When i push the map light on, it will come on for about 10 seconds, then it will go on and off a few times and then will stay out.   Any suggestions would be nice.   RCTrego Replies to this message: sls002 (Feb 02, 2008 9:15 am) vanmjim (Sep 29, 2009 3:53 pm) david1234 (Sep 30, 2009 3:58 am)
#9 of 19 Re: 2006 DTS Headlight Problem [rctrego] by sls002 Feb 02, 2008 (9:15 am)
Replying to: rctrego (Feb 01, 2008 8:22 pm) If this car is still under warranty, I would take it to the dealer. I would guess that there is some problem in the wiring or probably a control module somewhere. The map light is probably another problem.
#10 of 19 2006 DTS headlight problems by pattieman Feb 11, 2008 (4:25 am)
While I'm driving at night lights shut off on auto, turn switch on and off they go back on. On auto off they go on but lights go off , sometimes one headlight goes out. Puzzled??? Replies to this message: sls002 (Feb 11, 2008 8:28 am) moosie1 (Feb 11, 2008 2:01 pm)

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