Deciphering Headlight Indicator Icons

[JenkinsEar]

Model x newb here - only had this car for three days.

We have configured the auto-dim headlight feature to AUTO. Coming home from party past night (this was the first time we had had the car out at night), I noticed that the lights didn't seem to change based on oncoming traffic, etc. The icons on the display showed a GRAY headlight, with "rays" extending straight out to the left. The icon contained an 'A'. To its left was a green icon, with the light "rays" pointing down.

The documentation I have found says that the headlight icon will turn BLUE under certain circumstances - ours never changed.

What is the meaning of this particular configuration of indicators? Is there something we're setting up incorrectly? Or does this call for a trip to the Service Center?

Thanks!

 

[boaterva]

Did you have the high beams ON? The auto is more auto LOW beams.

You need to put the stalk forward into manual HIGH beams and then since you have auto enabled it will turn the high beams off to low automatically.

It’s the opposite of the old Lincoln version that would turn on high beams for you.

 

[JenkinsEar]

Did you have the high beams ON? The auto is more auto LOW beams.

You need to put the stalk forward into manual HIGH beams and then since you have auto enabled it will turn the high beams off to low automatically.

It’s the opposite of the old Lincoln version that would turn on high beams for you.

 

[JenkinsEar]

Thanks. Lee.

That may indeed be it. Never would have thunk it. I'll fool around with it tonight - that'll give me an excuse to go play in the car.

 

[boaterva]

Thanks. Lee.

That may indeed be it. Never would have thunk it. I'll fool around with it tonight - that'll give me an excuse to go play in the car.

My pleasure! It definitely takes some getting used to, but I’ve found it does work well. Let us know how it works for you.

Note that street lights and the like may also ‘turn it off’.

 

[PGeer]

This is one of my favorite features. In 1.7 years, it has failed me only once or twice (turning off too late, before oncoming car flashes me.) Also, it's remarkably good at identifying red taillights ahead and turning off high beams. Indeed, some bright lights and reflective signs occasionally turn off high beams unnecessarily. I leave the lights in the high beam auto mode 100% of the time now.

 

[arcus]

This is one of my favorite features. In 1.7 years, it has failed me only once or twice (turning off too late, before oncoming car flashes me.) Also, it's remarkably good at identifying red taillights ahead and turning off high beams. Indeed, some bright lights and reflective signs occasionally turn off high beams unnecessarily. I leave the lights in the high beam auto mode 100% of the time now.

My experience is very similar. I don't think I would be able to respond to an oncoming traffic (especially when going over the hills or on curvy road) as fast as the car determines that the high beams should be turned off.

 

[Ruffles]

Yeah, I dig this feature too. As a software engineer, I marvel at the algorithm they must be using to detect the different lighting scenarios. Very clever!

 

[Krazaak]

Headlights on, green low beam symbol on the left. If auto high beams are enabled, pushing the left stalk forward will enable them. Depending on speed and what the car sees, you'll either get low beams and see the green low beam icon with a gray icon to the right (high beam icon with an A in it) or the green icon will go away and you'll see the blue high beam icon with the A. Headlights, tail lights or anything the car thinks is a headlight or taillight will switch back to lows. They also seem to switch off below some speed threshold around 20 mph, but it's hard to say for sure.

With auto high beams disabled, low beams are with the left stalk in the normal position towards the driver, pull to flash high beams, but it resets to rest position. Push enables high beams (no A in the icon since it isn't auto).

Might require autopilot to calibrate before the auto high beams work properly, not sure.

In my experience, they work well, but around corners and cresting hills, they may wait until what seems like the last second to turn down. They also may not react to cross traffic.

With auto high beams enabled, you can pull the stalk back to the rest position to return to low beams at any time, but pushing it forward only turns on auto. If you want to force high beams with auto enabled, you have to pull back and hold the stalk.

 

[JenkinsEar]

[snip]

With auto high beams enabled, you can pull the stalk back to the rest position to return to low beams at any time, but pushing it forward only turns on auto. If you want to force high beams with auto enabled, you have to pull back and hold the stalk.

Aaahhhh... that last sentence may be one of the things causing us grief: When we're thrashing around trying to get high and low to work the way we want, we may indeed be returning to low, and then not know how to return to high. auto-enabled. Thanks for the insight.

 

[arcus]

Aaahhhh... that last sentence may be one of the things causing us grief: When we're thrashing around trying to get high and low to work the way we want, we may indeed be returning to low, and then not know how to return to high. auto-enabled. Thanks for the insight.

This might be the case when you try signal a driver on the opposite site and you do a quick high beam flash (you pull the stalk towards you). It disables auto high beams at the same time (till you push it back forward).