2006 DGC 3.8L

so my question is,
with the delay headlight shut off, after you turn the car off then turn the headlight switch to off, the head lights will remain on (used to be 45sec)

I never used this feature since parking in a garage at night never needed the lights on, I got into the habit of turning the car off, turning the headlight switch off-then on-then off, so that the lights would go off right away,

anyway last night my wife drove my daughter to a pre-school funtion and just turned the car off then the headlight switch off, then exited the vehicile, and 15Mins later the headlights were still on, she went back to the van and turned the switch on then off, and it went off fine,

playing with it, I am also able to get the lights to go out if I pull the IOD fuse
but since I always just turn the lights off-on-off I never noticed how long it was acting this way

does it sound like a delay setting got messed up some how? would the drbIII beable to just deactivate this feature?

or is it a diode in the switch?

thanks for your time

Also, no lights are out, everything else is fine, no electrical issues besides the light delay

 

I called my dealer, and asked how much it would cost to hook up the DRBIII and change the Headlight Auto off delay, and the service rep said that there is no way to change the auto delay, "it's a safty feature" and he said that the auto delay is only controled by the switch through a diod(sp)

I think the rep might be wrong, I know for my 02 Jeep, that the auto delay is adjustable

thanks again

 

Why not just turn off the lights before you turn off the ignition?

 

HEADLAMP TIME DELAY SYSTEM

The headlamp time delay system is activated by turning the headlamps ON (high or low beam) while the engine is running, turning the ignition switch OFF, and then turning the headlamp switch OFF within 45 seconds. The system will not activate if more than 45 seconds elapse between ignition switch OFF and headlamp switch OFF. The BCM will allow the headlamps to remain ON for 90 seconds (configurable) before they automatically turn off (If the key is in the ignition during the headlamp time delay mode, then both the headlamps and park lamps (including panel dimming) will be ON). Refer to the Owner's Manual for more information.
If the headlamp switch is in the Auto Headlamp Position, the headlamps are ON due to the night signal from the CMTC and the ignition switch is in any position other than run/start, the BCM shall enter a 90 second (configurable) Auto Headlamps time delay mode. If the key is in the ignition during the headlamp time delay mode, then both the headlamps and park lamps (including panel dimming) will be ON. If the key is not in the ignition, then only the headlamps will be ON. The BCM will allow the headlamps to remain ON for 90 seconds before they automatically turn OFF. Refer to the Owner's Manual for more information.

 

protection feature will be disabled if the
ignition switch is turned to any other position other than
LOCK during the 3 minute delay.

Headlamp Delay — If Equipped

This feature provides the safety of headlight illumination
for up to 90 seconds, when leaving your vehicle in an
unlighted area.
To activate the delay feature, turn off the ignition switch
while the headlights are still on. Then turn off the
headlights within 45 seconds. The 90 second delay interval
begins when headlight switch is turned off. If the
headlights or park lights are turned back on or the
ignition switch is turned on, the delay will be cancelled.
The driver can choose, when exiting the vehicle, to have
the headlamps remain on for 30, 60, or 90 seconds, or not
remain on. refer to Electronic Vehicle Information Center
(EVIC) “Customer Programmable Features” for more
information.
If the headlights are turned off before the ignition, they
will turn off in the normal manner.

NOTE:

Front Fog Lights — If Equipped

To activate the front fog lights, turn on the park
lights or the low beam headlights and pull out on
the headlight switch control ****. An indicator in
the headlight switch shows that the front fog lights are
on. Pressing the headlight switch control **** in will

turn the front fog lights off.

 

Ok, the first post is from the service manual and the second is from the '07 owners manual. If you have EVIC, you can adjust this yourself. If you don't, it can be adjusted with a scan tool. If your dealer is a moron, looks like time for a road trip to Minny! Good luck

 

you said it, I unfortunatly only have the basic Otis unit in the van, but I saw a Evic listed on ebay from 06 caravan for 50$, probably be about the same cost as getting the dealer to change it, plus I would have the upgraded system then

 

Sounds like a sweet deal

 

update:

well got the new Evic unit today from ebay, 50.38 total, pulled my otis unit out, put it in, (was super easy especially since I installed from scratch and evic in my 02 jeep liberty a few months back, that was a little nerve racking cutting the head liner, then running the wires to the obdII connector/fuse box)

guess what I could turn off the headlight delay feature, I guess some time in the past the program got a glitch in it, all fixed now, it didn't bother me, but I know I would forget to remind my wife, or a family member when they drive it, and opps, dead battery

I did have a to clean the contacts of the one light, kept blinking on/off, probably since it came from a wrecked van