Hi.

I would like to be able to control the headlights of my 2008 C6. The headlights pop on when I start the car in my garage, as well as go on automatically at dusk. Since this is a “Canadian” C6, I cannot disable either of these features.

My thought is to “fool” the photo-resistor (located at the defroster grate on top of the dashboard) into thinking it is always daylight. Questions:

1. Do I have to remove the defroster grate in order to remover the photo-resistor, or can the photo-resistor be pried off with the defroster grate in place?

2. If I must remove the defroster grate, can it be popped off (gently) with a thin plastic putty knife? Once the task is completed, can it be popped back in place without having to change any clips? Is there a technique to removing the grate?

3. I would place a resistor in parallel to the photo-resistor, leaving the photo-resistor connected. The key question here is what should the value (ohms) of this resistor be??

This should allow me to turn off/on the headlights at will, and not affect anything else, including the DRL’s.

(I have also posted this in the C6 Tech Section.)

Thanks,

M.......

 

You don't need to disable anything! The headlights automatically switch off once your car has exited your garage and encountered daylight. If the ambient light level is low enough, as on a very cloudy day,near dusk, or driving through a tunnel, the headlights will switch on. If having the headlights on upsets you, rotate the headlight switch to the "off" position. All of this, and more, is explained in your owner's manual which, based on your question, you have not bothered to read.

 

Actually, I downloaded and read the manual 2 months before I got the car.

In Canadian designated 2008 C6's, you cannot shut the headlights off when the vehicle is in gear with the engine running and it is dark outside.


M....

 

Why?

 

Wellp I have no clue about Canadian models all I know is that if I turn the switch one notch up the lights will go off at night (and the gauges get super bright looks cool).

 

Thats crazy eh? But seriously, one click up on the parking brake should allow you to turn them off.

 

This is for a C5, maybe it might help you.



Here is the complete text from QuickSilver (Winnipeg, Manitoba) explaining how to disable the Twilight Sentinel feature on Canadian C5s. I have taken this from the "other" Corvette forum.
HERE, in DETAIL, is how to go about it (copy of my original post 01-May-2001):
**************************************** *********************
The Question of How One Can Disable the Twilight Sentinel on Canadian Model C5s comes up quite regularly on the forum and while many people may be aware that it can be done simply by substituting an electrical resistor for the ambient light sensor located in the left hand side of the C5's defroster grill, there nevertheless often appear to be questions about EXACTLY what resistor values to use, EXACTLY what might be involved in doing the job/what kind of PROBLEMS, ISSUES, CONSIDERATIONS one might encounter, etc.
Well, an hour or so ago I just finished 'doing mine' (disabling the sensor on my new 01 C5) and I thought that it might prove helpful to others who might want to do the same thing by describing EXACTLY how I did it
So, for the record, here's the scoop:
**************************************** *****
It turned out to be VERY easy to do. The only minor difficulties I encountered were:
a) due to the limited distance I could pull the sensor and its lead from the wiring harness out to facilitate working on it (about 4"), and
b) the fact that one has to work in fairly close quarters down low at the base of the windshield. To make this easier, I moved the seat(s) as far forward as possible when actually doing the work.
Following information obtained on the forum, I did it as follows:
1. I used a CREDIT CARD to 'work'/loosen and 'pop out' the dash top defroster grill..
2. The Twilight Sentinel (TS) sensor itself comes in a base/housing that plugs into a female socket on the left hand underside of the defroster grill. It simply screws into its defroster grill socket, requiring only a 1/4 clockwise turn to 'lock' it into place like (eg.) a tail light bulb into its socket.
3. Before I did ANYTHING (even unscrewed the sensor from the grill), I tied some *black* fishing line (about 4 feet worth) around the ACTUAL WIRE connecting the sensor to the harness, ***JUST IN CASE the whole thing should accidentally slip down into the dash during the process***, so I could pull it up again... (THAT WOULD BE A PAIN - the head lights would then ALWAYS be on when the car was running, and trying to fish it out again looked like it would NOT be easy...).
4. I THEN unscrewed the sensor from the defroster grill.
5. THEN, the sensor itself simply plugs into a male connector on the end of the wiring harness lead, so I unplugged the sensor from its harness connector. (I used a small jeweller's screwdriver to release a clip to allow the parts to be separated).
6. I then reinstalled the (now disconnected) sensor back into the defroster grill (for 'looks' only, since it's now non-functional),
7. Next, I bent the leads on a 4.7K OHM ½ Watt resistor that I picked up today (6-pak for $1.49; needed only one), and plugged the resistor leads into the contacts on the end of the male wiring harness connector. (Real nice fit - tight but not too tight).
8. I then taped the resistor/connector up to prevent shorts and provide further insurance against them coming apart, using black electrical tape.
9. I then ***taped the connector to the sensor housing*** , the objective being to help ensure that it wouldn't flop around/rattle/make noise if simply left loose.
10. I then looped and tied the fishing line through a couple of bars in the defroster grill, leaving only about 4" of slack to its tie point back on the wiring harness, and cut off the surplus line with scissors - JUST IN CASE THE ELECTRICAL TAPE SHOULD EVER SOFTEN/COME LOOSE FROM HEAT IN THE CAR and the resistor/lead might decide to separate from the sensor and drop down into the dash as mentioned above and cause noise/be difficult to retrieve...
11. I then reinstalled the defroster grill and 'voila'.