Should headlights shut off automatically
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 128
Likes: 1
Should headlights shut off automatically
So I left my headlights on in the rain last night during a movie and of course the car wouldn't start and had to jump it. Seems like by 99 they should have had a sensor to automatically cut off the headlights if the car is off and in park for a certain amount of time. Does this feature exist in the C5s, specifically the 99s and if so, what might cause it to fail?
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,192
Likes: 4,180
From: Kannapolis NC
It has protection per the manual for the following:
Your vehicle has a feature to help prevent you from
draining the battery in case the underhood lamp, vanity
mirror lamps, cargo lamps, reading lamps, console
or glove box lamps are accidentally left on. If you leave
any of these lamps on, they will automatically timeout
after about 15 minutes. To reset it, all of the above
lamps must be turned off or the ignition key must be
in ON.
For the headlamps, you get a chime if you turn the key off with the lights on (and you can see the huge doors popped up on the hood), but no shutdown feature in 99
Your vehicle has a feature to help prevent you from
draining the battery in case the underhood lamp, vanity
mirror lamps, cargo lamps, reading lamps, console
or glove box lamps are accidentally left on. If you leave
any of these lamps on, they will automatically timeout
after about 15 minutes. To reset it, all of the above
lamps must be turned off or the ignition key must be
in ON.
For the headlamps, you get a chime if you turn the key off with the lights on (and you can see the huge doors popped up on the hood), but no shutdown feature in 99
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
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From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
There are features on most modern cars that are considered CRITICAL and they are designed to work ALL the time even without the ignition being ON.
Some of them are: the HORN, Cigar Lighter, tail lights, flashers and the other is the headlights!
NO, the headlights will NOT automatically turn off. Like " 65GGvert" stated, You will get a CHIME reminding you that you left the lights on when you turn the ignition off and open the door!
Bill
Some of them are: the HORN, Cigar Lighter, tail lights, flashers and the other is the headlights!
NO, the headlights will NOT automatically turn off. Like " 65GGvert" stated, You will get a CHIME reminding you that you left the lights on when you turn the ignition off and open the door!
Bill
Last edited by Bill Curlee; Jul 14, 2016 at 02:58 PM.
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I too keep mine off - I don't need the headlights coming on every time I start the car in the garage.
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From: Vancouver BC
Le Mans Master
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From: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
I have never tried this on purpose but all our cars have "retained accessory power" which turns off anything left on when the key is off after 15 minutes. So, theoretically the lights should turn off even if you've left them on.
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