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Regal headlights proplem

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Old 11-11-2015, 07:49 AM
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Default Regal headlights proplem

2001 Regal cant turn headlights off.
We have tried 3 different switches same thing
High and low beams change with the steering wheel switch and they go off when car turned off.
Could it be a bad Body control module ??
If so what'* involved to replace it ?
Will a TECH 2 do it for this year and model or?
Old 11-11-2015, 10:36 PM
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Have you tried replacing the headlight relays?
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Old 11-12-2015, 08:54 AM
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Originally Posted by Soft Ride
Have you tried replacing the headlight relays?

I was thinking the same thing yesterday, but I pulled down his owner'* manual and there are no headlight relays ... only fuses.
Old 11-12-2015, 09:30 AM
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Hello soft ride actual there is a headlight relay I found in a diagram its behind the glove box it says all the way to the left in 4 relays back there.
I guess it would have to actual be stuck on all the time even when the headlight switch is off.
I think we are so use to a relay going bad by not engaging when power is applied
I will try it and keep you informed.
For me this will be a first time I ever saw one stuck on always if that'* it.
Has any one experienced this before?
Old 11-12-2015, 05:24 PM
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Relays can definitely fail stuck in the on position. People usually find it when the stuck relay drains their battery overnight.
Old 11-14-2015, 10:51 PM
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Little confused here:

2001 Regal cant turn headlights off.
We have tried 3 different switches same thing
High and low beams change with the steering wheel switch and they go off when car turned off.

Well, this means your dimmer switch is working....as for relays, you actually have two....one is for DRL'*, the other is for auto headlights.....

You do realize how DRL'* and auto lights work?

Seriously doubt it'* a bad relay, because the lights wouldn't go out when the car is turned off....

So a couple of questions....are the lights staying on in the Daytime or at Night time?

They don't go out when you manually turn the headlight switch to on, and then to off? Do they go out if you apply the E-brake?
Old 11-14-2015, 11:27 PM
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Well they stay on anytime the car is running and the taillights night or day. When you try to manually turn them off they still stay on. The auto dimmer on the dash don't seam to make a difference. As at night the radio or cluster lights don't dim at night. Or if I cover the light sensor on the dash in the day no difference.
With the E-brake on they still stay on. I have seen other cars same as mine going down the road and the headlights are not on in the day only I think parking lights. And thank you for your help
Old 11-15-2015, 09:16 AM
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There is a difference between DRL'* and Auto lights......

Naturally, the DRL'* come on when you start the car and put it in gear in the Daytime......the headlights will be on high beam, but the relay will cause both lights to be in series, instead of parallel....basically what this means is, When in series, both lights get power from one source, so they share the voltage......since the voltage is Battery, they each get one half the voltage of the Battery....if running, lets say 14 volts, each light will get 7 volts to each high beam, which reduces the light coming out of each hi beam(as opposed to auto lights, which delivers full battery voltage, via another relay, so each light gets 14 volts and is twice as bright).....

Here is how I test DRL'*......I park the vehicle in front of any store with large glass windows, so while seated in the vehicle, I can see the front of the car....in bright daylight, with the sun hitting the sensor, with the car running, and my foot on the brake(ebrake not applied), and the vehicle in gear, my hi beams should be on at half brightness, and the illumination of my radio display should be full brightness.......if I put the car in park and apply the Ebrake, the head lights should go out.......

Now, if I completely cover the light sensor, the headlights should come on, my radio display will dim, and if I pull on the hi/lo beam dimmer, the lights should switch between lo and hi(full brightness) beam.......

Now if you have a situation, in the daytime especially, where, your headlights are on, and if you use use your dimmer and can switch between hi and lo beam, and your radio display is dim, and not at full brightness, then you have a Problem with Either your light sensor(the sensor is sending the incorrect signal to the BCM, making the BCM think it is dark out, so it commands the auto lights on), or you have a bad BCM....
Old 11-15-2015, 10:49 AM
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Because we are not able to turn off the lights even manually would the light sensor command the BCM to keep them on all the time ?
I tried covering it nothing ever dims even dash lights or radio
And thank you for all the help
Old 11-16-2015, 10:41 PM
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Yes, it is possible, a bad light sensor, could make your auto headlights think it should be in night mode...could also be a bad BCM....






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