96 daytime running lights

[96tsport]

Tried a search & found this thread. Not sure how they are supposed to work but found these comments interesting.

My Trans Sport DRLs don't work. The van has automatic headlights that come on when dark.

Most of the time, all my outside lights come on auto (day or night) with the ignition & starting the engine.

Once in a blue moon, only the headlights come on & have to use the light switch to turn on all outside lights.

I guess the light switch is mainly supposed to be used as a backup in case the auto system goes awry. How to fix the auto system?

[LMP]

Seems like the light sensor is a little bit over sensitive...cover the left dash speaker area ( the sensor is hidden under the speaker grille...at least in my '93 setup.) This is a manual action comparable to turning the switch ON, but at least lights will go OFF when you turn the ignition key off....

[96tsport]

Yes, all lights go off fine with & when the ignition switch is turned off. Found the DRL section in Haynes.

The DRL consists of a control module, light sensor, drooping diode & the parking brake switch. Sez the light sensor is mounted in the instrument panel upper trim pad on the drivers side.

Looks like the speaker cover pries off so i'll fish around for the light sensor. Maybe the speaker cover is filled with dust & crud so all the lights come on ..99% of the time. Have to take the top dash cover off anyway (at some point) ..one of the instrument lights looks like it partially fell out of the socket, dash is dim in that area compared to the rest.

Also missing half the lights (maybe partially cos they are always on..& burnt out) in the radio, cig lighter & hvac controls area though the odd time .. when I tap under the radio, lotsa radio lights come on, ..sooo, gonna have to remove that area to sort it out & probably throw in a cheap cd radio at the same time. I have the original cassette setup with only 4 radio channel pre select.

[96tsport]

Gave the speaker cover a go but doesn't seen to want to come off easy ..at all. Managed to lift one corner ok (bottom right) & forcefully slide all the way across to the next corner (bottom left) ..but that's it..

Didn't feel like I could continue without breaking something.

Haynes manual shows that it can be pried off but looks like I'll be taking the whole top dash cover off to get to the light sensor

While I was fiddling with the speaker cover, the daytime running lights started to work normal..as in just the headlights. Noticed it cos the dash lights went out.

[LMP]

Yes the only way I got to that section has been by removing the entire top dash cover...which is a rather simple operation (with my '93....no air bags...) that went without any damage once you have found and removed all the screws....not that many... Last time was years ago...doors must be opened to access the side screws...and there are others above instrument panel...
If you have to play with air bags, DISCONNECT the battery first and never connect it untill everything is back in place.

[96tsport]

Started out using a relatively stiff knife blade (from a multi blade pocket knife) & did pry the bottom right corner ok but also put a small nick in the dash & the blade was bending quite a bit, so then switched to a short thick bottle opener type option that I could use alot of pressure with. As mentioned was able to slide over to the bottom left corner but didn't want to force anymore at that point & forgot to mention that the same thing happened working up to the right corner. I also had some concern that I may be damaging the speaker or whatever else might be under the cover ..

Thanks for confirming you had a similar experience. Dunno why one corner releases ok & not the others & was thinking of giving it another go.

Mentioned in another post that something broke the other day & my left turn signal no longer self cancels & also have a bulb that lights alot less (between the tach & oil pressure gauge) than the others in the dash & suspect the bulb is partially out of its socket.

So was looking at taking the top dash cover off anyway, as well as the steering wheel.

Interestingly ..since disturbing the speaker, the auto light system seems to be working properly, for now, but time will tell..

UPDATE - Was driving along on a bright sunny d day & DRL was working normal. Heard a faint click & on went the dash lights meaning all outside lights were on.

Drove a little bit to a stop. Off went the dash lights..

Problem remains..but has changed since fiddling with the speaker cover.