Do The Headlights & Tailights Come On With The Wipers?

[Dale_K]

If I turn on the windshield wipers during the daylight hours will they activate the full headlight/tailight system? My truck doesn't have an indicator lamp on the dash to tell me when the headlights are on. I did a lot of driving in the rain last week and I was never sure whether the tailights were on. I tried turning on the high beams briefly and the blue high beam lamp came on which made me think the full headlight system was working (not just the DRL's).

[Chris]

well at least on my o4 tou can flash the high's with just drls on

[C. Charles Hahn]

I make it a habit to just manually turn the lights on when I'm in conditions like that. Then you KNOW they're on -- there's no guessing involved.

[cfeiring]

On my 08 turning on the wipers just does that, turns on the wipers.

Now my truck will turn on my headlights/taillights when it senses the ambient light is low enough.

So far my trucks sensor seems to be OK, I have never needed to turn on the headlights because the truck had failed to turn them on.

[Metro12]

My 2007 GMT900 WT will turn the headlight/tail lights on in broad daylight, if the wipers are on. It will also turn the head/tails on when the wipers are about 2/3 to high speed in the intermittent mode.

[Z45]

Yes the newer vehicles activate the headlights when the wipers are on. My Cadillac does this and so does my 2010 GMC. Its for safety. Many people won't turn on the lights even when its nearly dark. They figure are long as they can see, everyone else can see them.

[Pumper]

Yes, your truck should turn on the entire lighting system when the wipers are activated. My 09 SLT even does it on its own when it detects rain.

[Stex]

To the OP: I do not know do they? Have you tried it and checked????? What does your owner manual say. If not just turn the knob on the dash and lights are on....

 

MY 09 SLT CC does not and it is not in the owners manual. I know of no such feature unless on the '10s...

 

09 manual: http://www.gm.ca/media/owners/manuals/2009...anual_en_CA.pdf

[Metro12]

To the OP: I do not know do they? Have you tried it and checked????? What does your owner manual say. If not just turn the knob on the dash and lights are on....

 

MY 09 SLT CC does not and it is not in the owners manual. I know of no such feature unless on the '10s...

 

09 manual: http://www.gm.ca/media/owners/manuals/2009...anual_en_CA.pdf

 

If my 2007 GMT900 Work Truck does, everything else should as well!! 2007 was the first year for the GMT900, and the work truck is the base model. I'm wondering if for some reason, trucks sold in Canada do not have it enabled in the computer.

[Metro12]

If I turn on the windshield wipers during the daylight hours will they activate the full headlight/tailight system? My truck doesn't have an indicator lamp on the dash to tell me when the headlights are on. I did a lot of driving in the rain last week and I was never sure whether the tailights were on. I tried turning on the high beams briefly and the blue high beam lamp came on which made me think the full headlight system was working (not just the DRL's).

 

Turn your dash light brightness all the way up. You don't need an indicator light, as the dash lights light up as well.

[Sierra in the Sand]

It appears the lights only come on with the rain sense wipers...... from the manual:

Rainsense™ II Wipers

For vehicles with Rainsense™ II windshield wipers, the

moisture sensor is located next to the inside rearview

mirror and is mounted on the windshield. When active,

these sensors are able to detect moisture on the

windshield and automatically turn on the wipers.

To turn on the Rainsense feature, the wipers must be

set to one of the five delay settings on the multifunction

lever. Each of the five settings adjusts the sensitivity

of the sensor.

Since different drivers have different setting preferences,

it is recommended that the mid-range setting (position 3)

be used initially. For more wipes, select the higher

settings; for fewer wipes, select the lower settings located

closer to the off position on the multifunction lever.

The sensor will automatically control the frequency of the

wipes from the off setting to the high speed setting

according to the weather conditions. The wipers can be

left in a rainsense mode even when it is not raining.

When Rainsense is active, the headlamps will turn on

automatically if the exterior lamp control is in the

AUTO position and the wipers are active.Notice: Going through an automatic car wash with

the wipers on can damage them. Turn the wipers

off when going through an automatic car wash.

3-11

[backwardthreads]

My 2007 GMC SLE turns on the full lighting system when the wipers are on. I really like it and I can tell because my dash lights come on but my radio doesn't dim like it does at night.

[Dale_K]

Thanks for the replies. A few solid responses for "yes" sounds good to me.

[hockeypro1411]

Yes the newer vehicles activate the headlights when the wipers are on. My Cadillac does this and so does my 2010 GMC. Its for safety. Many people won't turn on the lights even when its nearly dark. They figure are long as they can see, everyone else can see them.

 

It's also required by law in some states. I know in Illinois the law says that if the wipers are on, the headlights better be too.

[Stex]

Ya Jake they tried to pass such here in Tex...not in favor of more laws but that one might be a good one...ya just cannot fix dumb...We get fog down here and no lights drivers everywhere...or just the DRLs and no tails!

 

Well Shhhhhh...oot, appears my 09 does have such a feature...I do not use rainsense so never noticed such...today I tried the wipers on slow and fast and the lights did not come on?? Appears to be just rainsense according to the manual...I do not understand that...or maybe with wipers on and the computer getting a rain report from the sensor??...will check the rainsense out next time in rain...could be awhile down this way but it is a wet year, yea!