Dome Override Button

Hi guys, couple quick questions, couldnt find the answers with a search. My truck doesnt seem to do what the manual tells me it should.

2000 silverado. That little headlight control panel, with the rotary switch, dimmer, and dome over ride. Should it be illuminated at night? Mine's not, im thinking it should be, and I'm assuming its one of those solder-type bulbs inside?

Secondly, the control. The rotary switch has automatic, park lights, and headlamps. At night ( I dont relaly know what happens during the day ), In order for my park lights to be on in the park light setting, I have to have the dimmer all the way down.(with the park brake on) Is this right? Kinda seems to me that it shuldnt matter where the dimmer roller is, if you're selected to park lights, the headlights shouldnt be on. Basically I can't have my headlights off, and see my dash lights. Sorry if this is hard to understand, I'm not great with words.

Thirdly, my dimmer roller has no effect on my dash lights unless i select the rotary control to park lights. In auto, or headlights on, the dimmer does nothing. It might have a VERY slight effect, but I cant dim the dash lights all the way. This kinda seems odd to me as well.

Lastly, the dome override button. Mine doesnt seem to do anything, except shut off the dome light after it comes on when I take out the key. I'm reading about using it to control the automatic headlights and the like, but it doesnt do that on my truck. My switch doesn't stay in, if you know what I mean. I kinda think that its meant to be one of those switches where you push it once, it stays in, push it again, it pops back out. Is this correct? cause mine's not.


Can anyone shed any light on this? he he. . sorry..

Thanks,

Evan

Evan,

With the first two questions, it sounds like you have a short or something isn't wired right. When your switch is in the Automatic position, and it is dark or dusk out, when u put the vehicle in drive or reverse and the parking brake is OFF, the headlights should come on, it has nothing to do with the dimmer roll switch. When your dash lights are illuminated, and you roll the switch all the way back towards you just before it clicks the dome light on, your dash light should dim all the way down and actually shut off completely I believe, I'd have to go check mine to be sure. As far as the Dome Overide button, if you push it in and out about 5 times in a row you'll hear a chime. What this does is de-activates your automatic headlights, allows you to pick park or headlights etc.. Also during the day when your DLR (daytime running lights) are on, if you push the button in and out until it chimes it will shut them off. With that and the automatic headlight feature, that is not permanent, everytime you shut your vehicle off it resets back to the default mode of automatic headlights and DRLs on.

Hope that helps..

Scott

That does help to some extent. As I said, i'm not great with words. My automatic light feature works fine. When it starts to get dark, or I pull into the garage, the lights do come on. And shut off when they should. I do not, however, get the chime, its as if my dome override does nothing but shut off the dome light when I shut off the truck. Whenever I turn the knob from auto, to park, or headlights, the headlights come on, and only shut off when I've selected park lights and the dimmer is ALL the way down.

The only way I can control my dash lights, is to put the selector to park lights, (which keeps my headlights on), and then the dimmer works (so long as I dont go right off, cause then my headlights shut off). Kinda seems weird to me. I guess it's not that big of a deal, as it doesnt impede the operation of the truck, or any of the lighting (except dash lights), its just kinda an inconvenience. I mostly notice it if I'm in aparking lot or something, pointing at another vehicle, and I'm beaming the poor guy. Then I gotta shut off teh truck, and set the park brake to turn off my lights.

Evan

I don't think the hitting the dome override 5 times thing works on 2000 model. I might be wrong though. For some reason I keep thinking it had something to do with the dimmer switch to shut the DRL's off on the older models.


When you use your parking break it deactivates the DRL's, at least it did on my 01 impala. So I'm guessing what you are trying to do is drive with just your parking lights on? If so you need to figure out how to deactivate your DRL's. Or you could push your ebrake in one click and it will deactivate them.


And yes the dimmer area should be lit up, you just have a dead bulb.


As for the dash being lit up without the headlights on. The dash lights only turn on when you are using your headlights, or when the autofeature turns your headlights on. I don't think there is anyway to turn them on without having your headlights or parking lights on.

I'm not actually trying to drive without my drls on, or with just my park lights on, I'm tryin to get stuff to work the way it should. My dash lights wont dim with the headlights on, only with the park lights selected, and the park brake on.(Thats also the only way to get just my park lights on). Even in daytime, if I select park lights, with my park brake OFF, the headlights come on. I dunno, pretty soon I'm probably gonna just stop caring. he he.

Evan