E-Class (W211) 2003-2009

Automatic lighting

Old Sep 8, 2004 | 08:41 PM
  #1  
Apollo's Avatar
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E320 CDI Elegance auto
Automatic lighting

Hi all

I have noticed that on auto setting my headlights seem to be coming on much before what they used to, even when it is sunny. (which is not that often here) Also my nav is switching to night view with the slightest change in lighting. I wonder if my light sensor is faulty.

Anyone had similar.
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Old Sep 8, 2004 | 09:11 PM
  #2  
tendons's Avatar
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autolight

I think in auto the lights are on continuously and the interior lights really do change quickly with changes in lighting.I like it.
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Old Sep 8, 2004 | 10:27 PM
  #3  
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'08 AM Vantage V8 - '03 E500
Whether the headlights are on continuously in "Auto" depends upon whether the country of sale requires daytime running lights. In Canada, yes; in the US, no. Last weekend, during daylight, we drove under a bridge and came to a stop behind another car at a stoplight; our lights were on "Auto" and I noticed that our headlights came on and reflected on the car ahead as the light sensors reacted to the reduced light under the bridge.
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Old Sep 9, 2004 | 07:51 AM
  #4  
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2004 E 4matic StationWagon
Variable

I would add to the others' comments only that, unbeknownst to many, perhaps even most dealers, the light sensor is adjustable by the dealer. (My lights originally were very slow to react, a situation which has now been corrected by adjustment.)
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Old Sep 10, 2004 | 04:42 AM
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E-class E300e Estate, Sprinter (stretched limo)
Originally Posted by Apollo
Hi all

I have noticed that on auto setting my headlights seem to be coming on much before what they used to, even when it is sunny. (which is not that often here) Also my nav is switching to night view with the slightest change in lighting. I wonder if my light sensor is faulty.

Anyone had similar.
Hi Apollo
It seems that your lights are particularly sensitive.

We start our car in the garage, but within two metres of reversing out of the garage the lights switch off.

Today there is a light drizzle and this is the first time this summer that the lights have remained on.

Come on down to the English Riviera

Regards
John
Overcast Torquay
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Old Sep 10, 2004 | 02:12 PM
  #6  
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From: Suburban Chicago
2013 GL550
Apollo - I had this problem but my lights were on ALL the time. Plus the climate control was always dim. They replaced that whole gizmo behind the rear-view mirror. Also made the rain-sensing wipers operate at odd intervals - sometimes 1 swipe followed by four consecutive ones, etc. Had this done at about 10,000 miles. I'm at 27,000 now and no other problems. Good luck.
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Old Sep 10, 2004 | 02:42 PM
  #7  
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w211 & w124
Does anyone know if you can set the lights to "continuous" mode when the switch is set to "auto" for daytime running lights on US versions?
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Old Oct 29, 2004 | 08:16 PM
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From: London/Dublin
W211 E320 CDI Avantgarde
OK guys, don't shout, I'm new to Mb world. In the UK, the handbook gives you the option to set daylight running permanently on for those countries in the EU that require it. The most annoying thing for me is that I cannot tell when they are on or off. The dealer told me this morning that 05 models will have a green warning light in the instrument cluster to warn of the status. They also told me that the sensor for the lights in the middle of the windscreen behind the rear view mirror (looks like a group of small bulbs from the outside) operates the wipers and can suffer from road grime and a prismatic refraction effect - maybe try cleaning it off with glass cleaner? just a thought.
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Old Oct 29, 2004 | 08:28 PM
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Originally Posted by Samoan_Ridah
Does anyone know if you can set the lights to "continuous" mode when the switch is set to "auto" for daytime running lights on US versions?
Yes, you can. It's in the settings menu under Vehicle or Convenience [EDIT: scratch that, it's under Lighting (of course).]

Last edited by Baby Jocko; Oct 29, 2004 at 08:31 PM.
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Old Oct 31, 2004 | 12:28 PM
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Some clever solutions to indicate when the automatic turns on the headlights:









And here is the original from May '04:

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