Robert Hare
Member
Is there any way to have the headlights stay on full time?
Is the sensor on the back side of the rear view mirror? 2003 LTD
Is the sensor on the back side of the rear view mirror? 2003 LTD
Lights on full time?
- Thread starter Robert Hare
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Black tape? :grin:
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Robert Hare
Member
So THAT's where it's at? Thanks, I'll try the black tape first.
So what's the little photo cell lookin' thing on my rear view mirror that's facing the windshield?
So what's the little photo cell lookin' thing on my rear view mirror that's facing the windshield?
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Automatic dimming rear view mirror (Page 48)
gyates
Active Member
Assuming you have auto lamps, there should be a small dome shaped sensor on the top of the dashboard towards the windshield. That is the photo sensor for the headlamps.
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The auto-dimming mirror has a sensor on the back that faces out the windshield and also a sensor visible at the bottom of the mirror glass facing the back of the vehicle. It uses both sensors to determine if it's dark (turn on the lights) or if a vehicle is coming up from behind with bright lights on.
My 2003 Sport Trac was slow to turn on the headlights so I put a piece of black electrical tape over the sensor and that messed with the dimming of the mirror. Next I tried a couple layers of dark window tint on the sensor on the back of the mirror...that worked to turn on the headlights before it gat too dark but the difference between the light detected between the front and rear caused the auto-dim mirror to always darken too much so that it became useless day or night.
I had to only use a single layer of window tint film and that seemed to work fine to turn on the headlights before it got too dark but allowed the auto-dim mirror to function normally.
Also, driving with your headlights on all the time will burn out your headlight pretty fast. Much better to get a DRL kit. They have a circuit that reduces the voltage to the headlights during the day and gives full voltage to the headlights at night.
...Rich
My 2003 Sport Trac was slow to turn on the headlights so I put a piece of black electrical tape over the sensor and that messed with the dimming of the mirror. Next I tried a couple layers of dark window tint on the sensor on the back of the mirror...that worked to turn on the headlights before it gat too dark but the difference between the light detected between the front and rear caused the auto-dim mirror to always darken too much so that it became useless day or night.
I had to only use a single layer of window tint film and that seemed to work fine to turn on the headlights before it got too dark but allowed the auto-dim mirror to function normally.
Also, driving with your headlights on all the time will burn out your headlight pretty fast. Much better to get a DRL kit. They have a circuit that reduces the voltage to the headlights during the day and gives full voltage to the headlights at night.
...Rich
