How to turn out all exterior lights?

lawnscapes2 · December 7, 2006

I was wondering if on the 99 NBS if there was a way to turn all the exterior lights out while the truck is running?

My dads 01 suburban can do it by pressing the dome override 4 times in a row. That dosent work for the 99's.

I know the trick of putting the parking break on 1 click and then restarting the truck and they dont come on, but that is a pain and it dings at you when you drive.

If it cant be done what wiring would have to be done to hook up a switch so that it could turn all of them off?

Any help would be great.

Thanks,

Matt

BG46 · December 7, 2006

on my 03 yukon the control knob for the lights can be turned one click to the left and my exterior lights go off.

not sure about 99's

lawnscapes2 · December 7, 2006

Has anyone installed like a kill switch, so that they could turn out all the lights with that switch?

December 7, 2006

If you're talking about turning off the daytime running lights, then you cycle the dome override button 3 times(on-off-on-off-on-off)

keebler · December 7, 2006

Has anyone installed like a kill switch, so that they could turn out all the lights with that switch?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've got the schematics here and I can probably tell you how if I can find the time to dig through them a little bit. I also have a '99 Suburban so I'm kind of interested in the answer too.

Shaners · December 8, 2006

On the '99s and some early '00s you could not shut off the lights by pushing the dome over-ride button several times.

There used to be companies that sold a kit that could be installed on your truck so that you would be able to turn off the lights. If i remember it wasn't very expensive, but i can't remember where you could get it... JPCustoms rings a bell, but I'm not sure if they are still around...

RyanZ71 · December 8, 2006

That is correct, on the 99s, the DRL overide does not work. 2000 is when they started going into effect. The company that made the kill switch is no longer in business.

c4cruiser · December 8, 2006

The 99 DRL's will stay on as you can't use the dome override trick. Barring the one click oin the e-brake, you could always remove the bulbs.

The other part I don't like about my 99 is that once the headlamps are turned by the auto sensor, you cannot turn them off while moving or in gear.

RyanZ71 · December 8, 2006

Yup, while moving or in park you mean Ahh well, things get better as the years go on, 99 of course was the first year for the Newer Body Style so alot of things they had to iron out with the 99 model.

crazymjb · December 8, 2006

Not bashing the idea, but why would you want to do this? I mean, I know that HMMWVs have an exterior light override, but I mean, It is sometimes necessary to kill indication as to where you are in those situations.

Mike

03blackburb · December 8, 2006

DLR's - leave em on. Auto lights - leave em alone. They are mot atuned to when to come on than you are. Unless you are doing something you should not be doing why bother?

keebler · December 8, 2006

Has anyone installed like a kill switch, so that they could turn out all the lights with that switch?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Okay, I see how to disable the DRL's with a switch and I can provide a schematic if you know how to read them. Let me try to explain...

DISCLAIMER:

(1999 Silverado Instructions) Based on my review of the Factory Schematics. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A CHANCE I COULD BE WRONG! Don't do anything unless you're prepared to deal with the chance that I'm totally wrong and something gets screwed up! As a matter of pride, I don't think that'll happen -- but you should proceed only if you understand and accept the risk.

Locate the Body Control Module:

Up under the left side of the dash is the Body Control Module. It's a flat little box with three rectangular side-by-side connectors across the edge that faces toward your front seat. There's a bundle of wires that comes in from the left side and connects to all three of the rectangular connectors. The left-most connector has room for 24 wires organized as two rows of twelve. (Not all of the wires will be installed!) The center connector also has room for 24 wires organized as two rows of 12. The right most connector is similar, but this one is smaller because it only has room for 16 wires organized as two rows of 8. If you've found the BCM, you'll see these three connectors exactly as I've described and nothing else.

Find the Light Green wire with a Black Stripe:

If you look at the left-most 24 wire connector on the BCM, you should be able to find one of the wires that's Light Green with a Black Stripe. This is the one we're looking for! It's near to the end of one of the row of 12 on that connector. To be sure, you should see that the wire next to it on the very end of that same row of 12 is Light Green without any stripe.

Stay away from the OTHER Light Green wire with a Black Stripe!

There's only one other Light Green Wire with a Black Stripe on the BCM to possibly get confused with. This wrong wire happens to be on the smaller connector of the three (the 16 wire connector) so you should be able to avoid that one by paying careful attention. The 24 wire connector in the middle of the three should also be ignored. This will be easy because there should bo no Light Green Wires with a Black Strip on the center connector at all.

Disable the DRL's:

Cutting this wire will disable all DRL functions. As far as I can tell, there will be no effect on the operation of any other lights. If you want to use a switch to connect and disconnect the wire you've cut, you should be able to use some care and splice one in between. With the switch ON or Closed, the DRL's will work like normal. With the switch OFF or OPEN, the DRL's will be off.

This same Light Green Wire with a Black Stripe heads to the Fuse Box under the hood where there's DRL Fuse and a DRL relay. You should be able to pull out either one of these and cause the DRL's to stay off. I'd chose the BCM so it's easier to find the correct wire and it would be easier to install a switch. (There's way too many wires in the fuse box to easily find the right one!)

What do you think?

99blackz · December 8, 2006

That is really cool but will this also turn off the headlights? I have no problem with my DRL's but i have always wanted to know how to kill the headlights on my 99 NBS.

Thanks for all of the Info!

lawnscapes2 · December 8, 2006

The reason that i wanted to know is because when i go hunting i want to drive to where i am going to park with my lights out when its night time.

NOT because i want to do anything illegal. Another reason is because sometimes i want to sit with the truck running and not draw attention to myself by having my lights on.

And i already took care of my DRL by putting in burnt bulbs, that way i am not messing with the electrical at all.

I am actually interested in how to shut off my headlights when i have the truck running

c4cruiser · December 9, 2006

Sometime you have to go thru a gate where a guard is posted and there is typically a sign asking you to dim your lights. This is typical of military installations.

The last time I went onto the local Army base in the evening, I could not dim the headlights on my 99 and the gate guard gave me a ration of s$$$ about not dimming my headlamps.

It may not be a big deal to some, but if you have to do something like this that your truck will not allow you to do because of some GM enginner's short-sighted ideas, it's no fun to put up with getting told you did not follow instructions.