Headlight light sensor replacement

My 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee has an "Auto" setting on the headlight switch.
This settings causes the head lights to automatically turn on when it's dark
and turn off when it's light. I'm having an intermittent problem where the
head lights will suddenly turn off(or not turn on) when I'm using the Auto
setting at night time. I suspect the light sensor is going bad. Does anyone
know where this light sensor is and how I can replace it?

Thank you,
Steve Smith

Most cars with this feature have the sensor mounted on the rear view mirror.
You need to be sure you aren't hanging your tie from the mirror because this
can cover the eye that sees when it is getting dark, and this causes
unreliable operation.




"Steve Smith" > wrote in message
news:v%wDe.45705$rb6.16037@lakeread07...
> My 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee has an "Auto" setting on the headlight switch.
> This settings causes the head lights to automatically turn on when it's
> dark and turn off when it's light. I'm having an intermittent problem
> where the head lights will suddenly turn off(or not turn on) when I'm
> using the Auto setting at night time. I suspect the light sensor is going
> bad. Does anyone know where this light sensor is and how I can replace it?
>
> Thank you,
> Steve Smith
>
>

On the 1997 JGC the sensor is mounted on top of the dashboard about
center just below the windshield in the defroster bezel. Manual says
to pry up the bezel and the connector is right there.

The sensor on my T-Bird's mirror is the headlight dimmer. On the
dash looking up is it's daylight sensor, that's frequently covered with
junk like glasses, maps, etc.
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
http://www.billhughes.com/

J Strickland wrote:
>
> Most cars with this feature have the sensor mounted on the rear view mirror.
> You need to be sure you aren't hanging your tie from the mirror because this
> can cover the eye that sees when it is getting dark, and this causes
> unreliable operation.

"L.W. ("ßill") Hughes III" > wrote in message
...
> The sensor on my T-Bird's mirror is the headlight dimmer.

REALITY CHECK
Isn't that what I said? Most cars with this feature have the sensor on the
rear view mirror. (I turns out the OPs car has it actually on the dashboard
at the base of the windshield.)



I used to drive a Turbo T-bird from Irvine to home, via the Ortega Highway.
The car had the automatic lights that would dip the high beams for oncoming
cars, and then go back to the brights again. The mile marker signs on the
side of the road, and the large rocks of the cliffs that the road is built
into, would confuse the sensor, and it would dip the lights for no apparent
reason at a moment when the most possible light is desirable. It was a bitch
to figure out how to disable that feature while driving on a mountain road,
but I managed.






On the
> dash looking up is it's daylight sensor, that's frequently covered with
> junk like glasses, maps, etc.
> God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
> http://www.billhughes.com/
>
> J Strickland wrote:
>>
>> Most cars with this feature have the sensor mounted on the rear view
>> mirror.
>> You need to be sure you aren't hanging your tie from the mirror because
>> this
>> can cover the eye that sees when it is getting dark, and this causes
>> unreliable operation.

OK, I didn't realize you were talking about the high and low beam
switching. I thought the Poster's lights were shutting off.
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
http://www.billhughes.com/

J Strickland wrote:
>
> REALITY CHECK
> Isn't that what I said? Most cars with this feature have the sensor on the
> rear view mirror. (I turns out the OPs car has it actually on the dashboard
> at the base of the windshield.)
>
> I used to drive a Turbo T-bird from Irvine to home, via the Ortega Highway.
> The car had the automatic lights that would dip the high beams for oncoming
> cars, and then go back to the brights again. The mile marker signs on the
> side of the road, and the large rocks of the cliffs that the road is built
> into, would confuse the sensor, and it would dip the lights for no apparent
> reason at a moment when the most possible light is desirable. It was a bitch
> to figure out how to disable that feature while driving on a mountain road,
> but I managed.

Steve Smith did pass the time by typing:
> My 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee has an "Auto" setting on the headlight switch.
> This settings causes the head lights to automatically turn on when it's dark
> and turn off when it's light. I'm having an intermittent problem where the
> head lights will suddenly turn off(or not turn on) when I'm using the Auto
> setting at night time. I suspect the light sensor is going bad. Does anyone
> know where this light sensor is and how I can replace it?

In the 93 it's between the defroster grills on top of the dash. You just
pop the grills out and unhook the sensor. Thing is it's not an easily
damaged doodad. Dirt can make it think night time has come earlier.

--
DougW

And I thought both features were operated from the same place. That is, I
thought the sensors were located together, not that one sensor does both
jobs. However, I can't think of a reason why one sensor couldn't do both
jobs.

If the lights are off, and the sun goes down, the sensor sees this and turns
the lights on. If the lights are on, and the sensor sees lights coming from
the other way, the lights dim to low beam if they aren't already there.





"L.W. ("ßill") Hughes III" > wrote in message
...
> OK, I didn't realize you were talking about the high and low beam
> switching. I thought the Poster's lights were shutting off.
> God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
> http://www.billhughes.com/
>
> J Strickland wrote:
>>
>> REALITY CHECK
>> Isn't that what I said? Most cars with this feature have the sensor on
>> the
>> rear view mirror. (I turns out the OPs car has it actually on the
>> dashboard
>> at the base of the windshield.)
>>
>> I used to drive a Turbo T-bird from Irvine to home, via the Ortega
>> Highway.
>> The car had the automatic lights that would dip the high beams for
>> oncoming
>> cars, and then go back to the brights again. The mile marker signs on the
>> side of the road, and the large rocks of the cliffs that the road is
>> built
>> into, would confuse the sensor, and it would dip the lights for no
>> apparent
>> reason at a moment when the most possible light is desirable. It was a
>> bitch
>> to figure out how to disable that feature while driving on a mountain
>> road,
>> but I managed.