Am I crazy or is the headlight selector switch stupid on these??
Am I an idiot or is it impossible to turn the headlights off while it's dark?? I saw a moron driving with no headlights at all and I was trying to flash him (off and on, to show him his lights weren't on). And if I wasn't already mad enough... I moved my switch to OFF and... BOING! it springs back to AUTO?? And doesn't shut the lights off while in OFF??? Which I'm hoping I incorrectly assume that it's impossible to turn off the headlights in the dark??? SAY IT AINT SO!!??
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This...
And to answer the original question - no, the headlight switch is entirely fine.
See original post.
What does that mean? That I am understanding it correctly, and there's no way to shut off the lights while it's dark?
It's a spring loaded switch, when you turned it to off (technically, it's turning auto-lights off), it did turn them off, but is spring loaded to go back to Auto - you'd have to do that again to turn them back on.
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Your switch is behaving "as designed". The next idiot you see, I'd suggest advancing your switch to the right one space (parking lights) and then back. It has the effect of flashing the headlights, but makes it far easier to "recover".
As you've discovered, turning them "off" leads to other problems.
As you've discovered, turning them "off" leads to other problems.
I forgot exactly what I did, I must have done the parking light thing once. Right after I got the car I was trying different things to find all the gadgets and options on a back-road at night and freaked myself out b/c the headlights turned off while I was driving (around 30-35 mph). There is a way, just try things in a safe manner though.
Agreed with chevyguy. I usually flash my highbeams hoping that the person seeing them to clue in that their lights aren't on. If your park brake is on (obviously not while driving) you can turn your lights off, but once park brake is off, the lights will come back on.
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People who turn off their lights in the dark to 'flash' someone are just asking for problems. I'd use the stalk and flash your 'brights'. Since the CRUZE has a headlight sensor the lights should not be able to be turned off while in Drive
Is this a Canadian Cruze?
If so, the headlights will not shut off.....they will remain in DRL mode or be on. If your car is Canadian spec., switching to the off position WILL turn off all of the running lights, day or night.....Don't do that at night, heh heh.
If it is a US Cruze, yes, the headlamps will shut off (along with everything else) when the switch is turned to off and it springs back to auto, if working as designed.
A second twist towards off and allowing it to spring back will turn everything back on if it is dark out.
On a US spec Cruze, the parking light position will shut the headlamps off and the remaining lights stay on.
The headlamp ON position allows you to turn all lighting on in situations (like bright fog) where you deem additional lighting is needed.
Also, on US spec with fog lamps, the fog lamps will operate in the parking light setting as well as the headlamp on setting......and, of course, they operate, if wanted, at night when the auto lamps are triggered on.
Hope I didn't confuse anyone.....I may be confusing myself with these long winded responses.
Rob
I noticed it worked like this when in Park... But in Drive, the lights don't turn off at all. What gear were you in when you did that test/sequence?
With this logic, we should leave the windshield wipers on all the time in the event we turn the car on and it's raining...
Come on... That's why you leave the lights in Auto all the time. I just want them to shut off temporarily.
And Heaven forbid you drive a car without auto headlights! Spoiled Millennials.... LOL!
While I fundamentally agree, going from Auto to Parking Lights SHOULD always shut the headlights off... (and it DOES work that way when in Park...) Mine didn't shut off at all when I went from Auto to Parking Lights and was in Drive going down the road. Have you been able to test this in Drive?
LOL! I tried this. My 2001 Grand Prix was awesome because it had NO headlight switch at all! Auto Headlights and there was absolutely no way to control them... But the parking brake was soft enough that you could click it in 1 click and it would turn the lights off.
Why, yes it is Canadian!
What you say above is true while in Park... Switching to Off while in Park shuts all headlights off. However, when in Drive and in the dark, absolutely nothing happens. Actually, when in the dark and in Drive, moving to any position makes no difference at all (Off, Auto, Parking Lights, ON). And that's frustrating!Well, you have sort of answered the question then....your Canadian Cruze is operating as designed.Why, yes it is Canadian!
I've got a Canadian spec. Equinox (2014) in the fleet I service....same routine with the lighting. Canada likes its DRL's.
I think the parking brake thing you described will have the same effect on your Cruze......but if on one click you have bells and warning lights as soon as you start moving.
Rob
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Yes, one or two clicks on the parking brake will turn off the DRLs (on US models).
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