chinhster

Is it me or is the auto mode flaky? I've noticed that after 5pm, my lights turn on even though there's not a cloud in the sky and it's still bright out (so bright I have to wear my sunglasses). And before 9am, the same thing happens. But at 1pm today, the sky is completely overcast, it's drizzling rain, and it's too dark to wear sunglasses, yet my lights didn't come on.

PHYBENZ

Are you suggesting that they are maybe on a clock and not dependent on the actual lighting conditions? Do they come on in tunnels or garages or something like that, during the day?

chinhster

It would almost seem that way. I left work early today and it's darker than dusk outside because of the light rain yet I still had to turn on my lights manually. FWIW, I have Nav and the clock sets itself.

My lights do turn on automatically when I pull into and out of my garage. I haven't been through any tunnels but I suspect they would turn on there too.

I hadn't noticed the issue with the lights until over the weekend when I had my car washed. I had assumed the guy cleaning my car had turned on the lights when he pulled around but after I got in it and saw that it was on auto, I got out of the car and saw that the lights were still on. This was about 5:30pm and there was just as much light out as 12pm. I checked my daytime running lights mode and it's set to off.

I can sort of understand the lights not turning on even though it's kind of dark outside right now because of the weather. What I don't understand is why it turns on when there's plenty of light out but it's late in the day.

If it's dark out and the lights come on by themselves, when you exit the vehicle, the exterior lights stay on for a while and then shut themselves off. Obviously during the day, the lights do not do this. However, I noticed that when the lights came on even though it wasn't dark out, after I exited the vehicle, the headlights did not stay on. I assume they turned off when I turned off the vehicle.

Kind of weird.

jangy

I think the sensitivity can be adjusted by the dealer. But, I prefer that they come on "early" rather than late. If they came on late, there would be too many times when I would have to use the lever. Now, I never use it.

Are my lights on when it is still light out? Yes. Are my light on when it is dark out? Always.

GregW / Oregon

I think automation goes too far sometimes. I prefer to think for myself as to when I need lights. I do like the auto wipers, though.

chinhster

I agree wholeheartedly. My point though is why are they on before dusk but not on when it's overcast and raining?

ShoremNJ

i have noticed early morning that they are on even though it is light out.

chinhster

5:40pm today, start the car, step out and look at the headlights, and find that they're off. Not only was it approaching dusk, but it was overcast too. I gave up on it... I turned the daytime running lights mode on.

Now if I can only figure out what the hell sounds like a marble rolling around in my car. I hear it when I make a turn or am on an incline. It sounds like it's coming from the passenger side pocket but there's nothing in there. It's driving me nuts. It's definitely coming from the right side of the vehicle, I just can't figure out if it's in the front or back much less where.

jangy

You gotta get out to see if your lights are on?

chinhster

In the daylight I do.

sosh

Why not just see if the small green light next to the headlight switch is illuminated???

Flipsonic

I don't use auto mode. I like to run my fog lights when my low beams are on. I wish there was a way the fogs come on automatically with the low beams. Also the life of the bulbs will last longer as my lights are on only when I need them on.