Auto headlamps

[Lostneye]

They seem to have a mind of their own. Sometimes it will be a bright sunny day and they will come one when I start the car and not turn off. Sometimes it's dark overcast and raining and every other car has their lights on and they won't come on. Is this a quirk of this car or the sensor going out or what?

And what is with a almost $50k car with auto wipers that doesn't have the option to turn the headlights when the wipers are on?

 

[krewat]

My auto headlights work perfectly, both my 2016 and 2013. Is the sensor covered or dirty? I notice a lot of other cars out there as soon as they go under a bridge for a split second, theirs come on - and then go right off after they come out. The delay on these is perfect.

As for the auto wipers not turning on the headlights, I don't know. I turn on my head lights as soon as the sun isn't out. People seem to not be able to see me for some reason and pull out in front of me, or abort mission a split second before they pull out.

 

[Lostneye]

My Altima is like that, they go on so quick and off just as quick. When the SHO works are it should the delay seems about perfect. I guess I'll have to check the sensor, I am guessing it is in the center of the dash, mine isn't dirty or obstructed.
Does the cover pop off to get a better look?

 

[krewat]

Don't know about how to access it, or where it is, are you sure it's not in the "camera" behind the rear-view mirror?

I was going to say something derogatory about Japanese cars being the worst offenders with the 'instant on/instant off' auto head lamps, but decided not to

 

[Johnbigdog]

The auto headlamps use the unload sensor on the dash. The auto high beans use the camera in the interior mirror.

I just turn mine on all the time then get frustrated when the auto high beams don't work. About 10 minuets later I remember to turn the switch to auto. doh!

The main input for the lights coming in is the sunload sesnor.

2016 sho will turn on the headlamps if the wipers are in use. Don't know what year yours is to check.

 

[SilverSH0]

Don't know about how to access it, or where it is, are you sure it's not in the "camera" behind the rear-view mirror?

I was going to say something derogatory about Japanese cars being the worst offenders with the 'instant on/instant off' auto head lamps, but decided not to

From everything I've read the camera behind the rear-view mirror is for the auto hi beams and not the on/off sensor.

 

[Gbczyk84]

I rarely use the auto high beam option. My best experiance once was, driving in a slight fog one morning. The car decided to turn on the high beams as soon as I had made a right hand turn, oncoming was a driver in a F-150 pickup. I caught him flipping me off as he passed. Well deserved I suppose considering he must have thought I did this intensionaly.

Also, at the time I could not figure out how to turn them off, to avoid blinding the poor guy.

 

[markathome]

Sounds like a bad sensor.
On my 2010 SHO, if you leave the headlights in automatic mode they will turn off and on as needed. This includes automatically coming on when the auto wipers activate or when you manually turn on the wipers. If the headlight switch is in the off mode, the are off and stay off.
BTW, many makes don't offer this, and you don't realize the fact until later.
Kind of like that moment late at night when you realize the car your driving doesn't have auto dimming rear view mirrors after you pass that 18 wheeler covered with bright LEDs. Who thinks to check for that during the test drive....

Sent from my XT1094 using Tapatalk

 

[krewat]

2016 sho will turn on the headlamps if the wipers are in use. Don't know what year yours is to check.

My 2016 doesn't

And my auto hi-beams work very well, while the ones in my 2013 were beyond frustrating.

 

[Johnbigdog]

You can disable the auto h8ghbeams through the cluster or just turn the lamps to on. I think my auto high beans have confused/ticked people off many times. Kinda embarrassing at times.

Good thing we don't have TCUs that allow a car to be tempt started

My 2016 doesn't

And my auto hi-beams work very well, while the ones in my 2013 were beyond frustrating.

The big book of everything says that with the lamps in the autolamp position the exterior lights will come on within three seconds when the wipers are manually turned on or 30 seconds when the rain sensing wipers system does it. This doesn't work for mist or courtesy wipes.

The lights will turn off when the ignition is turned off or acesory the headlamps turned off or the wipers turned off for 30 seconds (manual) or 60 seconds (rain sensor). This will be defeated if the light sensor determines it's dark enough to keep the lights on.

 

[gimpy]

My 2011 had an issue similar to the op...

I could never figure it out. However, when a truck in front of me threw up a rock that chipped my windshield and I had it replaced, the automatic windshield wipers started to function properly.

Fweewh...long sentence

 

[krewat]

For the record, the other day I tested my 2016. Set headlights to auto, turn on the wipers, and the headlights do indeed come on. I don't know if the wipers set to auto will do it too, but I bet it will

I'm so used to do it manually that it never occurred to me this thing does it automatically.

 

[Lostneye]

On vacation and had rain on and off. It seems when the auto wipers reach a certain speed the headlights turn on. If they are on low they do not.
I still have issues with the lights coming on when it's sunny out.