Auto Lights in Daytime?

[MikeyTG]

I have noticed recently that on a bright sunny morning the lights will come on when I drive into deep shadows on tree lined/covered roads. It seems to happen only when the trees are covering the road almost completely and it is early with the sun at a relatively low angle.

Does anyone else see this or is my light sensor out of whack? I got the car in November so I guess I am only seeing this now because there were no shadows before.

 

[Nikgen]

I have noticed recently that on a bright sunny morning the lights will come on when I drive into deep shadows on tree lined/covered roads. It seems to happen only when the trees are covering the road almost completely and it is early with the sun at a relatively low angle.

Does anyone else see this or is my light sensor out of whack? I got the car in November so I guess I am only seeing this now because there were no shadows before.

Happens witn mine as well.

 

[Jaeger]

Sounds to me like the sensor is working exactly as it should. Early morning in full shade - that's fairly low light where the car is situated even if it seems fairly bright overall. Same thing happens when I go under a broad overpass.

 

[LarryJM]

I have noticed recently that on a bright sunny morning the lights will come on when I drive into deep shadows on tree lined/covered roads. It seems to happen only when the trees are covering the road almost completely and it is early with the sun at a relatively low angle.

Does anyone else see this or is my light sensor out of whack? I got the car in November so I guess I am only seeing this now because there were no shadows before.

No, but mine come on when I pull into my garage which is annoying and don't like those HID coming on so often for such a short time. So while the auto function is nice I no longer use it and haven't found it any more inconvenient than it has been on all my previous vehicles over the last 50 years. I think sometime the tech evolution has gotten in the way of common sense I also don't need the factory DRL function either since I have my own using my fog lights at a slightly reduced level.

Larry

 

[danygenesis]

Automatic headlights in G2 are awsome, they react to shadow very fast just like BMW and other high end brands, that's a big improvement over G1 that takes way longer to turn on.

 

[Jaeger]

Automatic headlights in G2 are awsome, they react to shadow very fast just like BMW and other high end brands, that's a big improvement over G1 that takes way longer to turn on.

I agree completely. If you're going to have auto headlights, you want them to react quickly to changing light conditions. I can't see where a lethargic response is a good thing.

 

[Seejay]

No, but mine come on when I pull into my garage which is annoying and don't like those HID coming on so often for such a short time. So while the auto function is nice I no longer use it and haven't found it any more inconvenient than it has been on all my previous vehicles over the last 50 years. I think sometime the tech evolution has gotten in the way of common sense I also don't need the factory DRL function either since I have my own using my fog lights at a slightly reduced level.

That's been my experience as well. Power cycling HID headlamps is bad business. I hope the new Genesis series come with LED headlamps.

 

[Nikgen]

That's been my experience as well. Power cycling HID headlamps is bad business. I hope the new Genesis series come with LED headlamps.

The G80 and G80 Sport recently revealed Asan did appear to have the HID's replaced with LED's - not sure the 2017 USA model will get them, though?

 

[WCLamb]

It IS strange that the lights come on in AUTO at what appears to be inopportune times. The NAV screen goes dark at the same time, and doesn't come back up to daylight brightness for a while longer.

I have one underpass that I travel through frequently -- that turns my lights on, even though I'll only be in the dim light for a couple seconds. And then... it takes a minute or so for the lights to turn back off and the NAV screen to lighten. My only concern is that to the untrained observer, it appears I'm playing with my light switches.

 

[ksoze]

It IS strange that the lights come on in AUTO at what appears to be inopportune times. The NAV screen goes dark at the same time, and doesn't come back up to daylight brightness for a while longer.

An opportune time for the auto lights to come on is when it's dark. It does that very well.

As far as the nav screen dimming, there MAY be a setting for that in the settings menus to ignore night mode.

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[CanukV6]

I agree completely. If you're going to have auto headlights, you want them to react quickly to changing light conditions. I can't see where a lethargic response is a good thing.

I don't use the Auto mode on the headlights for this very reason. Driving down the highway my headlights would switch on every time I drove under an overpass - which are frequent on my usual commute. The guy ahead of me is thinking that I am flashing my lights at him for some reason. Now I just put the switch into the ON position all the time so the headlights come on when I start the engine.

 

[Nikgen]

An opportune time for the auto lights to come on is when it's dark. It does that very well.

As far as the nav screen dimming, there MAY be a setting for that in the settings menus to ignore night mode.

Obviously - but they seem to come on when it is not really dark enough to need them. Same thing in general driving, my headlights turn on before they really need to in the evening (or morning) - when most cars I see on the road still have their DRL's on, mine have switched to headlights already. The light sensor seems a little miscalibrated/too sensitive to me. Not a big deal, but an area for improvement.

 

[Jaeger]

I don't use the Auto mode on the headlights for this very reason. Driving down the highway my headlights would switch on every time I drove under an overpass - which are frequent on my usual commute. The guy ahead of me is thinking that I am flashing my lights at him for some reason. Now I just put the switch into the ON position all the time so the headlights come on when I start the engine.

Drive faster - they won't have time to switch. I really haven't noticed this on the highway - only in the city where speeds are slower and I am under cover long enough for them to kick in. I leave mine in auto all the time. I just have no need or desire to manually turn the lights on and off. Nor would I want to drive with my headlights on every hour of the day when they are not needed.

 

[ksoze]

Obviously - but they seem to come on when it is not really dark enough to need them. Same thing in general driving, my headlights turn on before they really need to in the evening (or morning) - when most cars I see on the road still have their DRL's on, mine have switched to headlights already. The light sensor seems a little miscalibrated/too sensitive to me. Not a big deal, but an area for improvement.

If I had to chose between too early or too late, I'll take early. I find them about what I would expect - they are faster than my Jeep, but I find that okay when surrounded by distracted drivers all over the road.

 

[amartz]

Now I just put the switch into the ON position all the time so the headlights come on when I start the engine.

+1

In Jacksonville rush-hour traffic, I figure this is a good thing!

 

[Nikgen]

If I had to chose between too early or too late, I'll take early. I find them about what I would expect - they are faster than my Jeep, but I find that okay when surrounded by distracted drivers all over the road.

A little too fast at times, imho. Yesterday evening mine cycled between headlights and DRL's 3 times in my 5 mile commute home as I passed a few pretty short shady stretches (but totally not dark enough for headlights to be honest). As I said, not a big deal, but they are overly sensitive. The main issue would be that if HID cycling is bad for the life of the headlights, then this will contribute to early failures.

Plus my LED DRL's are cool - I don't want them turning off too early as then I look like you 2015 guys

 

[ksoze]

Plus my LED DRL's are cool - I don't want them turning off too early as then I look like you 2015 guys

I actually think the headlights, LED accents and fogs looks pretty nice.

 

[Jaeger]

If I had to chose between too early or too late, I'll take early.

Agreed.

 

[LarryJM]

The main issue would be that if HID cycling is bad for the life of the headlights, then this will contribute to early failures.

IMHO that is a REAL CONCERN and was one of the main reasons in my prior post I simply no longer use the AUTO MODE. It just can't be good to be cycling those HIDs that often and can only see that definitely causing pre mature failures in that VERY $$$$$$ system.

Larry

 

[danygenesis]

Obviously - but they seem to come on when it is not really dark enough to need them. Same thing in general driving, my headlights turn on before they really need to in the evening (or morning) - when most cars I see on the road still have their DRL's on, mine have switched to headlights already. The light sensor seems a little miscalibrated/too sensitive to me. Not a big deal, but an area for improvement.

Never happened to me on highways at higher speeds there is no time for that but in the city when driving slowly.