MichaelAE

iTrader: (1)

Man am I sick of searching and reading threads. I've gone through most all of my results and nothing is coming through. Did anybody figure out whether there is a wire to cut which will just permanently disable the AUTO feature?

I am also willing to experiment with rewiring the stalk so that the AUTO feature will be the fourth setting on the stalk instead of the second, but somebody with an ESM will have to make some suggestions.

mdeal

iTrader: (2)

I am assuming you are referring to auto headlights. If so, you can simply use "off" and "on" and not use the auto selection.

MichaelAE

iTrader: (1)

Right, I understand that. This is an offshoot of the HID discussions about how turning your parking lights on require passing the AUTO setting and thereby surging or flashing the HIDs, briefly, when it is dark out, possibly shortening their lifespan. I am willing to cut the feature out completely since I never use it...but would also experimenting with moving it to the fourth position on the stalk so that the order would be:

1. Off
2. Parking/Running lights
3. On
4. Auto

hawks25

I can't tell you how many times the Headlight stalk mod has ran through my head. What were the Nissan engineers thinking?

The only way around this that I have figured (without actually modding the stalk) is when the car is off, you have to turn the parking lights on before turning the ignition key. Then start the car.

I'd love to have a stalk mod...that sounds funny.

MichaelAE

iTrader: (1)

I think Nissan engineer's were thinking that the intuitive thing would be to have headlights on when the switch is turned "all the way" on. I agree if that was their motivation, as it is the way most driver's are accustomed to turning their lights on. For example, I can rent any car in the world and, pretty much, assume that you turn the thing all the way to make the lights come on...know what I mean.

Your solution is great, but I don't want the parking/running lights on when I'm driving during the day. Particularly with clear side markers...the car looks better with all lights off during the day. However, good idea in lieu of "The Stalk Mod."

hawks25

OK, I see what you're saying. I have thought that the stalk should go:
-AUTO
-OFF
-PARKING
-HEADLIGHTS

That way, if you choose the "AUTO" option, you know you're choosing it and you can leave it.

I also agree that all lights off during the day is good. I guess what I meant was: when it is dark, with the ignition in the "OFF" position, the "AUTO" feature does not engage the HID's. When the stalk is in the "PARKING" light mode and the ignition is off, the parking lights are on. You can then start your car without "flashing" the HID's.

MichaelAE

iTrader: (1)

Ooooooooohhhhhh-aaaaaahhhhhh. I like your idea better! Switch AUTO and OFF, essentially. I'm hoping that when I finally do take that stalk off and look at it, this is a simple thing and not some hard-wired, sodered on switch. I've got to imagine we could accomplish this by rewiring around the steering column. Somebody chiming in while looking at the ESM would be helpful.

lcf

iTrader: (6)

i would like it like this also. i dont have HIDs. but i dont use the auto lights feature... and... whenever i turn my lights off it always flashes and i look like a complete idiot who cannot even turn my lights off right.

2k2Merlot

That is how the auto headlights were layed out on my 2k1 Jeep Grand Cherokee. I wish Nissan would have thought of this.
i would like it like this also. i dont have HIDs. but i dont use the auto lights feature... and... whenever i turn my lights off it always flashes and i look like a complete idiot who cannot even turn my lights off right. [/QUOTE]

KaxMaxSEAE

And confuse the hell out of the next guy who owns your car.
And while you're at it, post a pic of the back of the fuse block. That'd be really appreciated.

Crusader

Yeah, I don't know why our stalk is set up the way it is. My friend has had 2 grand cherokees, a 99 laredo and a 2002 limited, and both of them, the stalks were set up like this:

auto
off
parking
headlights

which is the most logical in my opinion. Oh well.

MichaelAE

iTrader: (1)

This thread is staying at the top if it kills me.

IceY2K1

iTrader: (3)

Michael,

It's VERY easy to eliminate the AUTO feature, although I have NOT done this yet.

If you would like me to tell you how, email me, and tonight I'll look it up in the FSM and let you know what wire you need to cut at the SECU. I don't want to tell a bunch of people and then have them screw something up and then blame me, because with Nissans' SECU you don't know what side-effects there are until you try it.

There are 3-wires at the SECU(Power, Ground, Sensor Input). Cutting the "sensor input" wire SHOULD disable/bypass the AUTO sensor, but if not, you'll need to reconnect the wire and try one of the others.

One of these YEARS I'll get off my lazy **** and do it, but so far everytime I've been in the mood to mod something, I forget or get side tracked on another project.

mingo

iTrader: (4)

i dont' get it.. why dont' you just leave it in the off position?? start the engine then put it in the auto position, if it's dark enough itll light up, if it's not then it won't. and if you want it to turn on then switch it to the full on position, and right before you want to shut teh car off switch it to the parking light mode and use that as your off position. the lights turn off automatically after you shut the car down adn open the door.

MichaelAE

iTrader: (1)

The first thing I really want to do is look at the switch itself and see if there is a way to change the position of each item on the stalk.

IceY2K1

iTrader: (3)

Doubt it. The combination switch looks pretty intimidating. Unless, you take it apart and resolder all the jumpers, I don't think your going to end up with the results you want.

It's much easier to eliminate AUTO, but don't let me keep you from trying.

mingo

iTrader: (4)

if you want the auto to be on full time, all you got to do is paint that photosensor on your dash black or what ever color you like so the light doesn't penetrate it. if you want to make it look nicer, lift the thing up with a panel puller and paint the inside so it still looks stock.

IceY2K1

iTrader: (3)

We want the EXACT opposite, no AUTO.

MichaelAE

iTrader: (1)

Or, even better, switch AUTO and OFF so that going from OFF to PARKING LIGHTS doesn't pass AUTO, but you still could use AUTO if you wanted to (or sold the car to somebody who wanted to).

MichaelAE

iTrader: (1)

Of course not.

Long time since I earned my EE, but you'd think I could figure it out. I might have a day that I venture into the dark realm of the steering column stalk.

IceY2K1

iTrader: (3)

Even though your an EE, you don't want to mess with it. You'd most likely break it and be buying a new one.

The EASIEST solution to get the best of both worlds is to just add a switch to the "sensor input" wire.

That way you can enable/disable the AUTO sensor.

MichaelAE

iTrader: (1)

That's why I said "you'd think I could figure it out." You're probably right.