Any FoMoCo Service techs in our midst?

[Rick Ohnsman]

The internet is a wealth of information. The problem is... you never know --what-- information is correct.



I wanted to see if I could adjust the threshold sensitivity of my Autolamp mirror on my '03 ST XLT so that the headlights would come on in cloudy weather, not just when it was totally dark. I posted this thread..



http://www.mysporttrac.com/shared/msgboard9e.asp?BOARDNAME=MSG&VIEW=1113626&SUB=1113647&sitename=mysporttrac



The suggestion by Dan Long seemed most promising and so, armed with a paper clip, I attempted the adjustment. The lights came on as he indicated, but the system did not seem to adjust anything. It was no different when I was done.



I later found this post in an Explorer (though not ST specific) site -

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=192491



Reading down, you will see one guy said he'd had the dealer enable the DTR function in the computer menu. Made sense, so today when I was at my dealer for an oil change, I asked the service department. They were clueless (though they often are at this dealer - Lithia Ford of Boise... sigh...)



Trial and error has shown me that the sensor involved (there are three on this mirror) is the one sandwiched between the mirror mount and the windshield. Sliding a business card in there does indeed cause the headlights to come on. So... I'm gonna try the tint solution. (I'll let you know what I come up with.)



But the real point of this post is to ask if we have any bona fide Ford techs that visit this site? Someone with some --real-- knowledge (and a collection of service manuals) could save many of us time. money, and frustration going the trial and error route. But then I suppose that would take money out of someone's pocket huh?



So many "fixes" only require a few knowledgable button presses though. I don't mind paying for real "wrench work," but having to pay for a few simple programming steps irks me. And that's if you can even find a service department with a clue... :wacko:

 

[Rodger Tellefson]

Member HAL SLANINA

Email [email protected]

Location TUCSON, AZ 85748

Member Since 9/3/2002

Sport Trac Description TOREADOR RED 2002 - 4X2 (it's a thing of beauty!)

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My Sport Trac 20 YEAR LINCOLN/MERCURY TECHNICIAN (FORD/ASE MASTER TECH).

 

[Kevin Palmer]

I did the tint thing with both of my Tracs. Worked perfectly.



The thing that gets me is, the headlamps come on AFTER it is dusk, (as in the official sunsetting. And the law(s) state that you MUST turn your headlamps on 1/2 hour before sunset). Thus, the lights com eon after the law(s) say they must be on.



Sooo, what is the sense of auto lights if you MUST turn them on manually anyways????

 

[Roger Batts]

Not a tech, but I am a Master Certified Ford parts guy!

 

[Gypsy me]

isn't 1Tech also ? probably a few others that lurk



Truelight, the Ford Service techs come here to find out their short cuts and the *wow I didn't know that* information! :lol::lol::lol:



Hal has been very helpful to many over the years well that I have seen on the site since I have been here.

 

[Rick Ohnsman]

I've found that placing a business card between the glass and the sensor (which seems to be under the mirror mount) will cause the lights to come on. However, a piece of medium blue tinted material does not seem to be dark enough to make this work. Perhaps I will need to go by a tint shop and get a scrap of dark limo tint? How dark does the tint need to be? I'd like the lights to be off on a bright sunny day, but on at dusk or on a cloudy gray day.



Too bad the threshold adjustment decribed by Dan Long didn't work for me. Any of you Service Techs able to look up the --prescribed-- method for adjusting the threshold of an Autolamp in an '03 ST XLT ?



- Rick

 

[EddieS'04]

On my '04 ST the sensor is on the dash. No adjustment as on the earlier models. I do have the electro mirror but ford removed the adjuster and sensor for the auto lights. I suppose it is fixed by whatever the tint ford out on the small dome on the dash.

In texas law states if raining enough for wipers continually, headlights must be on. The cops dont push it though. When raining hard enough, I have small peice vynal on top of my vin#. I just slide it over on the light sensor.

 

[Nelson Atwell]

Thanks Eddie. I had two '04s and was beginning to think I was crazy by thinking mine wasn't on the mirror. You confirmed what I remember about the sensor being on the dash. Oklahoma had a similar law about lights on in rain, but they were too busy cleaning up accidents to enforce it.

 

[Richard L]

I used a single layer of what is called a "dark Limosine tint". It has less than 50% light transmission. You might want tinker with several layes of a lighter tint film until you get your headlights to come on in slighly subdued light.



..Rich

 

[Tom Schindler]

I used a single layer of what is called a "dark Limosine tint". It has less than 50% light transmission.

I hope you ment to say 5% light transmission. At 50%, it is like you are blocking no light at all.





Tom

 

[Rick Ohnsman]

Well, the dark limo tint does indeed cause the lights to come on... and stay on... even in bright sunlight. I guess I will have to try a lighter shade of tint. :wacko:



I -know- there has to be a way to adjust the auto-on threshold and the method suggested by Dan Long seemed on target... I just isn't working for me. Again a call to you Ford Techs that supposedly lurk on the board. There's not a specific step-by-step procedure in some manaul that outlines how to do this??