Auto headlight sensitivity

[Agent Ninja]

Why not just use the manual switch instead of auto?

[brywong1]

Originally posted by Agent Ninja
Why not just use the manual switch instead of auto?

That's what I do. But it's annoying to not be able to use Auto the way it should be used.

[msocal]

Originally posted by Agent Ninja
Why not just use the manual switch instead of auto?

Because I have auto and expect it to work correctly, it is New after all!

Mine is sensitive as well, it will just be something to put on the checklist when I take my Sub back to the dealer for service, among with other little tidbits I have picked up from on the forum.

[eps105]

Originally posted by bheinen74
so when you drive down a tree lined/shaded street, do they flash on and off like xmas lights?
thats not very beneficial.

No! For two reasons:
1) On a tree lined street, it is still too bright (compared to an underpass) even in the shade to turn them on
2) More importantly, the lights have about a 3-5 second delay turning off when back out in the sun. So they do not flicker on and off instantaneously!

Think about this from a safety standpoint folks: If you are pulling out of a lit parking garage and pull out into a dark street, wouldn't you want your lights turn right away as opposed to the car waiting a few seconds driving in darkness to turn on?

I'll take that over the minor annoyance of them turn on and back off under and overpass.

I would be curious to know if lowering the sensitivity at the dealer changes the delay for which they turn on (even 1/2 second would prevent the underpass issue) or just the level of darkness required to turn them on. Either way may help, but at the possible expense of safety. Can't please everyone.

[rwaheed]

If it was 3-5 seconds delay, I wont complain. It is not! I have other cars in past with auto headlights and while they fulfill the safety and lighting feature, they have not been annoying. Plus SOA knows about this, thats why there is sensitivity change built in to suit individual needs.

[OutbackCT]

i had the dealer adjust the sensitivity while they had it for the first oil service. the kicked it down a notch in sensitivity, but now the auto lights don't come on in early twilight when i want them too AND they still flash on going under the highway overpasses. i'll have them just put it back to normal at the next service. they also adjusted the wiper nozzles so now i don't spray the daylights out of the lower part of my windshield

[eps105]

Originally posted by OutbackCT
i had the dealer adjust the sensitivity while they had it for the first oil service. the kicked it down a notch in sensitivity, but now the auto lights don't come on in early twilight when i want them too AND they still flash on going under the highway overpasses. i'll have them just put it back to normal at the next service.

OutbackCT -- Thanks for posting this and being our guinea pig! You just saved me the trouble of going through the same thing.

I think we're all learning that auto headlights can only be so smart and they work fine 95% of the time, but in other cases like raining when still bright out, we can just switch them on manually.

Elliot

[nagarjuna]

in other cases like raining when still bright out, we can just switch them on manually

Don't forget you have daytime running lights. I would guess not necessary to turn on headlights when you don't need them to see since the DRLs should make you quite visible. It's taken me a while to get out of the habit as my previous car did not have DRLs.

[Harplayr]

Originally posted by nagarjuna

Don't forget you have daytime running lights. I would guess not necessary to turn on headlights when you don't need them to see since the DRLs should make you quite visible. It's taken me a while to get out of the habit as my previous car did not have DRLs.

In some states they require you to have your lights on whenever it is raining.
This also includes the tail lights, so daytime running lights aren’t good enough by themselves.

[139349]

My Outback-10 does the same thing. My past three SUVs have all had an auto-headlight function. I'm so used to it I'm frustrated when I drive something without them. I was getting ready to get the sensitivity adjusted but I've gotten used to the Underpass flashing. I'll leave adjustment for next owner.