# Automatic headlights

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-headlights/25241>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** headlights\
**Created:** [January 20, 2009, 5:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-headlights/25241 "2009-01-20T17:06:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![giggy821](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@giggy821](https://community.cartalk.com/u/giggy821)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2009, 5:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-headlights/25241/1 "2009-01-20T17:06:26Z")

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I have a 2001 GMC Jimmy with the automatic headlight feature. The other night my wife was driving on a very dark night and the lights just went out by themselves. She pulled over and restarted the car and they came back on. Since then it has happened again. We are not sure if turning them on manually works or not. The first time it happened though the Daytime running lights did not come on either. Any ideas to the problem. Thank you

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**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2009, 6:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-headlights/25241/2 "2009-01-20T18:42:50Z")

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One way to avoid that is to turn the headlight switch on. There is a chime to remind you to turn the lights off. The dome override switch can cause the headlights to go out. Turning them on manually will make the lights come on. Mine does the same thing but I have to be trying to turn the dome light off and hitting the wrong switch.

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**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2009, 6:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-headlights/25241/3 "2009-01-20T18:55:19Z")

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I think there is a light sensor on the dashboard somewhere. Could there have been a light source shining on the sensor? Was the interior dome light on? What about another light source like the screen of a cell phone? Was the vehicle directly underneath a street lamp?

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**Author:** ![bobc455](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bobc455](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bobc455)\
**Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 4:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-headlights/25241/4 "2009-01-21T16:03:30Z")

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There are some relays for the DRL system that could fail as well. You’d have to do some checking with a multimeter.

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**Author:** ![abc777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4bbf92/32.png) [@abc777](https://community.cartalk.com/u/abc777)\
**Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 5:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-headlights/25241/5 "2009-01-21T17:14:10Z")

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Turning them on manually works, in fact GM recommends using manual, liability I assume.