Tinted Windshield and Automatic Headlights
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 272
Likes: 13
From: Sarasota, FL
Tinted Windshield and Automatic Headlights
My windshield is tinted and therefore my car thinks it's dark unless in direct bright sunlight and wants to turn the headlights on. I typically just turn the **** down to the parking lights function to prevent the headlights but wish I could get the corner ambers to be brighter like they are when they are on as DRL. Anybody find a way to do this??
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 4,959
Likes: 526
My windshield is tinted and therefore my car thinks it's dark unless in direct bright sunlight and wants to turn the headlights on. I typically just turn the **** down to the parking lights function to prevent the headlights but wish I could get the corner ambers to be brighter like they are when they are on as DRL. Anybody find a way to do this??
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 4,959
Likes: 526
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 6,457
Likes: 297
From: corpus christi Texas
My windshield is tinted and therefore my car thinks it's dark unless in direct bright sunlight and wants to turn the headlights on. I typically just turn the **** down to the parking lights function to prevent the headlights but wish I could get the corner ambers to be brighter like they are when they are on as DRL. Anybody find a way to do this??
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 26,243
Likes: 4,361
From: Chirper Island
Duct tape a flashlight to the dash and shine it on the sensor. 
Why the heck do you want to limit your visibility out the dash so much that your headlights turn on? I can only imagine how horrible it is when it actually is DARK!
Why the heck do you want to limit your visibility out the dash so much that your headlights turn on? I can only imagine how horrible it is when it actually is DARK!
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 4,463
Likes: 326
From: Houston TX
How dark is your windshield? Have you considered sectioning the area around the sensor with tint that is less dark? The bottom line is that you have to find a way to get more light to the sensor. Alternatively, you could relocate the sensor to somewhere behind the rear view mirror near the windshield frit if you don't have the tint there.
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Pro
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 626
Likes: 118
From: Indianapolis
I have front windshield tint on my DD, 80 windshield UV heat blocker and plan to add it to my 08Z. My DD leather seats, dash and steering wheel feel much cooler then my Z when parked outside in the sun. The Heat blocker has just a slight grey color to it and can only be noticed from the outside. From outside front looks like the sides, but from inside you can't tell anything was done to the front, day or night. I added it to my wife's car cause she complained about heat in the car. I had her sides and rear done in 30% and front with the 80% heat shield. She loved the look from outside, but when she got inside questioned whether anything was even on the front. Now that temps are in the 90's, she admits that the seats and steering wheel do not burn her upon entry.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 272
Likes: 13
From: Sarasota, FL
It really isn't that dark. I considered the LED switchbacks but really am not a huge fan of the white DRLs when in the parking lights position. I wish they made a version of them that operated like the switchbacks but with amber in the parking lights position.
Relocating the sensor is an interesting idea...I might just have to look and see if there is somewhere I could relocate it to get more light.
Relocating the sensor is an interesting idea...I might just have to look and see if there is somewhere I could relocate it to get more light.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 6,457
Likes: 297
From: corpus christi Texas
It really isn't that dark. I considered the LED switchbacks but really am not a huge fan of the white DRLs when in the parking lights position. I wish they made a version of them that operated like the switchbacks but with amber in the parking lights position.
Relocating the sensor is an interesting idea...I might just have to look and see if there is somewhere I could relocate it to get more light.
Relocating the sensor is an interesting idea...I might just have to look and see if there is somewhere I could relocate it to get more light.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 303
Likes: 72
From: Arizona
you can get a nearly clear "tint" on your front windscreen that still adds a massive thermal barrier. the color of the tint is independent of the heat blocking. I know you aren't looking to replace tint, but one option might be to get a less dark color with the same UV and heat protection.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 272
Likes: 13
From: Sarasota, FL
Maybe my 08 works different then your 05.my sits in a car port and when i start it in daylight my heads lights come on so i turn the headlight control CW from auto and it shuts them off and goes back to auto,but then i get the "Headlights Recommended " in the DIC the cure for this is hit the 'Reset button'....My LEDs are Amber same with my fog lights.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
Less visibility=_____ fill in the blank. Think: dark, heavy rain, mis-aimed headlights, YOU. Ugh. What a terrible scenario.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 272
Likes: 13
From: Sarasota, FL
You allare very critical of the tint jeesh! My question wasn't "should I remove my tint". Hopefully nobody finds out that I wear sunglasses while I drive. Cant you imagine the limited viz etc etc etc 
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
Oh stop it! You wear sunglasses at nite? In the rain? When it's snowing and dark out? C'mon we're just trying for ya' not calling you a dummy. You can TAKE off your sunglasses in situations where it's a detriment. How do you do that with perm tint on the windshield? Right. You can't.
Last edited by AORoads; Jun 23, 2018 at 07:47 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 6,457
Likes: 297
From: corpus christi Texas
When I do that it will keep the headlights from turning on but it also turns the DRLs off. I like the look of the ambers on a DRL but when in the parking light position they just aren't as bright as when being used as DRLs. If they were the same brightness it wouldn't be an issue to manually do it that way. Doing it as you described, at least in my model, turns all the lights off.
me also.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 5,187
Likes: 1,216
From: Las Vegas Nevada
Mike, you are in a common conundrum. You executed a mod that now has made your car less enjoyable, so you are going to execute another mod? Look...don't worry about the headlights. Your aren't going to damage them by having them on, unless you are putting maybe 50K miles a year. Either leave them alone, or turn them off.