Auto headlights not shutting off during daylight

[Sarge1400]

My auto headlights have stopped shutting off automatically during the daytime. I can shut them off with the switch, but it's like the sensor isn't detecting the sunlight. Do these sensors ever go bad?

 

[Off Road SHO]

Not likely. More likely it is covered up or disconnected.

Tom

 

[Sarge1400]

It's not covered up. It's been slow to turn off lately, like sometimes it would take a few minutes after starting the car to turn the lights off.

 

[rubydist]

the sensors rarely go bad, but they do get covered in dust, so they think that it is always dark. pop off the cover over the sensor, and you will likely find a 1/4" layer of dust that is keeping the sensor in the dark. simply wipe it off, and your autolamp is likely to be just like new!

 

[Sarge1400]

the sensors rarely go bad, but they do get covered in dust, so they think that it is always dark. pop off the cover over the sensor, and you will likely find a 1/4" layer of dust that is keeping the sensor in the dark. simply wipe it off, and your autolamp is likely to be just like new!

There's a cover on there? I can believe the part about the dust, I live in a rural area; 2.5 miles from my house to a paved road.

 

[rubydist]

the light sensor is on the top of the dash. There are actually 2 of them - one is for the autolamp on/off and the other is for the sunload sensor input to the eatc. The covers are approx. 3" square on the top of the dash toward the ends. The covers just pop off, and you will find both sensors coated in dust. Once cleaned, both the autolamp system and the eatc system will function better for you.

 

[Sarge1400]

The round sensor on the passenger side is exposed. Removing the square didn't really allow for any extra cleaning. It was already pretty clean.

The square bluish sensor under the square on the driver's side was really dirty. I cleaned it off.

I'll see if cleaning made any difference when I head to work here in a bit.

ETA: Auto headlights work fine now!