Auto headlights always on!

Hi all,

Just upgraded from my '11 to a '14, and love it. One problem has appeared though. When I use the "auto" headlights mode, the headlights always come on, even if it's blazingly bright out. That doesn't bug me so much as the fact that my nav goes into night mode. I've checked the "light sensitivity" setting in the nav, both extremes and the middle, with the same results. Also checked to make sure the dash sensors were unobstructed. Wondering if there's anything else I could have overlooked before bringing it in to get looked at.

Thanks!

I wouldn't worry about it too much. They're probably running as something like switchable DRL.

If you have the LED headlights, the range impact is <0.1mi for having them on all the time. If you have halogen, it's <1mi.

Did you double check that your fog lights aren't switched on?

Devin said:

Did you double check that your fog lights aren't switched on?

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I am pretty sure they were off. I'll double check and report back. Thanks!

Even if they were on though, I would hope that the dimming of the nav and instruments would occur independently of the headlights (which I left on all the time, anyhow). That's how it was in my '11, which led me to think something was up with the sensor.

If your nav is going to night mode then the system thinks it's getting information from the sensors that it's dark. Seems you've checked the obvious things and nothing else to do but take it in, unless you want to start getting into checking the wiring and connections.

If I knew were the light sensor was on the LEAF I would use a bright flash light source to see if the sensor can be triggered. Maybe something is covering the sensor or if it's new and always persistence condition then I concur with Nubo on a visit to service.

So is the light sensor easily identified on the dash board?

Nekota said:

If I knew were the light sensor was on the LEAF I would use a bright flash light source to see if the sensor can be triggered. Maybe something is covering the sensor or if it's new and always persistence condition then I concur with Nubo on a visit to service.

So is the light sensor easily identified on the dash board?

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Is it not on the lower dash passenger side? When I moved my temporary tag over it it started triggering the auto lights.

I was playing around with this yesterday. I set the lights to auto, and they remained off (in daylight), but when I stopped in some shade, they turned on even though it was still very bright outside.

It seems like the photocell is a little too sensitive to the shade, but it's at least erring on the side of safety. Near dusk and dawn it's a great idea to have lights on for safety, even though there is still plenty of sunlight available.

At least on my 2011, there is an adjustment for the sensitivity in the infotainment menu.

mctom987 said:

It seems like the photocell is a little too sensitive to the shade, but it's at least erring on the side of safety. Near dusk and dawn it's a great idea to have lights on for safety, even though there is still plenty of sunlight available.

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Turns out the sensor is faulty. They're going to fix it next week.