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Override Pontiac Montana lights?

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LS

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Dec 23, 2004, 8:02:38 AM12/23/04
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I have a 2000 Pontiac Montana with automatic headlights.

There are several occasions where we want the damn headlights OFF when the
van is running. We want to drive through the Holiday lights in Des Moines
with the kids but they do not allow us through with our headlights on.

Does anyone know how to override the darn things??

Lannie

PS Why have a on and off switch and they come on all the time anyway?


Weird

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Dec 23, 2004, 11:43:03 AM12/23/04
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How about if you just have the parking lights on? I know that on my '01
Grand Am, switching the heahdlight switch to the 1st position will turn
off the daytime running lights and turn on just the parking lights.

Howard

Geoff Welsh

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Dec 23, 2004, 12:16:55 PM12/23/04
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LS wrote:

you are not alone
http://www.lightsout.org/disable.html

GW

Geoff Welsh

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Dec 23, 2004, 12:36:12 PM12/23/04
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Geoff Welsh wrote:

> LS wrote:
>
>> I have a 2000 Pontiac Montana with automatic headlights.

>> Does anyone know how to override the darn things??


>>
>> Lannie
>>
>> PS Why have a on and off switch and they come on all the time anyway?
>>

Because:
A. GM feels their owners are too stupid to handle this function on their
own.
B. That switch will work like the old days when the auto functions break.

GW

mt...@hotmail.com

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Dec 23, 2004, 12:57:09 PM12/23/04
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If worse comes to worse, you may be able to pull the fuse for them
(assuming it's on a seperate circuit). Check your owner's manual and
look for the fuse box diagram.

Too bad GM doesn't offer the "cop" option on it's vehicles. On police
cars, the driver can switch of DRL's, brake lights, tail lights etc.
For stealth mode at the donut shop of course!

LS

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Dec 23, 2004, 5:22:04 PM12/23/04
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Thanks!

"Geoff Welsh" <geoff...@some.rr.com> wrote in message
news:b4Dyd.36805$Ew6....@twister.socal.rr.com...

DonW

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Dec 23, 2004, 5:29:57 PM12/23/04
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"LS" <m...@email.net> wrote in message
news:Olzyd.621210$D%.444317@attbi_s51...

Lanny try this..............
turn the ignition to OFF & vehicle in park
set the parking brake down one click
restart the engine
The headlights should stay off
you should be able to turn the light switch for the parking lights without
turning on the headlights.
When back in traffic where you need the headlights, release the parking
brake & you should be back in business.
works on my 98
DonW


Geoff Welsh

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Dec 23, 2004, 11:15:02 PM12/23/04
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mt...@hotmail.com wrote:

> Too bad GM doesn't offer the "cop" option on it's vehicles. On police
> cars, the driver can switch of DRL's, brake lights, tail lights etc.
> For stealth mode at the donut shop of course!
>

hmmmm, None of the Crown Vics / Interceptors in our fleet had those
options. Sounds like urban myth to me.
GW

Paul

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Dec 24, 2004, 7:15:32 AM12/24/04
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I think that will work but as soon as you place the car in "drive" head
lamp will goes "ON" but do check that out. Mine does not work like you
said.

I would pull the high beam fuses out. Do your city tour with the family and
kids with the "high beam ON" return to "low beam" when you are ready to go
home. Plug the fuse back in when you at home.

Paul
"DonW" <dpw8602...@zoemail.net (xx = ng)> wrote in message
news:6f5d0$41cb46e4$8c63252e$51...@news.deru.net...

DonW

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Dec 24, 2004, 12:25:14 PM12/24/04
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Paul maybe the switch that senses if the e-brake is off is out of
adjustment. I can say the lights do not come on using this procedure on my
98 Montana.


"Paul" <no...@none.net> wrote in message
news:_KTyd.38271$GK5.1...@news20.bellglobal.com...

nospam.c...@sny.der.on.ca

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Dec 24, 2004, 9:50:37 PM12/24/04
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On Thu, 23 Dec 2004 17:16:55 GMT, Geoff Welsh <geoff...@some.rr.com>
wrote:

It is not DRLs he is talking about. On my '95 TranSport I have DRLs.
They stay off if the emergency brake is partway on - not a problem.
The darn thing also has automatic headlights - and if the sensor on
the dash (mounted in the left speaker grille) does not see a certain
minimum amount of light, the full headlight system goes on.

Nothing you can do about it, short of shining a flashlight down the
speaker hole.

I'm sure there is a simple way to disable it - but it is not in the
manual and I have not been interested enough in finding out how to put
any time into it.

Paul

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Dec 25, 2004, 9:17:39 AM12/25/04
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I think may be just my car that has all lights sensor. It automatically
turn on the car head lamp when I drive through the tunnel and shut off when
day light. I will however test what you said again.

Merry Christmas to everyone and drive safe!


"DonW" <dpw8602...@zoemail.net (xx = ng)> wrote in message

news:bc8$41cc516f$8c63252e$48...@news.deru.net...

Nascar24Rulz

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Dec 25, 2004, 10:00:09 PM12/25/04
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You could disable them completely by looking for a DRL fuse that you can pull.
You could also install a toggle switch allowing you to turn them off as you
please. The reason that there is a switch is so that you can manually tun all
of your lights on...for example...it rains during the day and you want them on
but it isnt dark enough for the automatic sensor to turn them on

LS

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Dec 27, 2004, 10:15:41 PM12/27/04
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That didn't work but pulling the DRL fuse makes it work likeit SHOULD. :)

Works like a charm now.

Thanks everyone!

Lannie


"DonW" <dpw8602...@zoemail.net (xx = ng)> wrote in message
news:6f5d0$41cb46e4$8c63252e$51...@news.deru.net...
>

jean

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Jan 10, 2016, 7:18:01 PM1/10/16
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replying to DonW, jean wrote:
Tried this on my 2003 Montana. Works yeah. But still can't drive thru a
light show


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cory d

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Aug 3, 2016, 8:18:02 PM8/3/16
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replying to LS, cory d wrote:
First turn the van off, apply emergency brake, restart van. The lights should
then be off and will turn back on when you depress the emergency brake pedal
to release it.

--
for full context, visit http://www.motorsforum.com/pontiac/override-pontiac-montana-lights-21411-.htm


Jennifer

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Dec 15, 2020, 5:45:04 PM12/15/20
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Goodness that worked geesh Google anything these days love it.

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For full context, visit https://www.motorsforum.com/pontiac/override-pontiac-montana-lights-21411-.htm

jim

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Mar 18, 2022, 9:01:08 PM3/18/22
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I just tested what the 2000 Pontiac Montana's manual says and the automatic headlights can be disabled by turning off the ignition, engaging the parking brake, and then starting the ignition. The headlamps did indeed stay off with the engine running and the emergency brake engaged. However, the headlamps come back on as soon as I release the parking brake. I tried your hack and pushed the emergency brake down one out of the six possible clicks. I was then able to keep the lights off with the engine running and the transmission in gear. I could also turn the headlamps on and off and back on again with the engine in gear.

I don't know whether the emergency brake would drag with one click engaged, but there is another problem... when the emergency brake is engaged one or more clicks, it turns on a red "Brake" indicator light on the console and shuts off all the other console lights. This means that in the dark all you can see is the red indicator light and you cannot see your speedometer or any of the gauges. Obviously this is a safety measure to ensure people don't inadvertently drive with the brake on. So anyone who wants to drive with the emergency brake down one click to keep the headlamps off would have to do it with no console lights.

I suppose someone who was motivated enough could put a toggle switch in the wiring to the emergency brake sensor to fool it into sensing that the brake is engaged when it actually isn't.
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