Disable automatic lights/rain sensors?

[pes2013]

Hello

Im looking at a car that has automatic light/rain sensors. Are these easy to disable so it can go completely manual?

Thank you

[linsook]

I assumed all cars that come with automatic rain sensors have an option to turn on or off.

[Brandon H Supervisor]

I assumed all cars that come with automatic rain sensors have an option to turn on or off.

nope, not at all. many just have the options of auto or on

[Draconian Guppy]

@brando seriously :s one would think that should be standard!

[Raa]

The ones i've experienced have the normal wiper choices (Off/Int/On/Fast), but include the rain sensing option. The rain sense only works on these when the wipers are switched to anything other than "off". I find it very good in my car.

I imagine it isn't that hard to remove or cut the sensor wire, but i'd advise against it personally.

[+Mirumir Subscriber¹]

Hello

Im looking at a car that has automatic light/rain sensors. Are these easy to disable so it can go completely manual?

Thank you

Turning either the lights or the windshield wipers to off position usually disables the automatic feature.

The day-time running lights, however, maybe permanent depending on the model and the market.

[Hum]

pull the fuse

[ATLien_0]

It depends on the year and make of the car. On my Subie I had to pull a wire harness connector loose under the steering column to disable the drls, another connector next to it was for the auto lights. Some newer cars have a menu option to change the sensitivity as well

[sjms]

can I ask you why you would ask a group of "unknowns" a somewhat technical question about an car (model unknown) that can be more accurately answered by either visiting a dealer or contacting the manufacturer?

[lt8480]

Some countries particularly those in northern Europe require lights to be on all the time, and as such many cars in those countries and from those markets have fixed lights.

The reason these features are being added is for safety reasons so they're not really designed to be turned off.

[HawkMan]

cars with the running lights off are annoying. so my suggestion is to leave them on.

[majortom1981]

I could never figure out why you would want to disable daytime running lights? Unless you have an electric vehicle I do not see the reason to disable them.

[Jim K Global Moderator]

Hello

Im looking at a car that has automatic light/rain sensors. Are these easy to disable so it can go completely manual?

Thank you

Vague is vague. You're "looking at a car" ... what make/model/etc? Did you ask the dealer...owners manual...etc?

[ajcdotme]

Vague is vague. You're "looking at a car" ... what make/model/etc? Did you ask the dealer...owners manual...etc?

This... model/make?

In Pennsylvania where I live, if it's raining it's required that wipers are on and if wipers are on, your headlights must be on. It's a pretty nasty fine if you're caught without.

[tsupersonic]

cars with the running lights off are annoying. so my suggestion is to leave them on.

Why are they annoying? I see people driving without lights on at night.

In my car (I'll be just as vague as you OP, and not mention make/model :p), I have the ability to turn off automatic lights. I can't turn off rain sensing wipers, but I have the ability to bypass it. My windshield stalk goes like this: Off -> Rain Sense (low sensitivity) -> Rain Sense (high sensitivity) -> slow (intermittent) -> faster (continuous) -> fastest. Or just push in (fast) for manual wipe.

[LaP]

Hello

Im looking at a car that has automatic light/rain sensors. Are these easy to disable so it can go completely manual?

Thank you

On the Mazda 3 2007 yes it can.

This said i mostly never disable them. I never ever disable the automatic light. It's really awesome. I disable the automatic rain sensor at winter cause it doesn't work well for snow.

[neufuse Veteran]

never got why you'd want to disable automatic lights... but Daytime run lights now its annoying not to have them on! you get the majority of cars with them on then you get one with them not and that car just fades away because you are looking for headlights now... I think all cars should have them standard, it just makes seeing a car a lot easier during the day

[philcruicks]

Yeah every car is different but I never disable my automatic lights and wipers.

but I have the option to

Lights off> side>auto>main

Wipers off>auto>int>med>high (with a separate dial to control sensitivity).

[HawkMan]

Why are they annoying? I see people driving without lights on at night.

In my car (I'll be just as vague as you OP, and not mention make/model :p), I have the ability to turn off automatic lights. I can't turn off rain sensing wipers, but I have the ability to bypass it. My windshield stalk goes like this: Off -> Rain Sense (low sensitivity) -> Rain Sense (high sensitivity) -> slow (intermittent) -> faster (continuous) -> fastest. Or just push in (fast) for manual wipe.

Without the lights on you're removing information important in the traffic overview. Is that car parked or driving. Bad low sun conditions, you may not even see the car at all without running lights.

Cars without lights on at night would get a heavy dose of high beams from me. Idiots.

[tsupersonic]

Without the lights on you're removing information important in the traffic overview. Is that car parked or driving. Bad low sun conditions, you may not even see the car at all without running lights.

Cars without lights on at night would get a heavy dose of high beams from me. Idiots.

Ah, ok. I read your post wrong, basically we're in agreement, I thought you meant daytime running lights were annoying. NVM! What's worse than people driving without lights on at night are people who have just the side lights on. WTF, they acknowledged that they don't have headlights on, and side lights are enough.

[Lewism]

Daylights are sort of an issue on my car. They are too powerful. Sometimes at night, I forget to turn my front lights and tail lights on because I can see without an issue. Also my dashboard is also lit during the day, so I can see my speedo at night.

As for the OP, you can bypass the automatic headlights. Your headlights should turn off when the handbrake is on. You can start from there.

[CoLdFuSi0n]

you'd be an idiot if you wanted to disable your day time running lights. What if your passing someone on the highway and a car coming from the opposite direction with the sun in their eyes and can't see your car to slow down? What harm is it doing to your car if they are on? not a damn thing.

[+Gary7 Subscriber²]

Where I live and in many States, if your wipers are on, your headlights have to be on. In other words if it is raining.

[pes2013]

The automatic lights are only for nighttime lights.

[neufuse Veteran]

Where I live and in many States, if your wipers are on, your headlights have to be on. In other words if it is raining.

That's the law in Pennsylvania, if it is dusk to dawn, or raining / snowing you have to have the wipers on and lights on too...