Tu6: Headlamps - flash to pass

[SCREECH]

I'm just wondering if anyone has seen an A-body with the "flash to pass" headlamp feature. My '92 Ciera factory service manual shows that as an available option, and I'm just wondering if it's a different switch setup on the column or how it works exactly. I know how the feature works in modern vehicles, but I didn't know it was an option in the A-bodies. If anyone has any info on this I'd love to hear it. :eek5:

[Prospeeder]

mine does it, i never use it tho, so does my TGP

[Techfizzle]

ive never seen anyone flash there headlights to pass i guess its not a midwest thing

[SCREECH]

ive never seen anyone flash there headlights to pass i guess its not a midwest thing
It's not so much for use on a normal two-lane road, but on a highway if someone's blocking the fast lane and they could move over - giving them a quick flash of the highs usually reminds them there's a slow lane open to their right. :lol:

[SCREECH]

mine does it, i never use it tho, so does my TGP
Can you check and see if you've got the TU6 option code? You can "flash" the high beams by clicking them on and off again, I know, but I'm wondering if there's a high beam switch that has a spring loaded feature that makes it easier to flash them without actually having to turn them on and off again - that's what I was expecting with the flash to pass feature.

[Prospeeder]

Ya ill look.

[dcjredline]

My STE doesnt have the TU6 code but I can flash them like when someone has highbeams on coming at me I can give them a quick beam flash.

[SCREECH]

My STE doesnt have the TU6 code but I can flash them like when someone has highbeams on coming at me I can give them a quick beam flash.
If I'm careful I can sometimes flash them without actually toggling the switch that's mounted at the base of the column, but more often than not I end up toggling it and then after to release the signal lever and pull it again to turn them off. That's what I want to avoid. Flashing twice at someone to ask them to move over requires FOUR pulls on the lever. :rant:

[Keviefriend]

If I'm careful I can sometimes flash them without actually toggling the switch that's mounted at the base of the column, but more often than not I end up toggling it and then after to release the signal lever and pull it again to turn them off. That's what I want to avoid. Flashing twice at someone to ask them to move over requires FOUR pulls on the lever. :rant:

I know the 90 Cruiser doesn't have this (every car I've had EXCEPT the 72 Ford truck did, the truck had the switch on the floor). I *think* the 92 Ciera is the same way, but I've only really spent a little time in that car, and it was chainsmoked in, so most of the buttons and switches need some help (the hazards, for instance, are jacked and were nearly impossible to cancel when I tested them before we bought it).

[CieraSL92]

Flash to pass would be that when the headlamps are off you can pull back the multifunction lever and the high beams light?

[turbokinetic]

Flash to pass would be that when the headlamps are off you can pull back the multifunction lever and the high beams light?

Yes - With headlights OFF, you can momentarily activate the high beams by pulling the lever. The high beams stay ON as long as the lever is HELD in the pullde-back position.

I modded my 86 Century for this function. Most people ignore you or slow down and go into road-rage mode when you flash them, though.

It requires a different high beam switch that has a 4th wire coming from a power feed that is independant of the headlights switch. Cadillac has it on many cars, you could look it up for a Caddi.

[Keviefriend]

Yes - With headlights OFF, you can momentarily activate the high beams by pulling the lever. The high beams stay ON as long as the lever is HELD in the pullde-back position.

I modded my 86 Century for this function. Most people ignore you or slow down and go into road-rage mode when you flash them, though.

It requires a different high beam switch that has a 4th wire coming from a power feed that is independant of the headlights switch. Cadillac has it on many cars, you could look it up for a Caddi.

Also, IIRC, the 93 Lumina APV, 95 Monte Carlo, 95 Bonneville and the 98 Lumina all had this as well. I KNOW my 95 Saturn did.

David is also right that most people either completely ignore you or go into road rage mode. Some stupid harlot in a white maxima about took off the front end of my Cruiser last week coming onto to freeway (IDK the law in other states, or in Canada, but in MN, if you're getting onto a freeway (or expressway or interstate, or whatever the local popular term is for you), the people ON the freeway already have the right of way and the "newcomer" must yield to you. Also requires the people coming on to be going at freeway speeds. That's why I've always wanted someone with a big hook standing off to the side to pull these cars off the freeway entrance when they get to the end and stop, like in the old Vaudeville shows). Anyway, so this stupid tramp cuts me off and starts going 45 in a 60. I'd have simply gone around her, but I was needing to get off the freeway at the next exit and figured if I tried, she'd box me out of the lane. So of course, she had to go all the same places as I did. This route requires three freeway changes within two miles of each other, so I had no opportunity to pass her. If I still had my big yellow truck, I'd have just pitted her into a ditch and kept going. She was begging for it.

But it did prove my point. I was leading my partner home from someplace (where we bought the 92 Ciera) where he hadn't been. Once he knew where he was he called me and asked why I was going so slow (I wasn't speeding. I'm a poor college student I can't afford to speed). I told him if he could do so much better, to get the hell away from me. It was shortly after that when that other unt-cay cut me off and we went 10-15 under the limit pretty much the whole way home. There are two stoplights after the freeway to get to our place, I was right behind him at the second one, and he was doing at least 10 over the whole way home. That's evidence that speeding does NOT pay.

The way in which this relates to this story:
1) FTP isn't something that anyone under 60 understands and will respectfully"obey".
2) Speeding isn't really a good thing either, so if that's your objective, then whoever you are flashing is more likely to think you're a douchebag and not let you around anyway. The like minded people (speeding) aren't the people you'll be flashing, they'll probably be the 60 or so people lined up behind you waiting for granny to get out of the way.
Kev :)

[SCREECH]

Flash to pass would be that when the headlamps are off you can pull back the multifunction lever and the high beams light?
Yes, of course, this makes much more sense. What I was thinking of, I suppose, is the configuration where you have to actually push the signal lever AHEAD to actually activate the highs. That obviously wouldn't be possible with the column setup that our cars use as it can only supply a PUSH force on the rod that runs down the column, not pulling it.


Yes - With headlights OFF, you can momentarily activate the high beams by pulling the lever. The high beams stay ON as long as the lever is HELD in the pulled-back position...It requires a different high beam switch that has a 4th wire coming from a power feed that is independant of the headlights switch. Cadillac has it on many cars...
Thanks for the info - I'll have to check my '93 Deville for it's high beam switch, although it didn't have the RPO code TU6, I don't believe.


I modded my 86 Century for this function. Most people ignore you or slow down and go into road-rage mode when you flash them, though.

David is also right that most people either completely ignore you or go into road rage mode...
1) FTP isn't something that anyone under 60 understands and will respectfully"obey".
2) Speeding isn't really a good thing either, so if that's your objective, then whoever you are flashing is more likely to think you're a douchebag and not let you around anyway. The like minded people (speeding) aren't the people you'll be flashing, they'll probably be the 60 or so people lined up behind you waiting for granny to get out of the way.
Kev :)
True, if you come flying up behind somebody and start giving them the highs, it's likely they're going to not see it the same way you might. The way I use it when I'm in our work truck is that I'll set my cruise control, and then if I notice I'm coming up on someone, before I get up behind them I'll flash to give them advance warning that I'm coming up on them, giving them enough time to move over before I'm actually up behind them and having to slow down. I rarely have anyone protest such notification. I also rarely have to flash someone when I'm right up behind them as I try to anticipate where I'm going to be and take care of that before I get there. :) Once in a while you'll have someone absent-mindedly riding the hammer lane, and usually they recognize this when they see headlights in their rearview, but if not, after 15 or 20 seconds I'll just give 'em a quick flash to let 'em know I'm there. That's part of the reason I wanted to FTP feature, so that it didn't seem like I was leaving the highs on for longer than needed.

BTW, the other common use for FTP is to remind oncoming motorists of their high beams. Nobody seemed to mention that one. Just thought I'd add it in.

As for being a speed demon, driving recklessly, doing whatever is necessary to get through traffic, that's just not me. I cringe when I see the way a lot of young drivers behave on the roads these days. Oh, I have my moments, if someone seems to be intentionally blocking me in or just trying to stay ahead for the heck of it, I don't just lay back and take it, I'm out and around the first chance I get, but I am certainly not out there riding everyone's bumper trying to get a couple extra MPH out of everybody. I try to gauge the average traffic flow, and then I'll stick around that speed. You'll always have some going a little slower or a little faster, though, no matter HOW slow or fast you go.


...IDK the law in...Canada, but in MN, if you're getting onto a freeway (or expressway or interstate, or whatever the local popular term is for you)...
Well, that depends upon the road's usage. For instance, if it's primarily used by dogsleds going under 40KM/h then it's a sledway. If it's open to self-propelled vehicles to share with the dogsleds and speeds above 40KM/h are permitted, then it's a highway. :D

I am, of course, kidding about the sledway. :kekeke:

[brp2z]

ot but, where does tech live?