Scary handbrake

[DieterWinkels]

I recendly bought a 97 GM V6. Real nice powerfull car but what really scare me off is when I pull handbrake. All Headlights and gauges went dead on me. Releasing handbrake every thing is back to normal. It only happend when DLR system is on. WHAT KIND OF LOGIC IS THIS?

Has some body an idea??

[contrapunk]

I guess they don't want you powersliding around corners :p

Actually, I have no idea, but that's what came to mind when I saw the symptoms.

[ptitvite]

You can actually drive with no day or night lights at all by cranking the handbrake 1 or 2 clicks before the brake does its actual job!

[Entombed GT]

It's normal and since nobody has any legitimate business driving around with the e-brake engaged it's pretty much a non issue. It serves as a way to turn the DRL's and headlights OFF when you're parked with the engine running or with the engine off and the stereo going so that you don't drain your battery more than necessary.

Something I find interesting is why they even bother having a headlight switch since once the ambient light sensor detects that it's getting dark, it turns on the headlights for you. Even if you have the headlights on and then turn them off at the switch when it's dark, nothing happens. I don't think I've even used my headlight switch since I bought my GA.

[DieterWinkels]

Thanks guys, that helps me a lot. I'll not touch handbrake again while I'm driving:agree:

[Gimli]

Originally posted by Entombed GT
Something I find interesting is why they even bother having a headlight switch since once the ambient light sensor detects that it's getting dark, it turns on the headlights for you. Even if you have the headlights on and then turn them off at the switch when it's dark, nothing happens. I don't think I've even used my headlight switch since I bought my GA.

When you drive through a tunnel it takes a while for the ambient light sensor to turn on the headlights. The switch makes it safer as soon as you enter the tunnel (especially for cars following you).