What would cause headlights to stay on?
Also to know is, why do my headlights stay on all the time?
In that case, you can try setting the parking brake to see if that shuts the headlights off, as setting the parking brake typically disables daytime running lights. If a bad headlight relay is a reason that your headlights won't turn off, then the fix there is also to just replace the relay.
- Insert the ignition key into the switch and rotate it to the "ON" position.
- Press and release the dome override button (near the headlight switch) four times within a six-second time-frame.
Secondly, do headlights stay on when car is off?
Yes, it is possible to have the car turn off the headlights when the car turns off - many cars have an "Auto" setting for the headlights, and it does just this. They usually have a manual mode too, for those cases where you want the headlights on but the car is off. Your car simply does not have this option.
A relay uses a tiny bit of power from the headlight switch on your dashboard to "flip" another, bigger switch, which turns the headlights on. They're generally pretty reliable, but will eventually fail with time and use.