twilight sentinel not working anymore (with photos)

[npfd]

Hey,

 

I think I posted about TS problems before and possibly being related to the remote starter module. This is on a 97 CS canadian one.

In the last several months I noticed that when I'm driving at night the lights (dash, parking lights) would flicker, or shut off for a second and back on. One night it didn't work at all and I had to manually turn on the lights.

 

My dad said that the last week the lights are not coming on, in the early morning when its dark out or at night.

 

I did quite a few search on the board and I think I found that there are three components to it, diode box (purple) is that the purplish heatsink thing in the photo?, the drl module, I don't think its that black box with as 1200 even though I think it is hooked up to the light switches as it is right behind it, and the photo resistor. Could the DRL module be the silver metal casing next to the two blue connectors. Are these the two connects to run tests from, as indicated elsewhere in the board or another source, I'm quoting it

Measure resistance while exposing the Photoresistor to bright incandescent light then covering it with cardboard

 

C2/G (YEL/BLK) & C2/H (LT GRN/BLK) ---- Varies from 1K ohms (Bright Lights) to 100K ohms (covered) ---- Reconnect DRL Module and go to Table 2.

 

I also tried lifting up the defroster grill to get access to the light sensor, but it gets very hard near the vent and I'm afraid to break it. I also notice that the wires for the light sensor is in the vent opening.

 

 

Image of the box labelled as 1200, and had a note only to use with automatic transmissions. I thought it could be related to the twilight sentinel module but after a good search for as-1200 I came across the autostart that was installed by the previous owner... I'm still not 100% sure about that as it has a 1996 time stamp and looks like other labels on GM factory things. E.g. fuse box.

 

Is the silver box with the velcro strap the DRL module? Are the two connectors mention to check the ohms next to it? You could also see the purple heatsink with a connector on the top left.

 

Let me know what you guys make out of this, at the moment my dad doesn't seem bothered with it too much, but for me I'd rather have it working and hopefully it will be a simple fix

 

I also read up online on some sites on 93's Buick's that someone took out the TS module and found cracks in the solder joints, and just re soldered it and works like new. Do you think they used the same model in the W body?

 

Thanks

[GnatGoSplat]

I really have no clue where things are located on a 97, but since nobody else has replied to you, I'm willing to guess. The silver box looks more like the ABS computer. I have a spare ABS computer and it looks just like that. I have a spare TS module, and it resembles the black box to the left of the silver box. I don't have it handy right now, or else I could tell you for sure.

 

EDIT: The black box to the left of the silver box is DEFINITELY the TS module. It's identical to my spare.

 

[npfd]

Hey there,

 

Thanks for your input. That same day or the day after I went to go test this out. I thought it really was the DRL module as when I disconnected the two blue connectors from the black box, the DRL, lights, autolights would not work. I'm guess this has something to do with as, as most of the wires on the sheet, quoted in the first post, do show up but I wasn't able to get any readings from the photo cell. Now I'm thinking that somehow the lights are wired in with TS box?

 

I'm stumped again haha, thanks for your help! Its great!

 

 

[GnatGoSplat]

If you can't get a reading from the photocell, that could be a problem. You're testing the harness-end, right? 1k-100k ohms should easily show up on a multimeter.

[npfd]

Hey,

Yes I was testing the harness end and nothing came up on the ohms. I can read the 12 volt power there with other wires. Strange enough its been working okay now, I hope I don't jinx it. If ever it begins acting up I think I would have to test voltage at the photocell.

 

Thanks