Possible problem with HBA (high beam assist)?

[Flycaster]

I think I'm having a problem with high beam assist (HBA, pg. 3-94, Owner's manual). I believe that I have HBA set up right: Light switch set to Auto, push the light switch forward, auto beam icon shows on LCD, no one in front of me or coming at me, and traveling more than 25mph. It is my assumption that under these conditions, my high beam should be on and when there is an on-coming car, the beam should automatically switch to low beam and then back to high beam when car passes. However, in my case, with the auto beam icon showing, my low beams are on and not the high beam...and nothing happens when an on-coming car approaches/passes. Pushing the light switch forward, turns off the auto beam and turns on the high beam (with high beam bluish icon showing in LCD.)

 

[EdP]

I think I'm having a problem with high beam assist (HBA, pg. 3-94, Owner's manual). I believe that I have HBA set up right: Light switch set to Auto, push the light switch forward, auto beam icon shows on LCD, no one in front of me or coming at me, and traveling more than 25mph. It is my assumption that under these conditions, my high beam should be on and when there is an on-coming car, the beam should automatically switch to low beam and then back to high beam when car passes. However, in my case, with the auto beam icon showing, my low beams are on and not the high beam...and nothing happens when an on-coming car approaches/passes. Pushing the light switch forward, turns off the auto beam and turns on the high beam (with high beam bluish icon showing in LCD.)

HBA works well on the highway, not so good in some other places. You may want the high beams on, but street lights can prevent it. I've even had a floodlight on a house turn them off. There are also times the lag to go back to high is dangerously long. One road in particular that I used often it was useless. It has some hills and turns and if the lights went low from an oncoming car, the lag in spots was a danger when a sharp turn came up

All that said, I have no idea where you were and what lights may have affected the HBA, but it is far from perfect. You can go 50 miles on the highway and it is flawless, but in 2 miles in some places it is useless.

 

[danygenesis]

As @EdP said, HBA works the best on highways. On the city it works only on streets with VERY poor illumination. In 8 months of ownership mine has come on just once in the city.

 

[tarhoosier]

Per manual, it detects the tail lights of a preceding vehicle and drops to standard illumination, so not just oncoming cars.

 

[danygenesis]

Per manual, it detects the tail lights of a preceding vehicle and drops to standard illumination, so not just oncoming cars.

That's correct.

 

[NLJ]

Never tried it on highways because here they are well illuminated. They work well on country roads though. Also the ambient light has to be dark enough for it to activate.

 

[Flycaster]

HBA works well on the highway, not so good in some other places. You may want the high beams on, but street lights can prevent it. I've even had a floodlight on a house turn them off. There are also times the lag to go back to high is dangerously long. One road in particular that I used often it was useless. It has some hills and turns and if the lights went low from an oncoming car, the lag in spots was a danger when a sharp turn came up

All that said, I have no idea where you were and what lights may have affected the HBA, but it is far from perfect. You can go 50 miles on the highway and it is flawless, but in 2 miles in some places it is useless.

I think you hit the nail on the head (as have the other responders,) Ed. Although I'm driving on semi-suburban roads, there are a fair amount of road lights present. I'll have to find a real dark stretch of road to further test the HBA, eh?

 

[Mr. Incredible]

I think you hit the nail on the head (as have the other responders,) Ed. Although I'm driving on semi-suburban roads, there are a fair amount of road lights present. I'll have to find a real dark stretch of road to further test the HBA, eh?

Yeah, but even then if the moon light is bright they don’t work.. they take into account exterior ambient light. Last couple of nights with the low hanging full moon mine haven’t work in areas they normally do.

 

[MrMegadeth]

I think it will even pick up your reflected headlights off signs and get confused

 

[Flycaster]

Ah, with the HBA being so sensitive, I guess I'll just skip it.

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[danygenesis]

Just turn it on and forget it. High beam will turn on by itself when you really need it.