Thread: 02 GTP....Auto Head Lights Not Coming On, Head Light Switch Won't Over Ride

Here's what the problem is: When I turn the key on start my car when its pitch black out.... The headlights will not come on automatically.... Not even the day time running lights... If I turn on the head light switch, it will turn the night time headlights only, but will not turn on the dash lights or tail lights..... I have even tried covering up the photocell with my finger and it does nothing... After I drive a few miles, wah lah, everything comes on, relay clicks as normal etc..... Sometimes they will kick off going down the highway, sometimes they won't.... I've noticed the drivers information center flickering once in awhile also when this gremlin is around... A few searches have pointed towards the ignition switch, but it shows that you will have air conditioning and blower motor problems also... I have none of these.... Sometimes a month will go by with no problems at all.... I don't understand why the headlight switch won't over ride the photo cell and turn everything on? Other times it will...... I can tell early in the mornings when the problem is going to happen because there is a tell tale sign... When you open the drivers door, the door chime will constantly go off, faster than normal as if the headlights were left on.... and the key is not even in the ignition.... Dealer says its the head light switch..... I hate to spend $185 and not fix the problem..... $185 from napa !..... Car is a 2002 Grand Prix GTP 2 door..

the daytime running lights might be the fuse thats in the glove box mine wouldnt turn on and figured out that the fuse blew thats a thought. but sounds like a short somewhere ???

Originally Posted by Skillet

Dealer says its the head light switch..... I hate to spend $185 and not fix the problem..... $185 from napa !..... Car is a 2002 Grand Prix GTP 2 door..

For one, get the parts through something like Ebay or a boneyard, save your money. I would lean towards the switch probably as well, the lights-on reminder/dinging is a big clue.

Originally Posted by 2000supercharged

the daytime running lights might be the fuse thats in the glove box mine wouldnt turn on and figured out that the fuse blew thats a thought. but sounds like a short somewhere ???

DRL's come on when everything works right... I'm baffled on this on guys. I've noticed that if I hold my finger over the photocell on the dash it takes 1 minute & 20 seconds to turn the night time driving lights on.... Seems lengthy

here's another update I've noticed.... When the car wants to be gay and the headlights not come on when they are supposed to... I've noticed these two things: When you open the door to get in , the chime is dinging super fast like the headlight switch was left on,,, and the red light on the dash is flashing a million miles per hour..... close the door or put the key in the ignition and everything goes back to normal..... I'm stumped.... I don't see this being a big wiring issue as the car looks like new and has never been wrecked, had mice in it (wire chewers), etc.....

I'm sad to not see a resolution for this on the thread. The exact same problems just started for me within the month. Automatic night lights don't come on in the dark, Running lights don't come on. If I turn on the headlights, only the headlights come on, the tail lights and the dash lights don't come on. Occasionally I get the fast beep when getting in or out of the car, like the keys are still in the ignition. This morning it took about 8 minutes before the lights decided to come on. Thankfully with the HUD I can see my speed, but I didn't realize that the tail lights weren't coming on until today either, so that's dangerous. So here is my input to this problem; For the last 6 years, I have had an occasional problem with my ignition not releasing my key. It won't allow it to turn all the way to the off position. Since the light problem began my key now releases just fine. I would think that this may somehow be related to the ignition, since the DRL are triggered to come on when the car starts. And the automatic night time lights also turn off right away when the car is shut off.

Mine turned out just to be a simple wire splice behind the dash that the dealer repaired and detected through their circuit tester