How to select headlight main beam?

I bought a 2018 Leaf in June, and I'm struggling to understand how to do some basic things - I feel the manual doesn't explain some things at all clearly.
I have the lighting set to Auto. I can only get main beam by pulling the lever towards me and holding it there. How do I get main beam to stay on?
I had to use the windscreen defogger for the first time 2 days ago. It uses a lot of power and reduces the range. Is there any way to make it work less aggressively once the windscreen is clear? I've been switching it on and off at 5 minute intervals which is not exactly convenient!
Thanks!

Main (High) beam: you have to have it set to Auto and there is an additional step for auto high beam that I'm blanking on. You have to then leave the stalk in the forward (high beam) position. What may be tripping you up, though, is that the car won't put the high beam on below, IIRC, 25MPH.

Defogger: assuming you have a heat pump, you need to select either heat OR A/C with the defog/defrost vent position. Both come on by default, but this requires the resistance heater to provide the heat while the heat pump provides the A/C, and the resistance heater draws a LOT of power. If no heat pump, then A/C uses much less energy than heat, if the ambient temp allows it.

Speed restrictions for high-beams? Must be new "functionality" for Gen 2? My LEAFs have always "allowed" me to use the high-beams whenever I need to. Oh what a wild and dangerous ride it has been.

Yes, the Gen II high beams won't come on in auto mode below 25MPH. I can't address the Gen I because, even though my 2013 had Auto headlights with no QC, I never once used that mode.

Click For Full-Size Image.

Thanks. Which year/model is that manual from? They seem to be changing little things from year to year...

"Auto" headlights on 2011 and 2015 SL (I assume all Gen 1 USA were the same) just turned the lights on at dusk and off in daylight along with the off delay (30 to 90 seconds, if I remember the allowable settings correctly) when turning the car off. "Auto" still performs the on/off function depending upon ambient light and time delay, but has the additional function of "high beam assist". The high beam assist on my 2019 SL (I assume all Gen 2 USA are the same) will not let you activate the high beams manually by pushing the stalk toward the front of the car. With the headlights in "Auto" and the stalk in the forward position, the car will automatically activate high beams when the speed is above the threshold and there are no oncoming lights. If you switch the headlights to "On" instead of "Auto", then you have full manual control of the lights. Even in "Auto", you can pull the stalk toward you to flash the high beams or hold it to keep them on for a few seconds. It took me a while to learn why I could not get high beams to work on roads with street lights without holding the stalk. I still switch to manual when driving under conditions where I may want to actually use high beams because I don't like the automatic action.

LeftieBiker said:

Thanks. Which year/model is that manual from? They seem to be changing little things from year to year...

Click to expand...

2019