Tail lights not coming on consistently when it is raining?

[arnolddeleon]

It looks like the tail lights don't come on consistently when it is raining. I had assumed that if the green auto lights icon was on, the tail lights were on but that doesn't appear to be the case.

Today my wife was in our model 3 and I was driving right behind her and I noticed the lights weren't on for most the drive. It has been rainy in the bay area today so I got to do some testing and observe other vehicles. I noticed many model 3s and other Teslas without tail lights illuminated when I thought they should have been on. I paid closer attention to the little car avatar and confirmed that our model 3 also didn't have tail lights on. I had to manually turn on our lights FWIW I noticed other late model cars that also didn't have their lights on.

I don't know if this is connected to the auto wipers. The wipers definitely still need improvement so perhaps that's the root of the problem. I didn't think to test turning the wipers on manually to see if the tail lights came on.

 

[darth_vad3r]

It looks like the tail lights don't come on consistently when it is raining. I had assumed that if the green auto lights icon was on, the tail lights were on but that doesn't appear to be the case.

Today my wife was in our model 3 and I was driving right behind her and I noticed the lights weren't on for most the drive. It has been rainy in the bay area today so I got to do some testing and observe other vehicles. I noticed many model 3s and other Teslas without tail lights illuminated when I thought they should have been on. I paid closer attention to the little car avatar and confirmed that our model 3 also didn't have tail lights on. I had to manually turn on our lights FWIW I noticed other late model cars that also didn't have their lights on.

I don't know if this is connected to the auto wipers. The wipers definitely still need improvement so perhaps that's the root of the problem. I didn't think to test turning the wipers on manually to see if the tail lights came on.

DRL (daytime running lights) only trigger low power high beams on most cars. Taillights only come on when “real” headlights turn on, which is automatic as it gets dark for the Tesla.

This is actually a huge pet peeve with me as I will turn headlights (which comes with taillights) on when it’s low visibility but tons of other drivers do not. Even worse, some drivers drive at night with DRL and think they have their headlights on when they do not and their rear end is dark.

There is a separate green icon for taillights in the display.

 

[darth_vad3r]

Hmm, perhaps I was misremembering. When my DRLs are on, there is no green icon at all. I’m in Canada. We have mandatory DRLs (have had for years). I don’t know what the rules are in other countries. Perhaps if it’s not mandatory, but Tesla chooses to turn them on anyways, they show the icon?

Or does rain actually trigger headlights?! I haven’t taken note of this ever.

Will have to remember to keep an eye on that next time it rains during the daytime.

 

[Big Dog]

Today my wife was in our model 3 and I was driving right behind her and I noticed the lights weren't on for most the drive. It has been rainy in the bay area today so I got to do some testing and observe other vehicles. I noticed many model 3s and other Teslas without tail lights illuminated when I thought they should have been on. I paid closer attention to the little car avatar and confirmed that our model 3 also didn't have tail lights on. I had to manually turn on our lights FWIW I noticed other late model cars that also didn't have their lights on.

I don't know if this is connected to the auto wipers. The wipers definitely still need improvement so perhaps that's the root of the problem. I didn't think to test turning the wipers on manually to see if the tail lights came on.

Your post is somewhat confusing; what does "rainy" mean? It's either raining or its not. When it rains, and water falls from the sky, my wipers come on and per Calif. law, the headlights come on as well. (I assume the rear lights come on at teh same time, but never had someone check.) When my car passes a drier segment fo road -- i.e., no rain drops but still a "rainy day", the wipers stop and the headlights automatically turn off it its light/bright enuf.

Lights also automatically turn on on dark-ish days, i.e., dark heavy cloud cover, or passing thru a tunnel.

btw: US cars do not have DRLs.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

It looks like the tail lights don't come on consistently when it is raining. I had assumed that if the green auto lights icon was on, the tail lights were on but that doesn't appear to be the case.

Today my wife was in our model 3 and I was driving right behind her and I noticed the lights weren't on for most the drive. It has been rainy in the bay area today so I got to do some testing and observe other vehicles. I noticed many model 3s and other Teslas without tail lights illuminated when I thought they should have been on. I paid closer attention to the little car avatar and confirmed that our model 3 also didn't have tail lights on. I had to manually turn on our lights FWIW I noticed other late model cars that also didn't have their lights on.

I don't know if this is connected to the auto wipers. The wipers definitely still need improvement so perhaps that's the root of the problem. I didn't think to test turning the wipers on manually to see if the tail lights came on.

California law:
"You must turn on your headlights if snow, rain, fog, dust, or low visibility (1,000 feet or less) requires the use of windshield wipers."

How much rain? Wipers on steadily or intermittent?

I also think auto-wipers could affect it.

 

[darth_vad3r]

Your post is somewhat confusing; what does "rainy" mean? It's either raining or its not. When it rains, and water falls from the sky, my wipers come on and per Calif. law, the headlights come on as well. (I assume the rear lights come on at teh same time, but never had someone check.) When my car passes a drier segment fo road -- i.e., no rain drops but still a "rainy day", the wipers stop and the headlights automatically turn off it its light/bright enuf.

Lights also automatically turn on on dark-ish days, i.e., dark heavy cloud cover, or passing thru a tunnel.

btw: US cars do not have DRLs.

Interesting. Thanks for those two points (US no DRL and Cali headlights in rain).

I wonder if Tesla customizes the rules it uses based on registration address, or on GPS?

I obviously need to plan a road trip down to Disneyland to test this out!

 

[Big Dog]

California law:
"You must turn on your headlights if snow, rain, fog, dust, or low visibility (1,000 feet or less) requires the use of windshield wipers."

How much rain? Wipers on steady or intermittant?

Wipers on, period. Doesn't matter what speed.

 

[Magnets!]

btw: US cars do not have DRLs.

Mine does?

 

[arnolddeleon]

Your post is somewhat confusing; what does "rainy" mean? It's either raining or its not. When it rains, and water falls from the sky, my wipers come on and per Calif. law, the headlights come on as well. (I assume the rear lights come on at teh same time, but never had someone check.) When my car passes a drier segment fo road -- i.e., no rain drops but still a "rainy day", the wipers stop and the headlights automatically turn off it its light/bright enuf.

Lights also automatically turn on on dark-ish days, i.e., dark heavy cloud cover, or passing thru a tunnel.

btw: US cars do not have DRLs.

Well I observed it raining, auto wipers coming up but no tail lights. I had assumed that if the wipers came on all the appropriate lights would come on (familiar with CA law) but that doesn't appear to be the case

 

[Big Dog]

Mine does?

do you have PUP? If so what you are seeing is what Tesla call Signature Lights (as they look cool?), but these are only with PUP. DRL's are required in Canada and always on.

 

[Magnets!]

do you have PUP? If so what you are seeing is what Tesla call Signature Lights (as they look cool?), but these are only with PUP. DRL's are required in Canada and always on.

Yes, performance package. Didn't realize that non Performance don't get the signature lights.

 

[darth_vad3r]

So I discovered after paying closer attention that this ”headlights on during rain” thing seems to happen here in Canada too.

When the wipers are turned on (manually or auto) the green headlight indicator comes on. The only thing is, we already have DRLs in Canada, so based only on reflection from car in front of me, I couldn’t notice a difference

Tail lights on the onscreen ‘carvatar’ did not indicate being lit.

So I’m thinking “wipers on” => “turn on DRLs” (even if your country already means DRLs are on).

Are DRLs less bright than normal headlights in the Teslas like they are for most (all?] ICE cars. I’ll have to pay attention to this next

AFAIK all the ICE cars I’ve ever driven or seen have DRLs that are high beams set at a lower intensity, not the actual low beams.

 

[gaM3changer]

I've noticed this phenomena, also. During a rainy commute in socal, I noticed about 15 other Model 3s with headlights on, but only 1 had taillights illuminated. At first, I didn't pay too much attention to it, but it was blatantly obvious that the only cars on the freeway without taillights were Model 3s. S and X all had taillights on.

 

[SeanB-Model3]

do you have PUP? If so what you are seeing is what Tesla call Signature Lights (as they look cool?), but these are only with PUP. DRL's are required in Canada and always on.

My LR RWD Model 3 has the Signature Lights that are always on when the headlights are not on. I've actually never noticed a Model 3, or any Tesla for that matter, without some sort of running lights while they are driving.

 

[halfricanguy]

I have experienced this too, usually in rainy weather. Despite the green headlight icon being on, my car’s headlights are in fact not on, and the little model 3 on the screen, those aren’t on either, despite the icon.

I think this is very dangerous. In fact, I reported it a few weeks ago to Tesla after seeing it happen often. I just updated to 16.2 so I am interested to see if this behavior continues.

 

[halfricanguy]

Actually here’s a pic of it happening. The headlights are not on, neither on the physical car, nor the tiny Model 3, despite the green headlight icon being illuminated.

Windshield wipers do appear to be on Auto as well. May be a correlation.

 

[Big Earl]

I manually turn the lights on anytime it’s cloudy, rainy, or I’m on a shaded back road.

The auto lights turn off and on in intermittent weather and I find it’s best to do it myself, kind of like how I don’t let Autopilot drive in construction zones.

 

[darth_vad3r]

Actually here’s a pic of it happening. The headlights are not on, neither on the physical car, nor the tiny Model 3, despite the green headlight icon being illuminated.

Windshield wipers do appear to be on Auto as well. May be a correlation.View attachment 411697

You say the headlights are not on, but do you mean tail lights?

 

[Big Earl]

You say the headlights are not on, but do you mean tail lights?

If the green headlight icon on the right side of the car status section is on, the headlights and tail lights should be on. If they aren’t, it’s a bug that needs to be fixed.

 

[halfricanguy]

You say the headlights are not on, but do you mean tail lights?

I mean both the headlights and tail lights are not on (other than whatever accent lighting is always on in the front).