Bright light unavailable below 30 MPH

[haroldo]

There appears to be a design flaw when lights are set to AUTO.

When driver first sets out, and driving less than 30 mph, driver can’t manually turn on bright lights (pushing stalk forward doesn’t do anything).
As soon as car hits 30, MPH driver can manually set bright lights.
If car slows to below 20 MPH, it resets the “lock out” and driver is is unable manually set bright lights until they get to 30 MPH.

I reported this to service, a few times, and they confirmed it’s not a hardware issue.

They said there’s nothing they can do from their end, but suggested either tweeting Elon Musk directly, which I’m not going to do, or to post in public forums which are (presumably) monitored by Tesla engineers (if so, please fix this!).

I’m aware I could disable AUTO setting for lights, but prefer to use it.

 

[EVRider-FL]

Are you sure your speed is the determining factor, rather than lights detected in front if your car? If it’s the latter, here’s what the manual says:

”In situations where Auto High Beam is turned on but the high beams are turned off because light is detected in front of Model 3, you can temporarily turn on the high beams by pulling the turn signal stalk toward you.”

 

[haroldo]

Absolutely. Empty streets. I tested it, watching it being active only after car hit 30
Try it

 

[drift]

Absolutely. Empty streets. I tested it, watching it being active only after car hit 30
Try it

This is the same way my Hyundai auto high beams work.

 

[Raurele]

Absolutely. Empty streets. I tested it, watching it being active only after car hit 30
Try it

Mine work fine the second I start my car. At all speeds. 2022 MYP

 

[haroldo]

Mine work fine the second I start my car. At all speeds. 2022 MYP

You have AUTO set and you can manually set brights?

 

[Raurele]

You have AUTO set and you can manually set brights?

Yep. Press the stalk forward. It doesn’t work when on autopilot though. But regular driving, set to auto in settings, I can flash them, or turn them on or off

 

[haroldo]

Thanks for confirming
my 2021 model 3 doesn’t do that

 

[EVRider-FL]

Yep. Press the stalk forward. It doesn’t work when on autopilot though. But regular driving, set to auto in settings, I can flash them, or turn them on or off

Do you have Auto High Beam enabled or Auto headlights (or both)? Auto High Beam doesn’t work as you described it. Auto headlights has no impact on high beams.

 

[haroldo]

Headlights, on the control screen, are set to AUTO

 

[EVRider-FL]

Headlights, on the control screen, are set to AUTO

That should have no impact on high beams, unless Controls > Auto High Beam (or Controls > Lights > Auto High Beam) is also enabled. It seems that there's an issue with your car, and it's unfortunate that Service won't resolve it.

 

[haroldo]

Just checked, auto high been is set
Is this your configuration?
If so, do you have access to manually adjusted brights when first setting out?

 

[EVRider-FL]

Just checked, auto high been is set
Is this your configuration?
If so, do you have access to manually adjusted brights when first setting out?

Unless you want the high beams to dim automatically, turning off auto high beams will probably resolve your issue. I don’t use auto high beams.

If you want to continue to use auto high beams, I suggest you read the “High Beam Headlights” section of the manual to understand how the feature works and which indicators are displayed. The indicators should help you figure out what’s happening. Note that auto high beams has no effect until you push the stalk to engage high beams.

Also, see if you can reproduce the issue while the car is in park.

 

[Sealander]

I have exactly the same problem with my 2018 model 3. I use auto high beams, but have to pull the stalk back towards me and hold it to keep the high beams on when my speed drops below about 25 Mph. That is usually when I am looking for a driveway or something when driving in a neighborhood. The high beams will not come back on automatically until I get over 30 Mph.

 

[surfrasch]

I have exactly the same problem with my 2018 model 3. I use auto high beams, but have to pull the stalk back towards me and hold it to keep the high beams on when my speed drops below about 25 Mph. That is usually when I am looking for a driveway or something when driving in a neighborhood. The high beams will not come back on automatically until I get over 30 Mph.

I also have a 2018 model 3, my brights have always worked this way since I got the car. No change. If they aren’t on, they won’t go on under 30 mph, even in auto headlights.

 

[haroldo]

Mine work fine the second I start my car. At all speeds. 2022 MYP

Do you have both AUTO lights and AUTO HIGH BEAMS set?

If you want to continue to use auto high beams, I suggest you read the “High Beam Headlights” section of the manual

Read it, a few times, there's nothing in there with respect to this situation. This is everything on the topic from the Model 3 manual...

Auto High Beam
If you turn on Auto High Beam, your vehicle automatically switches from high beam headlights to low beam headlights when light is detected in front of Model 3. See High Beam Headlights.
...

High Beam Headlights​

Push the turn signal stalk away from you and release to turn the high beam headlights on continuously. To cancel, push the stalk away from you again.
To briefly flash the high beam headlights, pull the stalk towards you and release.

The high beam headlights can automatically switch to low beam when there is light detected in front of Model 3 (for example, from an oncoming vehicle). To turn this feature on or off, touch Controls > Lights > Auto High Beam. In situations where Auto High Beam is turned on but the high beams are turned off because light is detected in front of Model 3, you can temporarily turn on the high beams by pulling the turn signal stalk toward you.

Also, see if you can reproduce the issue while the car is in park.

Turning on bright lights by pushing stalk forward is not possible, when in Park


I paid close attention to the lights while driving this morning.

Until the car hits 25 MPH, the car will not automatically turn on high beams (on dark local roads), nor could I manually set them with the stalk
Once the car hits the speed, if conditions warrant, the high beams will turn on, and the stalk can be used to manually adjust.