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Upgrading to Automatic headlights

24K views 18 replies 12 participants last post by  j0mbie 
#1 ·
Just like my other thread about automatic temperature control upgrade, this is about the headlights. I KNOW that the car knows when it's dark or bright outside. (The rearview mirror has the sensor, and it even puts my dashboard lights to night mode when it's too dark outside.) I also know it is able to control the headlights through the bus. For example, when you unlock the doors the headlights come on.
So I don't know why Jeep didn't bother to give us an AUTO headlight option, when it's pretty much standard on all new vehicles these days.
(Please, let's not start an argument on the necessity of this feature...for this thread's sake let's assume it is. This is about the tech.)

Now, I researched this online, and came up with a part that seems to fit. Looks exactly the same as the original part except for the AUTO mode on the light switch.
Because everything is bus controlled, I would like to believe that this would just work.

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=3615435&cc=1447717

Has anyone tried this before, or experimented with this option?
 
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#2 ·
This was my major complaint--in '08 it was available on the Liberty and above models, but not for the Patriot. Even my '98 Chev S-10 truck had auto headlights--as well as DRL's--where have the Chrysler engineers been??!!
 
#4 ·
That would be great if the part could be just swapped in!
 
#7 ·
They have kinda-auto headlights. Leave your lights on and remove the key... about 5 minutes later it kills all the lights, even the running lights to prevent battery drain. I know, excessive delay, but maybe one day someone will hack the damn computers of these things so we can tinker with the light-off delay, and possibly cvt gear ratios and what-not. I still have no idea why my pat would rev past optimum rpm if it has a cvt..... stupid.
 
#9 ·
REALLY wanted this

Was originally planning on getting a 2014 Limited, but couldn't find one with the equipment I wanted (or more precisely, without the equipment I didn't want) and in the color I wanted. Ended up with a Latitude. Was kind of surprised that automatic headlights were only standard on the Limited. My '94 T-Bird had 'em! Anyone ever figure out a cheap, easy way to add them?
 
#10 ·
Was originally planning on getting a 2014 Limited, but couldn't find one with the equipment I wanted (or more precisely, without the equipment I didn't want) and in the color I wanted. Ended up with a Latitude. Was kind of surprised that automatic headlights were only standard on the Limited. My '94 T-Bird had 'em! Anyone ever figure out a cheap, easy way to add them?

Nope, not feasible for cheap sorry, that and automatic temp control both require a bit of work or hacking of the jeep yet to be done


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#11 ·
I believe you would need the auto headlight module to control the extra signal, the switch to select it and a sensor for activating. You can find the parts in the mopar overstock website. Don't know about the wiring for it though.

With regards to the auto temp control, I did notice that one of the ir sensor assemblies is for a model that just has the base headliner and auto temp control. This means that theoretically you only need the controls, the sensor and to do the wiring.
 
#14 ·
Something many of us don't remember: In CA (of course, where else?!), if your wipers are on, so must your headlights--which daytime running lights meet that. However, the law states, your lights--meaning tail lights as well. So, that would be my reasoning for auto headlights--that could be ganged with the wipers--turn them on and the lights come on too.
 
#16 ·
One bad thing about automatic headlights...

As I mentioned above, my old '94 T-Bird had auto headlights. That meant that my daughter, who learned how to drive on the T-Bird, had NEVER had to turn headlights on or off. One evening she got pulled over and got a ticket for driving without headlights. She couldn't figure out how this could have happened. Turns out, her brother had cleaned the inside of the car that day, including dusting the dashboard. Must have accidentally flipped it out of AUTO. When the daughter pulled out onto a well lit suburban main street, she only made it one block before she got nabbed. The streetlights were bright enough that she didn't notice. When she would have eventually looked down at the speedo she would have seen it was dark, but probably would have called dad to tell him the dashboard lights had all burned out.
 
#19 ·
I can confirm this doesn't readily work, at least not without more modification. I ordered the part in question. Unfortunately when it's wired in, my wipers turned on and wouldn't turn back off, and none of the wiper controls would work. This is likely because the wiper switch and turn signal switch are connected with about 8 wires, and I'm assuming both get their signals converted into the CANBUS system by the secondary wire harness on the turn signal switch. I think the data that get sent to the bus is different if you install different turn signal switches.

Just to be sure it wouldn't matter, I used the JScan app to activate the automatic headlight feature in the Jeep's computer, but it made no difference.

After thinking about it some more, I realized the rear-view mirror light is probably used for different things in the computer than a regular daylight sensor -- mainly, for dimming your mirror. If it controlled your headlights, your headlights would turn off whenever someone was behind you. You need a real daylight sensor, which is on the top of the dash in the same panel as your defroster vent. Patriot never had this option. I don't know if that somehow would change the wiper problem, or if the part linked above is just not the correct one.

Someone else on here scavenged one of those from I think a Compass or something, and also got/modified the necessary wiring and splice to connect it, and it worked for them. They made a detailed write-up if you search for it. However for me, it's not worth that amount of trouble.

Honestly, I'd just prefer daytime running lights instead of daylight-sensing lights, because I'd probably keep forgetting to turn them on in the rain, snow, and fog. But I had to replace my turn signal switch anyways so I figured I'd give it a shot.
 
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