DC-IT

I set my lights to switch on/off automatically.
Once in a while when I drove out of my garage the head lights will switch on in the garage and stay on even when the car is in full sunshine. It stayed on even if I turn the setting to off or any other position.
This corrects itself after I have shutdown the engine during the day and restarted.

Any one has this happening to their ML?
Should I be concerned and get the dealer to check it out or just put up with it?

It's not a big issue rather than an annoyance.

Yogibeear

Hi DC - I have a 2011 Grand edition also and have exactly the same problem. I have been trying to find out what the story is and I think it may have something to do with UV like polarisation of the windscreen or something.

If the sun is out and really really bright then the lights seem to stay on, but if its partially cloudy but during the day then the lights seem to go off and they work perfectly.

If the sun is out in anger and the lights are on, shining a torch on the sensor makes the lights go off as they should!

So i have no idea what is going on, but as you say its annoying being the only one driving around in broad daylight with the lights on!

Let me know if you find out what the cause is and I will do the same.

DC-IT

Thanks for replying Yogibeear. Looks like it only affects the Grand Edition model!
I haven't spoken to the dealer yet.
Maybe changing the sensor would solve the problem?

Is the windshield tinting of the Grand Edition any different from the Avantgarde?

Is any other normal ML having the same issue?

I park mine in my garage so when I started it in the morning the lights will come on but when I drove out some times the sensor does not swith it off even though outside is bright daylight.

I wonder if it's parked outside will it help?
Or if the switch is left to off position and not auto?
I'm going to try it with the switch off for now and see what the results are.

If it keeps happening I'll see if the dealer can change the sensor.

eeferber

nope. See below.

I have a US version ML350.

I ask my salesman. His story is that it's set up so that so that - if driving at night and you pass thru a very brightly lit area (parking lot, street, shopping center) the sensor would not prematurely shut off the lights.

It does make some sense but, I don't buy the whole story - or at least the execution is seriously flawed. When we first start up the car in a garage, it's generally dark enough to trigger the auto on. But, you'd think that after pulling out in bright sunlight that the sensors would eventually determine that it's daylight and shut off the lights.

And, even when driving only in full sunlight the lights have a mind of their own. Makes no sense when they go on and off.

I've elected to just no use the feature at all.

DC-IT

That's BS. The sensor should be able to differentiate between daylight or night!

I have auto-light on my BMW335d and my last car a lowly Suzuki Grand Vitara SUV and both vehicles' sensors work flawlessly.

So why can't M-B get it right when others can?

Today I switched it off before I started the ML and drove out of my garage and no issues.
The problem is I always use this feature and if I left it off I sometimes drive with the head lights off especially when it gets dark when you are driving.

I'll call the dealer and ask if changing the sensor is an option.

Thanks for the feedback.

dminahan

Yes I have a US ML350 with the lighting package. When I have DRL setting on then I can't turn off the lights even with the off position and the lights seem to have a mind of their own. I have more issues in the morning than later in the day. I could understand if it wasn't what I consider bright out. If I turn off the DRL setting then the LED running lights don't behave as I would like in the auto mode.

I've tried to approach my salesman about it but there does not seem to be any solution for what I would want for understandable behavior. I'd love if it is user error.

DC-IT

Looks like this issue is quite common so why doesn't the M-B engineers find a solution or redesign the auto switch or sensor to ensure that this feature performs as it supposed to.

If other manufacturers can get it right there is no excuse for M-B?

DC-IT

Today I left the llight switch in the OFF position and drove for 20KM when all of a sudden I noticed that the head lights switched on by themselves even though it was still bright!
I turned the switch to Auto and then Off but the head lights LED stayed on.
When I stopped the car I got out to check and sure enough the head lights were on.

This is garbage engineering!

Since it's not life-threatening but an annoyance, I'll leave it be till I have to send it in for an oil change and then I'll get the dealer to check it out and maybe change the sensor + light switch to see if that'll solve the issue.

eeferber

I've NEVER had this happen! If I have the switch to OFF, lights are always off (BTW, I have DRL option turned off).

you're talking about the LED string, right? Again, I've never had this happen, at least that I've noticed.

just to make sure I understand, you're saying the low beam Xenon headlights are on? Are the LEDs on too?

None of this makes any sense at all. Understandable that you're upset. I think I'll play around with mine again and see what happens.

DC-IT

On the way back I saw a 2011 GL behind me and it also had both the DRL + Xenons switched on like mine and it was still bright daylight! Seems the GL also has the same issue like mine but the driver may not have noticed the Green LED in the instrument panel indicating that the headkights are on!
My BMW's auto-lights are left on permanently and works flawlessly for the past 20 months (56,000KM).
I loved how the BMW's Xenons will switch on when you drive through HWY underpass or tunnels and the moment you exit to the HWY tjey switched off immediately as they are supposed to when you activate auto-light. But the ML seems to have a mind of it's on!

zemun1234

I have noticed similar behavior and I spent one day trying to understand logic of German engineer when he/she designed this light feature.

For me, 'OFF' = I don't need it but ...

In general, the entire knob is not functional and I put switch to "AUTO' and I hope I have lights when I needed

I think the main problem is feature called 'DRL' and linked to Canada. I am thinking of go to USA and switch off this feature.

My question is: how to get normal operation of light switch and get what I selected ?

YYZ-E55

"OFF" on Canadian cars does nothing. It is the same as setting the switch to "AUTO".

The GL driver likely had the lights set to "ON". You can leave the light switch in the "ON" position and they'll still turn off when you exit the vehicle.

There is a delay in the headlight timing between switching from dark to bright (as mentioned, due to tunnels), but the switch from bright to dark should happen quickly (again, so that your lights come on immediately when you enter a tunnel/garage). Sounds like the delay you're experiencing is more than normal.

EDIT: This info applies to 2010+ ML; not sure about older models.

zemun1234

I am wondering if you can explain in plain English, each position on switch for Canadian (DRL) version.

I have tried a few scenarios and finally, I put on 'AUTO' - I cannot understand that 'OFF' & 'AUTO' is same I think once I left on 'ON' and I drain my battery (it was on R320 model).


Question: is any way to disable automatic thinking from car and get what I see on switch ? I'd like turn on/off lights when I need it ..Also, I'd like remove DRL to be linked to my Xenon lights (to be off during a day and automatic kick when is dark ) ..Do I ask too much

YYZ-E55

OFF = AUTO in 2010+ MLs. There is no way to actually force the lights off, short of having your dealership reprogram the switch using Star Diagnostics (not sure if they'd even be willing to do this). In the new ML (166) and other new Benz's, it's either AUTO or ON (no "OFF" position).

DC-IT

There is no excuse for M-B to incorporate an Auto-lighting option that doesn't function as it's supposed to.

Here in Canada, since DRL is mandatory, it should then be always on no matter which setting the light switch is set to.

Then if I opt to set it to off the head lights should be off even if it's night time. The light sensor should simply be deactivated or switched off.

If I change the switch to Auto then the sensor should be designed to turn on the headlights the instant the vehicle goes under the tunnel/Hwy under pass/indoor parking/night fall. The moment the vehicle enters daylight the head lights should switched off.

I would gladly leave the switch to Auto permanently if it works as designed.

If BMW and other Asian auto manufacturers can get this right why can't M-B with all it's engineering expertise not get it working as it should instead of making excuses for it's failure. Claiming that it's working as designed is total BS.

zemun1234

100 % agree ...it is exactly what I want as well ...

I am wondering if somebody could ask MB Canada about design and logic behind light switch.

I asked MB and they are not willing to de-activate DRL.

Question for USA owners: could you please let me know if 'AUTO' position is working as DC-IT explained (only kick when it is needed).

Interesting topic ...

YYZ-E55

I understand that maybe there is a language/technical barrier, but you can't walk into the dealership and expect them to disable your DRL (daytime running lights). They are required by law in Canada and doing so would expose the dealership legally. You need to distinguish between DRLs and forced headlights. In 2011 models, the DRLs are the LEDs; in 2010 and older models, the DRLs were the headlamps (taillights were not activated).

What you want is full control of the headlight switch - ie: the ability to turn the headlights off. I do not know if the factory switch in the 164 is capable of allowing this change without affecting the DRLs. If the "O" mode forces the DRLs to go off, legally it would not be possible for the dealer to enable this mode.

zemun1234

I didn't just ask to disable DRL due to it is enabled purposely My first question was regarding light switch and I got similar answer as here - put on AUTO and don't touch it ... Secondly, I see some ML without xenon lights on during a day (it is my goal). I didn't get your first part of sentence but I think I pass 'language/technical barrier' some meaningful answer

ps. you misspelled word 'language' in your post

YYZ-E55

I'm giving you the best answer I can. You asked for a response in "plain english" and that's what I delivered. Good luck to you.

zemun1234

How this feature or light switch is working on USA cars ? I am trying understand mode 'AUTO' and determine what it is difference between Canadian car and the rest of world ...

DC-IT

The fact is that there is a design flaw in the Auto-lighting feature in the ML. The DRL should be on a separate power line so that it is always on.
Then the switch can then allow you to switch On/Off the head lights or leave it on Auto and let the light sensor do the job of switching ON/OFF the head lights if it senses that the ambient light has fallen/risen to a certain level.

Today I was driving in my BMW into an underground parking and the auto light turned on the headlights. I tested the Off switch and it turned off the headlights leaving the DRL on. I then turn the switch to Auto, when I exited the underground parking the head lights turned off the moment the sensor hits the day light.

As I drove on the HWY it started raining and the sky got dark and the auto light switched on the head lights and again I was able to switch it off.

The problem with the ML is that when left in Auto sometimes it works and in bright daylight the head lights will sometimes switched on and stayed on even if you turn the switch to the OFF ("0") position. This doesn't happen all the time but it happens often enough to be a PITA!
So IMO it's a defect/design flaw which I am expecting that M-B with all it's German engineering should be able to fix.
That is all I expect from a so called luxury brand if the much cheaper Asian vehicle like my previous Suzuki 2007 GV was able to get the Auto-light switch to work flawlessly over the 3 years I drove it!

zemun1234

100 % agree with you ...

I have to admit after many, many years driving MB that MB is not luxury car anymore (or for class better that other models) and term used for reliability, comfort or features (i.e. COMMAND) cannot be associate with it. The only part where is Mercedes is leader is design.

Let's hope that we don't know all features our favorite car and the solution is on the way.

DC-IT

OK I called M-B Dealer to speak to the SA and explain clearly my auto-lighting issues and he has fixed an appointment for me next Tuesday to run some tests.
So far he agreed that if the switch is in the "O" position the Xenons should be OFF and also in Auto it's not supposed to turn on the Xenons in bright daylight.

I wonder if he'll change his tune after testing and not being able to find a solution?

I report back on the results of the service call.

Cyber GS

Hey DC - I have the same exact issue with my 2011 ML (non-Grand Edition). 8-service visits later since Nov 2010 not only for the lights but for numerous other issues and the headlight issue is still not resolved.

Everytime the MB dealer just turns off the DRL's in the menu..

As you mentioned the lights will stay on even in bright sunshine. But just wondering. By some chance have you noticed that for some reason on overcast cloudy days the lights never turn on.. Very strange.

I agree, it's not really that big of a deal but still it should work correctly. Regardless, I have learned to live with it.

Good Luck!

DC-IT

Thanks Cyber GS.
My appointment is tomorrow morning.
Yes you are correct that the head lights do not turn on when it's overcast.
This morning around 8am I drove out of my garage and the head lights switched off automatically the moment the vehicle is outside the garage and on the road. So I thought "Great no more problems with the auto-light."
WRONG.... about half a mile down the road I noticed that the head lights LED is ON in the instrument panel!
And it stayed on even when I turn the switch to the OFF ("O") position.
When I got to my destination I got out with the engine on to check the head lights and they were on together with the DRL!
I shall ask the dealer if they can change the switch for one that works and let me turn the head lights OFF!

I'll find out tomorrow.

Cheers