Day/Night mode issue

[mkertzman]

I've seen this mentioned (embedded in a couple of threads) over the months, but I thought I'd post it as its own topic to see if other owners are experiencing what I've seen.

I find that the car switches unexpectedly between day and night modes on the large touchscreen. Sometimes it's somewhat understandable, as in entering a well-lit tunnel at night and it switches to day mode, but sometimes it's during the day and it seems to switch to night mode and then back. In general, I think the behavior is too "twitchy" - it reacts too quickly to whatever the sensor perceives as a lighting change, rather than truly being day or night. As you might expect, it seems to do this more at dusk when we're genuinely moving from day to night, but not back and forth! Some have suggested using time of day, but my guess is that putting a longer delay into the switching algorithm might reduce the inappropriate switching.

What may be part of the same sensor issue (although it doesn't switch like the touchscreen) is when the AUTO headlights come on - sometimes they seem to come on even in bright daylight. They don't switch on and off like the screen, but I can't quite figure out the algorithm/logic behind that behavior either.

Anyone else experience the above?

Mitchell

 

[steve841]

No issues here ... 1.19.31

 

[contaygious]

There is an internal sensor for the screen. I too have seen it switch randomly sometimes. I wonder if it's a 4.1 bug?

 

[StephRob]

Yes, we have definitely experienced the behavior you're talking about. And since you're in Mill Valley, maybe you're experiencing it in the same place we do - the new tunnel on the Doyle Drive replacement? It NEVER fails. Driving in the dark out of the city towards the bridge, go through the tunnel, almost to the end and BAM the screen lights up to day mode and you're practically blinded until you get to the toll plaza. Happens literally every time.

 

[Todd Burch]

I haven't experienced this (v4.1, 1.19.31), although I agree there should be something like 10 seconds of consistent sensor readings (day or night) before the change takes place. Should be an easy fix.

 

[mkertzman]

Yup - happened to me tonight on the way home exactly there!

I should have mentioned that I'm still on 1.15.14.

Mitchell

Yes, we have definitely experienced the behavior you're talking about. And since you're in Mill Valley, maybe you're experiencing it in the same place we do - the new tunnel on the Doyle Drive replacement? It NEVER fails. Driving in the dark out of the city towards the bridge, go through the tunnel, almost to the end and BAM the screen lights up to day mode and you're practically blinded until you get to the toll plaza. Happens literally every time.

 

[bbmertz]

+1. Just happened to me today (v4.0/1.17.52) when the screen suddenly switched from day to night mode while it was still relatively light outside, around 4:30pm. I had to manually set the display to Day mode in order to see the screen. Most ICE cars have the screen brightness adjust based on whether the headlights are on/off. As others mentioned, this may be a problem for the MS since the headlight sensors are a bit erratic.

 

[finout]

After the update to 4.2 (maybe related, maybe not) I had the same issue with the screen suddenly changing to night mode - twice in the same day.

The first happened at 8:15 AM (full Denver sunlight, cloudless day) when the sun, behind me, hit the interior screen brightness sensor directly. It stayed in night mode (while I had sunglasses on because it was so bright outside) until I got to my office. Could barely read the speedometer.
The second happened that afternoon at 5:15, just before sunset, driving the opposite direction, same situation: sun hit the interior brightness sensor and it switched into night mode. Less significant because it was almost sunset anyway.

I reported this to my service center guy. When I gave him all the details, he confirmed that he could repeat it when the sun was strong from behind the car.

Hope they figure this one out. I for one would welcome a user setting option: either use the (clearly inadequate) external and internal light sensors; or set the car to go night mode at sunset and day mode at sunrise (duh?).

 

[ElSupreme]

After the update to 4.2 (maybe related, maybe not) I had the same issue with the screen suddenly changing to night mode - twice in the same day.

The first happened at 8:15 AM (full Denver sunlight, cloudless day) when the sun, behind me, hit the interior screen brightness sensor directly. It stayed in night mode (while I had sunglasses on because it was so bright outside) until I got to my office. Could barely read the speedometer.
The second happened that afternoon at 5:15, just before sunset, driving the opposite direction, same situation: sun hit the interior brightness sensor and it switched into night mode. Less significant because it was almost sunset anyway.

I reported this to my service center guy. When I gave him all the details, he confirmed that he could repeat it when the sun was strong from behind the car.

Hope they figure this one out. I for one would welcome a user setting option: either use the (clearly inadequate) external and internal light sensors; or set the car to go night mode at sunset and day mode at sunrise (duh?).

There is a manual override on the options screen to force day/night mode. It resets to auto every time you start the car but it is there. I agree about using the time and location to help the sensor. I have my night brightness set to 0%, and it switches to night when it is cloudy and raining out, but still bright enough to need more than 0% brightness.

I haven't had any problems with the light sensors working though.

 

[KBF]

Both my wife and I experienced this once. When it happened to me, it was 2 pm and I guess the clouds were too dark and sensor deemed it to be night. I quickly switched it to manual day and it was fine.

- - - Updated - - -

I then adjusted the settings so that nighttime mode was just a bit brighter in case it happened again. I REALLY like this kind of customizability.

 

[finout]

These are great workarounds, and I'll probably go in and set my night mode a bit brighter for next time it happens.

But really, I don't want a workaround on my $100K car. I want automatic mode to work - not to mess up and give me night mode at 8 in the morning!

Since I'm not the only one having this issue, seems like TMC should put some effort into fixing it. They borrowed lots of stuff from Mercedes - maybe they can borrow that algorithm too? I've never seen my Mercedes accidentally think it was night in full sunshine.

Both my wife and I experienced this once. When it happened to me, it was 2 pm and I guess the clouds were too dark and sensor deemed it to be night. I quickly switched it to manual day and it was fine.

- - - Updated - - -

I then adjusted the settings so that nighttime mode was just a bit brighter in case it happened again. I REALLY like this kind of customizability.

 

[mark]

I notice this a lot at dusk/dawn times. I agree this should be an easy software fix in a future release.

 

[mknox]

Most ICE cars have the screen brightness adjust based on whether the headlights are on/off.

My current ICE controls the screen and dash light settings separately from the headlights. The headlights come on when the wipers are on (even during the day) and, of course, you can manually turn on the headlights and not want the dash to dim and the displays going into night mode.

Having said that, there is a certain time of year when I'm driving to work and the dash remains in night mode even though there is enough ambient light to make it hard to read. I have to manually switch it over. My point is that I don't think there is a perfect solution regarding when to toggle modes.

 

[William13]

The biggest issue with day/night is that the treshold to change from one to the other is too close. This can cause my dash to change five to ten times in a fifty mile trip in marginal (to the Tesla, not me) light levels.

 

[zax123]

I know this thread's been dormant for a while, but I recently picked up my MS, and today, driving to work in bright sunlight, the car stayed in night mode and the display was in night mode and was hard to see (I know I can play with the brightness). I'm wondering why the car did that and if I should mention it to the service center... I'm on 4.2.

 

[mknox]

I know this thread's been dormant for a while, but I recently picked up my MS, and today, driving to work in bright sunlight, the car stayed in night mode and the display was in night mode and was hard to see (I know I can play with the brightness). I'm wondering why the car did that and if I should mention it to the service center... I'm on 4.2.

It might be worth having service check it out. I have almost the opposite problem: mine will flip from night to day almost too soon and I have to quickly jump on the brightness control (right scroll wheel) to turn it down before it blinds me. I leave for work just a hair before sunrise and the sky get brighter as I make my way. This is probably the most difficult time for sensors to figure out what to do. I mentioned above that my previous car also struggled at this point in the day.

EDIT: Just stating the obvious, but you do have it in Auto, right?

 

[zax123]

It might be worth having service check it out. I have almost the opposite problem: mine will flip from night to day almost too soon and I have to quickly jump on the brightness control (right scroll wheel) to turn it down before it blinds me. I leave for work just a hair before sunrise and the sky get brighter as I make my way. This is probably the most difficult time for sensors to figure out what to do. I mentioned above that my previous car also struggled at this point in the day.

EDIT: Just stating the obvious, but you do have it in Auto, right?

Hey mknox,

I can understand your frustration with the car switching too fast when it starts to get a bit brighter, but at least it's switching to the "right" mode based on brightness. To be stuck on night mode when it's bright sunshine doesn't make sense to me. I looked around the car briefly but I don't see the little black dome that most ICEs have to sense brightness. Anyone know where the sensor is?

 

[clea]

I looked around the car briefly but I don't see the little black dome that most ICEs have to sense brightness. Anyone know where the sensor is?

I thought it was near the rear view mirror housing.

 

[NigelM]

I thought it was near the rear view mirror housing.

Look outside at the top of the windscreen in that black section. Make sure it doesn't get too dirty or has a bug splatter (or bird poop) on it as the car can think it's getting dark. (Had that once on a car)

 

[apacheguy]

I was just reminded of this thread yesterday when my car switched into night mode before the sun had set. I couldn't see a damn thing on the screen.

I guess a quick fix is to just dial up the brightness using the right scroll wheel, but then I have to remember to switch it back or I'll be blinded when I get back in the car and it actually is dark outside. Seems like there should be a quick way to toggle the mode from the steering wheel.