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Automatic lights sensor and heating system sensor locations and parts

312 Views 8 Replies 3 Participants Last post by  venomex92, 
Miffkata
Hello everyone, I'm new to the forum so I don't know if I'm posting in the right section, but I have a question about the auto light and heating unit dash sensors on the 2008 Tiburon. I saw on mine there is 1 dummy sensor on each side of the dashboard and when I popped mine off they are just caps but they both have a harness. Now in the user manual of the car they are shown as two different sensors, but I can only find the auto light sensor part number in the catalogs. My question is are they the same sensors and if so should I put a sensor on each side or 1 on either side is enough. Thanks in advance.

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The_Evenger
No, the one on the right side is for the auto lights system. the one on the left side is a "light load" sensor, used for the automatic HVAC (FATC) system. The one on the left is not used if you have manual climate controls.
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Miffkata
Thanks for the reply, I was pretty sure my hvac was automatic so I went down to the garage and saw the left sensor and it turns out it's a sensor not an empty cap, sorry for the stupid question, at least now I know I have to order only the auto lights one. Btw another probably stupid question but do you know if the automatic lights feature switches between the city lights and low beam or from off to low beam?
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The_Evenger
The auto lights will just turn on your headlights if it gets dark enough. (basically, it switches between OFF and Headlights). It'll never turn on just the parking lights, and the high beams will be however you last had them. Just imaging an invisible hand switching your headlight switch from off to headlights, that's what it'll do.
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V
And that is very useful thing to have. If only there would be any way to reprogram its sensitivity. Because passing under a bridge with low velocity is enough for sensor to detect dark and switch taillight on...
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Miffkata
Damn I thought it will switch between city lights and low beam, because here in Bulgaria we are required to have day lights on during the day and I thought it will be automatic, if it turns them off automatically I could get fined 😂. I'll read up on it, and try to reprogram it. Thanks for the replies guys.
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The_Evenger
It should leave your day time running lights on if you have them. the USDM tibs don't have DTRL so I kinda forget about them, but DTRL shouldn't get turned off from the auto lights. Similar to how if you turn your lights to off on the stock the DTRLs stay on.

Unless you mean your tib doesn't have DTRL, so they make you have your full lights on 24/7? because if that's what you mean, boy would that suck. Good way to burn out every interior bulb for no good reason.
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Miffkata
Yes I have DRLs, and if your car has them you don't need to have your low beam always on by law. I can give a definite update how the auto light works when the sensor arrives in a few weeks. Running on low beams all day burns out your projector reflector real fast and it sucks. Thanks again for all the help.
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V
As I mentioned, light sensor (located on passenger side of dashboard, near the defroster) is a simple photodetector. Depending on amount of lux (light) delivered on it, given it is placed on auto position, light switch closes or opens taillight circuit (whole logic is done by light switch). In late evening/night, dark environment it should put tail lights on just as you turn key into on position. Then, driving during daylight with low velocity, as you drive into the tunnel it should turn on tail lights, but also it will turn it when you drive slowly under large bridges etc. It is unlikely to reprogram switch behavior because of light force recognition (materials and technique used in its production).
Further details are mentioned in shop manual.
Utilizing aftermarket DRLs and auto light switch made me forgot about light switch on daily basis :)
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