Can a tech 2 turn off automatic headlights?

[rmorton]

On the 98 SSEi, I fed power to the neutral gear position indicator on the light control module full time so I could override the automatic lights at night if I desired. Worked perfectly - light control module thought the car was in neutral all the time so the headlights could be turned off.

But we don't seem to have that same opportunity with the 2000 SSEi. At least, I haven't figured it out. Is there way to defeat the automatic headlights at night?

I got a tech 2 clone and like many others, I really only know how to use it as a diagnostic tool. (Also would love any pointers toward tech 2 training material if anybody has found good stuff.) So I'm also wondering if the tech 2 can be used to achieve my goal?

[crash93ssei]

I don't think there is an option for that. Why do you want to turn them off? When in park you can shut them off by turning the knob, you shouldn't turn them off when driving anyway.

[CMNTMXR57]

1) It isn't a function of the tool. The Tech2 does whatever the PCM/BCM allows it. So if the PCM/BCM allows it as a "personalization" option (for example), then yes. But my guess is that it is not as it's considered a safety feature not to be permanently overriden. I have seen a few GM trucks that do have the option, primarily due to upfitting requirements. But not GM cars.

2) As Ryan mentioned, you can override it via knob OR pull the fuse/relay. However, sometimes pulling the fuse/relay removes other functions (twilight sentinel, etc). So be mindful of that.

[00Beast]

Lane, pretty much all GM trucks that have had auto headlights have been able to disable them. On our 02 Suburban is was push the dome overrride in and out 3 times (that was a neat easter egg), 05 Duramax has a momentary position to the left, as does the GMT900. I'd assume the K2Y's are the same.

Why do you want to turn the lights off? You can set it so just the parking lights are on, but you can't totally disable the lights at night, as far as I know. The only way would maybe be to bypass the sensor, but you'd probably need to use a resistor in the line to make it think it's always daylight outside. I think there's a thread somewhere here on that, but I don't remember the author or title or anything.

[CMNTMXR57]

Yes, Dome overrides have been on their trucks since the GMT400 (i have mine off all the time). OP is asking about DRL's.

[nos4blood70]

As mentioned, only turning the knob will turn off the headlights at night, but only in park. When moving, you're limited to just having the parking lights on.

[rmorton]

There's plenty of reasons to want to be able to turn the lights off. The most recent was when taking the family to a local "Christmas in the park" which is a drive thru Christmas light display. Sign at the entrance states "please turn off your headlights." It's a little embarrassing being one of the only goobers in a long line of cars with his headlights blazing just because GM doesn't think that having the option to turn them off is safe. Other reasons include sometimes not wanting to shine the headlights thru the house windows when pulling up the drive late at nite.

At any rate, it sounds like nobody has done this yet with the 2000+ cars. I will dig up my notes on how I did it on the 98 and see if anybody has any idea of how to make it work on the newer ones. Does anybody have a wiring diagram for the headlights and or light control module?

[CMNTMXR57]

Again, we will repeat, in PARK, turn the knob appropriately and the DRL's/main headlights go off. For driving, only the parking lights will come on. That should be fine, right?

There are manual ways to override it, GM understands that. In some GM vehicles you can pull fuses. In some you can pull relays, in some you can pull the parking brake up one notch, etc... But in the PCM/BCM there usually isn't a permanent solution.

[rmorton]

Yes, that should help. For some reason I had it in my mind that I couldn't find a way to do that even in park. I will try that.

Thanks for the feedback guys!