I want my headlights to switch on automatically each time I start the engine and thought the simplest solution would be to stick some tape over the obscurity sensor. The only problem is I have no idea where it's located. Can anyone advise? TIA

 

In your rear view mirror

 

I believe there is a knob to adjust the sensitivity of that device so that it will turn on when you start. That way you wont have ugly tape on the back of your mirror! Doubt anyone could see that tape anyway but still might be a possible thing to do. It is also on the back of the mirror!

 

Thanks, guys. I will give it a try

 

It is true there is an adjuster on the mirror for the light sensitivity but I think you will find on the later cars it was removed, perhaps repositioned.

I have only once bothered to look for it on an 05 XKR and was unable to find it in its usual place

 

Even on the early cars, you can't adjust it down far enough to come on all the time. I think some black electrical tape would be invisible from the outside.

 

Well, I have stuck some tape on and it is barely visible from the outside (and obviously not at all from the inside). I couldn't see/feel any adjuster on the mirror, so I suppose it must have been deleted, as XKRacer says.

The only downside is that I have to switch off the auto dim feature on the mirror, otherwise it's on all the time. No biggy, however, as I never really drive at night.

Thanks for your help

 

Hello, auto on for headlight sensor is in the rear of rearview mirror on drivers side of center. Just so you know i did the tape trick 2 years or so ago and now my auto on feature no longer works. I have been told that the sensor has gone bad and the tape was the reason. They said when the tape is over the sensor the sensor is always on because the relay is on since it does not see light ( then relay closed). I am not completely sure this is correct information, but i am told with new mirror the sensor will work. I have not bought a new mirror yet to try this theory out, i'm a bit concerned about paying a couple hundred or so and finding out the info. Is not correct. Also i am wondering if the sensor in the mirror can be changed out by itself and fix the problem that way it would certainly seem cheaper but i am thinking new sensor only with new mirror. Anyone have thoughts or ideas about this fix? The tape being the problem seems plausible and if that is the reason, my reccomendation is to not try it unless you want to buy new mirror. My mirror was new about 2 years ago because of bad mono chromatic stuff inside so i replaced but sensor in new mirror only lasted about 2 years with tape over sensor so lights would come on with start up and essentially become daylight running light for my 2001 xkr which do not have capabilty of drl's. If anyone has thoughts let them speak now. Thanks

 

I think I would take heed to what Vette says....... I am now going to be a little bit crass....... Rather than risk breaking something that could potentionally cost you $£$ why not spend about 1/2 second switching them on yourself

 

I am considering the same thing, but my thought on what you were told is if you drove in the dark a lot would this not burn out the sensor as well like they said. Any other thoughts on this?

 

Just turn em on yourself, I say. I lost auto-dimming headlights on mine anyway when I replaced my mirror with one from an acura, because my old one's hinge had got the droop and couldn't keep it up anymore.

 

I can't really see any chance you will damage anything by taping over the sensor, any more than you would damage anything by only driving at night. You are more likely to wear out the light switch by turning it on and off all the time. There is another modification you can do to use the fog lights as daytime running lights, this seems like an only slightly more complicated alternative to taping over the sensor:-

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...lights-250108/