The exterior lighting seems kinda strange and I can't decide if it's just quirky or somehow faulty. Keep in mind this is a Canadian car. What the manual says and what the car does doesn't really match. I'll try to explain so please bear with me.

The stalk switch only has 3 positions, off, sidelights and headlights. There is no auto position. With key off, the switch is dead. It will not turn on any lights but I can turn on the headlights with the fob
With the key on, engine running and the switch off, no lights are on except the gauge cluster. Now I think there should be daytime running lights on with these as well, but there is not.
In daylight, engine running, switch to sidelights does nothing.
Switch to headlights turns on the headlights only.
In the dark, the switch seems to work the lights properly but remember, there is no auto position on the switch. At the headlight, there is a small bulb at the top that lights up. I feel like this should be the daytime running light but maybe not? See picture.

It looks like there could be a light sensor on the back of the mirror but there is no sensitivity adjustment as described in the manual.

I've tried just leaving the switch in the headlight position which seemed to work except that one morning previously, I went to the garage in the dark to find the lights on. I left the switch on last night and the the lights were still off in the dark this morning.

I'll stop there and see what kind of input I get on this. Makes me feel like I'm just missing something but here's a picture of the manual anyway.

 

On my 1997 UK model the sidelight position does turn on those small bulbs. These could be left on for use as DRL's but then, of course, the rear lights would be on as well although that is not a problem. There are no real DRL's.

I don't think that I have that sensor in the rear-view mirror but that might be an option that I don't have or was not available in 1997.

Richard

 

The small bulbs are PILOT LAMPS.

 

Does that mean they should be lit whenever the car is running?

 

As I said above, they are not lit on UK models when the car is running unless they are turned on.

I have never heard them called pilot lamps in the UK. They are, and have been called, sidelights for at least the last 100 years.

Richard

 

Daytime running lights come on when in gear.

 

Which lights are your DTRLs?
No lights come on for me when in gear.
I cannot make any lights come on in daylight, period, except for the front projectors and only with the key in the run position. To me this seems as if those are supposed to be the DTRLs, but only if the switch is in headlight on position. Remember, there is no auto position on my switch.

I'm going to cover the windows in the garage for fake darkness and see if I can figure this out.

 

The little pilot lamps are only illuminated with the SIDE/TAIL lamps.

 

That is certainly not the case in Europe although it might be in Canada. In Europe, DRL's, when fitted, are lit up whether in gear or neutral.

Richard

 

OK, this is messed up. I black out the garage, still can't get any lights to come on except the main headlights with key on only. Doesn't matter what I do or combination of key, switch, parking brake, engine start, brake pedal, nothing. The only other thing that always works, which I forgot, is the rear fog lights, which I've never even heard of before, ever, but hey, they work lol.

I decide screw this, I'm going for a drive, it's beautiful outside and take off with the headlight switch all the way to headlights so i have make shift DTLs. When I get back I notice the side light indicator is lit on the dash. Get out and look, sure enough all lights are on. Try the switch several times and all lights work as described by you. Side lights only includes the small front lights but I notice a rear side light is out. The bulb is burnt and I have a replacement which fixes it. Try the light switch several more times and it's good so I go for another drive. When I get back, the lights have returned to not working again. WTF!

 

Do the rear tail lights come on with the switch in the 'sidelights' position' (in daylight)?

 

Mystery solved. I figured it had to be a short or loose connection and it is a problem with the stalk/switch. Jiggling the stalk while switching high/low beams on made the lights operate properly until jiggled off again. Yay, another project lol.

 

Ya beat me to it. Good catch

The wires can break at the switch with the constant flexing.

 

I found an excellent write up with pictures yesterday on how to remove the headlight switch


but be d***** if I could find it again today. I tried for like, an hour.

I managed to get the switch completely out this morning by winging it. The discovery, although hard to spot, looks indeed to be pinched wires. I'm going to attempt to fix this after testing them for continuity somehow.

 

I have converted my fog lights to DDL using led bulbs..Written it up on here just a rewire in the fuse box

 

I'll look into that thanks.