More bad changes to the UI, headlight controls.

[timk225]

I've always said I hate having the headlights on automatically and we should be able to set the default for them. For over 5 years, I always turn the headlights off when I get in the car and go.

But Tesla has made changes to the UI for the headlight controls. Now, if you turn the headlights off, then shift from Park into gear, it turns them back on.

Then, if you shift back into Park, even if you don't get out of the car, then shift back into gear, it turns the headlights on again!

Push is gonna come to shove here. If they don't stop trying to force headlights on all the time, I have got a way to fix them once and for all. I'll go into the headlight wiring and connect up a manual switch and run it inside the car. Then those damn headlights will NEVER be on unless I flip the switch! That would make it easier, I wouldn't have to go into the touchscreen to turn them off each and every single time I go to drive somewhere.

No software change can beat that.

So give us a way to choose our default setting, Tesla. I refuse to have headlights on in the daytime!

And for those who haven't read my posts on the headlights before, I don't want them on in the daytime because I don't want them on in the daytime. That's my whole reasoning and logic for this. I drove my 1971 Plymouth Valiant for 6 years, as well as other old cars, and I was always able to turn the headlights on when they were needed. I don't need to have Big Brother forcing the headlights on for me.

 

[zoomer0056]

I'll go into the headlight wiring and connect up a manual switch and run it inside the car.

That would be pretty hokey. I understand having control. Aside from this, why do you care if the lights are on in the daytime?

 

[E90alex]

You bought the wrong car if you’re worried about “big brother”.

There is zero harm in having the headlights on during the day, but by all means hack up your car.

By the way, the headlights are treated as a computer module and controlled by another computer via LIN bus. It’s not like an old school plain switched circuit you can wire an on off switch to. The computer probably won’t like connecting and disconnecting of the headlight module on the fly and it might not work and/or may cause malfunction of other seemingly unrelated systems. Your front turn signals also won’t work. Good luck.

 

[kingstar]

I understand your desire to have complete control of your car. This link may help to understand why daytime running lights are a thing.

How Daytime Running Lights Improve Visibility and Safety How Daytime Running Lights Improve Visibility and Safety | Netradyne

 

[smogne41]

Yeah, I am very tempted to engineer an override switch as well. For things like drive-in movies, camping, etc. Yeah you feel like a real a-hole when you open up your drivers door at 10 pm while camping to grab something and it turns out you forgot to switch the headlights to "off" (you blast anybody across from you). Even if you do have them switched to "off" they still flash. Probably makes the car totally impossible for anybody who is into armature astronomy. This thing would be a nightmare at any viewing event.

I do like them on in the daytime however for added safety but that is just me. Also in Pennsylvania they are required to be on in any construction zone (DRLs do not count) and fumbling for the on-screen controls while driving is.... not great.

But I don't think most of this is recent to the UI, it has always switched them to "auto" whenever you change from drive to park, or back.

 

[ScottNY]

No need to mess with the car’s wiring. Check out S3XY Buttons. One of the settings allows you to toggle headlights (or high beams) on and off.

 

[stopcrazypp]

I've always said I hate having the headlights on automatically and we should be able to set the default for them. For over 5 years, I always turn the headlights off when I get in the car and go.

But Tesla has made changes to the UI for the headlight controls. Now, if you turn the headlights off, then shift from Park into gear, it turns them back on.

Then, if you shift back into Park, even if you don't get out of the car, then shift back into gear, it turns the headlights on again!

Push is gonna come to shove here. If they don't stop trying to force headlights on all the time, I have got a way to fix them once and for all. I'll go into the headlight wiring and connect up a manual switch and run it inside the car. Then those damn headlights will NEVER be on unless I flip the switch! That would make it easier, I wouldn't have to go into the touchscreen to turn them off each and every single time I go to drive somewhere.

No software change can beat that.

So give us a way to choose our default setting, Tesla. I refuse to have headlights on in the daytime!

And for those who haven't read my posts on the headlights before, I don't want them on in the daytime because I don't want them on in the daytime. That's my whole reasoning and logic for this. I drove my 1971 Plymouth Valiant for 6 years, as well as other old cars, and I was always able to turn the headlights on when they were needed. I don't need to have Big Brother forcing the headlights on for me.

I looked up the manual from October 2018, it seems like the functionality has not changed:

Exterior lights (headlights, tail lights, side marker lights, parking lights, and license plate lights) are set to AUTO each time you start Model 3. When set to AUTO, exterior lights automatically turn on when driving in low lighting conditions. If you change to a different setting, lights always revert to AUTO on your next drive.
Touch one of these options to temporarily change the exterior light setting:
• OFF - Exterior lights turn off until you manually turn them back on or until the next time you drive. If daytime running lights are required in your region, the exterior lights used for this purpose are always on when Drive gear is engaged.
• PARKING - Only the side marker lights, parking lights, tail lights and license plate lights turn on. Note: If daytime running lights are required in your region, the exterior lights used for this purpose are always on whenever a driving gear (Drive or Reverse) is engaged.
• ON - Exterior lights turn on.
Note: If equipped with the premium package, Model 3 has a series of LED lights along the rim of the headlights, also referred to as "signature" lights. These lights automatically turn on whenever Model 3 is powered on and a driving gear is engaged.

Are you saying the actual headlights turn on and not only the "signature" lights (or DRLs)?

A couple of things to check. Is your ambient light sensor blocked or dirty (it's the circle on top of the windshield above the cameras)? Is it the whole headlight activating or only the DRL portion? If it's only the DRL portion, then it may be in response to some possible changes in local regulations, which Tesla have always automatically complied with.

 

[Paul-K]

I haven’t been to a drive in since Colonel Sanders was still alive.

But, if I were to take my headlight-happy Tesla to a drive in, I do believe I would tape some aluminum foil over the headlights.

Much less work than wiring up a physical switch, and only mildly embarrassing (compared to flooding the movie screen with light).

I would vote for camping mode defeating headlights. You cannot drive in camp mode anyway! Plus, if actually parked near tents you probably don’t want your headlights turning on (unless you manually turn them on!)

 

[smogne41]

I haven’t been to a drive in since Colonel Sanders was still alive.

But, if I were to take my headlight-happy Tesla to a drive in, I do believe I would tape some aluminum foil over the headlights.

Much less work than wiring up a physical switch, and only mildly embarrassing (compared to flooding the movie screen with light).

I would vote for camping mode defeating headlights. You cannot drive in camp mode anyway! Plus, if actually parked near tents you probably don’t want your headlights turning on (unless you manually turn them on!)

Right but the point of camp mode is to keep the climate control on. I flashed everybody just opening the car to get something even though I was not trying to sleep in it. There really should be a setting to disable all external lights all the time unless in D (and even a way to disable them in D under some conditions).

 

[stopcrazypp]

Right but the point of camp mode is to keep the climate control on. I flashed everybody just opening the car to get something even though I was not trying to sleep in it. There really should be a setting to disable all external lights all the time unless in D (and even a way to disable them in D under some conditions).

I wonder if the Headlights on when parked setting affects this though?

 

[smogne41]

I wonder if the Headlights on when parked setting affects this though?

Yes, if you remember to turn them off every time you park they will not come on. Though if the car has been asleep for a while it does seem to flash the DRLs for a few seconds when you open the door regardless of the lights setting (also annoying and pointless for my needs).

 

[rlsd]

I've always said I hate having the headlights on automatically and we should be able to set the default for them. For over 5 years, I always turn the headlights off when I get in the car and go.

But Tesla has made changes to the UI for the headlight controls. Now, if you turn the headlights off, then shift from Park into gear, it turns them back on.

Then, if you shift back into Park, even if you don't get out of the car, then shift back into gear, it turns the headlights on again!

Push is gonna come to shove here. If they don't stop trying to force headlights on all the time, I have got a way to fix them once and for all. I'll go into the headlight wiring and connect up a manual switch and run it inside the car. Then those damn headlights will NEVER be on unless I flip the switch! That would make it easier, I wouldn't have to go into the touchscreen to turn them off each and every single time I go to drive somewhere.

No software change can beat that.

So give us a way to choose our default setting, Tesla. I refuse to have headlights on in the daytime!

And for those who haven't read my posts on the headlights before, I don't want them on in the daytime because I don't want them on in the daytime. That's my whole reasoning and logic for this. I drove my 1971 Plymouth Valiant for 6 years, as well as other old cars, and I was always able to turn the headlights on when they were needed. I don't need to have Big Brother forcing the headlights on for me.

"Now, if you turn the headlights off, then shift from Park into gear, it turns them back on."

I works for me like that since I bought my car last year. It's a desirable feature. I forgot to turn on the headlights on at night with my old car sometimes. I also see many people don't turn on the headlights at night on freeways. It's very dangerous.

 

[Chewy13]

No need to mess with the car’s wiring. Check out S3XY Buttons. One of the settings allows you to toggle headlights (or high beams) on and off.
View attachment 947416

Does this work for DRL? I haven’t tested it yet.

 

[fholbert]

Yeah, I am very tempted to engineer an override switch as well. For things like drive-in movies, camping, etc.

I’m just impressed you have drive-in movies in PA. I thought that went away with 8-track tapes.

 

[ScottNY]

Does this work for DRL? I haven’t tested it yet.

Not sure. I don’t use the S3XY buttons for headlights. I have mine set for the following settings that are usually not available without going through multiple levels and taps of display controls:
- Toggle between sport and chill mode
- Fold mirrors
- Tilt mirrors in reverse
- Toggle all interior lights on or off
- Toggle rear fan on or off
- Open glovebox
- Disable auto wipers
- Loop down regen (100/75/50/25/0%)
- Manual precondition of battery

In most states, it is illegal to turn off daytime running lights. Why would you want to anyway? I believe the OP wanted to turn off lights when it is dark.

 

[Supcom]

Not sure. I don’t use the S3XY buttons for headlights. I have mine set for the following settings that are usually not available without going through multiple levels and taps of display controls:
- Toggle between sport and chill mode
- Fold mirrors
- Tilt mirrors in reverse
- Toggle all interior lights on or off
- Toggle rear fan on or off
- Open glovebox
- Disable auto wipers
- Loop down regen (100/75/50/25/0%)
- Manual precondition of battery

In most states, it is illegal to turn off daytime running lights. Why would you want to anyway? I believe the OP wanted to turn off lights when it is dark.

Texas has no requirements in the Transportation Code to use DRLs that I can find. I don't know about other states. Texas only requires headlights at night and times when visibility is less than 1000 feet.

Edit: According to ChatGPT (which often lies), as of 2021, 18 states do require DRLs.

 

[YW555]

As a driver that shares the road with people like you, I'm glad it's forced on. For example it can be pretty hard to see other cars during heavy rain if they have their lights off.

 

[smogne41]

As a driver that shares the road with people like you, I'm glad it's forced on. For example it can be pretty hard to see other cars during heavy rain if they have their lights off.

Tesla's no longer automatically turn the headlights on in the rain (when the wipers are running), which they used to. Which is one time I would actually want them to automatically come on. So strange. They will come on when it is raining if it is dark enough to trigger them, but will not otherwise.

 

[GBMaryland]

To the OP:

Tesla has changed the default settings so many times over the course of the years I’ve owned a few of them. Frankly, it drives me freaking crazy.

I have a really hard time with not being allowed to configure the car in the manner that I wanted it configured. The biggest beef I have is that they turned off the ability to allow you to throttle down regenerative braking. Drives me crazy. (people here get annoyed that I have an issue with this, but I don’t like the feather the throttle are given that I still drive gasoline powered car…. Etc) currently, with full self driving beta you can no longer turn off the switch lanes automatically Setting. So that update is actually turning out to be hazardous…. Once again, Tesla knows better than you do. It isn’t gonna let you turn it off permanently… And it still ignores you even when the setting is turned off.)

Anyway, as others have said, S3XY buttons are your friend.

 

[fholbert]

I wouldn't buy a car that:

• Didn't have a center display for mapping software.
• Required a key or clicker to open/lock the door.
• Didn't have a way to charge my phone.
• Required that I manually dim the rear view mirror.
• Didn't have hands free text and phone calling.
• Required me to turn on/off the headlights.