What in the hell is that?

[suprabad]

I was washing my 87 NA<T and as I was cleaning the windshield I noticed a tiny little lens that looks like a light sensor or something. It's on the top of the dashboard passenger side. What the heck is this thing? I'm thinking I don't have twilight sentinal like a Cadillac or a Lincoln, so what can this thing be for?

:icon_conf I'm sure everybody but me knows what this is but me so I feel like an idiot but I have to know. :icon_conf

 

[IJ.]

LOL it's a sensor for the aircon climate control !

 

[supraman7mgte]

Cool,I was curious as to what the hell it was also.

 

[Jeff Lange]

Light sensor for the climate control.

 

[suprabad]

Man that's a relief, I thought it was some kinda spy-cam possibly installed by the KGB or Iraqi undercover agents or CIA or NSA....

How does it work?

 

[GrimJack]

It tells the climate control when the sun is shining, which is one of the inputs it uses to determine if you need your A/C running or not.

 

[suprabad]

It tells the climate control when the sun is shining, which is one of the inputs it uses to determine if you need your A/C running or not.

I learn something new everyday. Muchas gracias senor!

 

[Allan_MA70]

if only my aircon worked

 

[IJ.]

if only my aircon worked

Mine does (when I have an engine that works )

 

[Dexter_n2o]

I wonder if you can wire it up to turn on the lights, in low light situations. You would have to have a delay or something so they arent poppin up and down with like long shadows and such(i.e., Tractor trailer cast shadow on car on highway) Has anyone ever thought of this?

 

[GrimJack]

I don't think it's feasible off this circuit - it only detects direct sunlight, so driving in things like the shadow of a mountain would turn on your headlights.

Plus, everyone with pop up lights wants complete control over them.

 

[suprabad]

I don't think it's feasible off this circuit - it only detects direct sunlight, so driving in things like the shadow of a mountain would turn on your headlights.

Plus, everyone with pop up lights wants complete control over them.

lights up...lights down...lights up...lights down...lights up...lights down...lights up...lights down...lights up...lights down...lights up...lights down...lights up...lights down...lights up...lights down...lights up...lights down...lights up...lights down...lights up...lights down...lights up...lights down...lights up...lights down...lights up...lights down...lights up...lights down...lights up...lights down...lights up...lights down...lights up...lights down...lights up...lights down...lights up...lights down...lights up...lights down...lights up...lights down...lights up...lights down...lights up...lights down...



THAT MIGHT GET OLD...good point Grim.


:aigo:

 

[Dexter_n2o]

LOL I said you would have to have some kind of delay or something. I'm not all into car electronics....................yet lol

 

[GrimJack]

Yes, a delay would solve the up ... down ... up ... down issue. Wouldn't solve the fact that your lights would want to turn on after being in shadow for 15 seconds or so, even on bright days, though.

 

[mkiii222]

Might be usefull to turn the 'parking' lights on. That way if you're in the shadow of a truck or going through a tunnel(lots of them around here) other cars can still see you.

 

[drunk_medic]

This is interesting - I saw that a long time ago, and messed with it. I pulled it a little, and it doesn't seem like it is set in there firmly. I thought maybe it was a sensor for part of my aftermarket alarm [installed before I bought the car].
Goot to know! But you would think that Toyota would integrate it into the car/dash better.

 

[suprabad]

This is interesting ...you would think that Toyota would integrate it into the car/dash better.

For sure! When I first spoted it I thought a piece of my kid's discman had broken off and become lodged in my defroster-vent.