Automatic headlights just stopped working.

[sethsport]

I was driving down the road and my headlights went out as well as my gauge cluster. Then it came back on then off then on then off. I had to change the selector switch to the headlight emblem and everything works fine. The selector switch always stayed in the "off" position, which apparently was the automatic setting. I haven't had a chance to check fuses or the sensor, where is the sensor? Could it be a relay? Any help would be great. I guess for now I'll get by with manually turning them on and off. Oh bother....

 

[Kjhadfield]

Some how my mirror got a crack in the housing which (I think) caused my auto light problem but lately, every once in awhile my gauges will dim on/off (or low) so I'm guessing it's the dimmer switch. I don't know if the 2 may be connected-I think when I had my dash off they both looked like 1 unit.

 

[sethsport]

Yeah I fiddled with the dimmer switch and it seemed very erratic and sounded almost like static. It was very twitchy in the lights were flickering so I'm almost willing to bet that that's absolutely part of the problem. I got back in the truck after going to dinner and it started working again so that's cool, we'll see how long it lasts. The truck I had before this one was a bare-bones 87 Chevy no power steering or air-conditioning even so not having automatic headlights is not that big of a deal. But for future reference does anyone know where to get these parts?

 

[01STrunner]

rockauto.com is a great source for parts like that.

The whole headlight switch assembly is easy to access from under the dash. Could be messed up wires or a bad ground. Most issues I have similar to this just end up being bad wires or connections.

 

[sethsport]

I was looking at my rearview mirror driving on the road today and I thought to myself, maybe the sensors in there? So I fiddled with the dimmer switch that keeps the headlights on for however long after the car turns off and that's what the issue was. It was pushed all the way to the left, which I guess is off. There's definitely something going on with the cab light dimmer switch because that is still very erratic but everything seems be working fine for now, I'm cool with it