High beam assist

Altamar

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Hi all, newbie posting my first message so any help appreciated please.

I bought a 2015 SL400 in the summer but I haven't driven it often in the dark outside built up areas. I know it's got the intelligent light system with cornering lights etc, and high beam assist. I have noticed the main beam has NEVER come on and TBH put that down to the fact that there is usually at least some light from street lights but last night my son took it for a spin into the countryside and the main beam still didn't come on.

I always leave the lights on auto and when I push the stalk forward the symbol suggesting the HBA system has engaged lights up on the dashboard but the beam doesn't come on. The settings function says I can disable the intelligent light system but this doesn't appear to make any difference.

I learnt from this forum (thank you) that if I move the light switch from auto the main beam works on manual (and has to be knocked off if a car approaches) but I don't want to override it or disable it, I want the system to work as designed!

Any thoughts please?
 

John Laidlaw

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This might be stating the obvious but are you above (IIRC) 40 mph? There is a minimum speed for it to work too I seem to remember
 

Srdl

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It works above 30kph according to my manual. Have you checked the windscreen is clean in front of the mirror where the sensors are?
 
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Altamar

Altamar

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Hi John, that's a good question. Most of the time I use the car after dark would have been under 40 MPH. I think there would have been some occasions over that but I will specifically test this when I get chance. Thanks for the reply.
 
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Altamar

Altamar

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Hi Steve, I will make sure it is clean when I take it out for a test run. All these suggestions are helpful thanks.
 

Andy.M

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I live along a single track country lane where you cant drive fast enough for the auto hi-beam and its frustrating to say the least!
 

Dell

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Hi Altamar
I have the same on my car and it won't operate below 30 mph or in lit up areas or if following other traffic and sometimes reflective signs make it dip.
I have it turned off as it won't dip until it see's lights coming other way and I like to dip as soon as I see lights also you can't flash anyone when it is turned on.
Dell
 

EmilysDad

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It sounds like a well thought out system .... o_O

Another needless bit of tech cos they can.
 

Botus

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on a VW you have to toggle the high beam switch so the high beam blue bulb indicator displays with a tiny "A" showing
on a BM its in the I-drive settings

"A" for automatic switching, left as just a std looking warning light it remains in manual... mind you on a 2018 Passat, it needed a mile (much of which was at 60 mph) with the "A" showing in pitch black unlit roads before it woke up and started to do things automatically, 8 miles later it forgot how to work part way through the 20 mile journey

my experience is in perfect conditions they work very well.... for pressing on and staying up when you need it rather than reacting to some blokes house on a country lane or another nasty fault I found on my BM it will not re enable till above 40MPH so you can get stuck unable to see anything on country lanes after it dips for reflective road signs

I always turn it off... doing it manually its 100% right, instead of 90% right most of the time and frequently dangerous.

85
 
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Srdl

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I like ILS on mine. I tend to leave it in dipped and then just go to auto high beam when there is less traffic about. Seems to work fine for me and the intelligent light pattern is a big improvement over standard high beam.
 

rorywquin

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Hi Altamar
I have the same on my car and it won't operate below 30 mph or in lit up areas or if following other traffic and sometimes reflective signs make it dip.
I have it turned off as it won't dip until it see's lights coming other way and I like to dip as soon as I see lights also you can't flash anyone when it is turned on.
Dell
If you want to flash, you pull the stick back as you normally would...(on mine anyway)

also from the manual

Switching Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus on/off

nav_left.png

To switch on: turn the light switch to
mbsymb1b_inv_00c3.png
.
nav_left.png

Press the combination switch beyond the pressure point in the direction of arrow
mbsymb6_inv_003a.png
.
  • The
    mbsymb2_inv_005f.png
    indicator lamp in the multifunction display lights up when it is dark and the light sensor switches on the dipped-beam headlamps.
    At speeds above approximately 25 km/h: the headlamp range is automatically controlled according to the distance to other road users.
  • At speeds above approximately 30 km/h:
    • if no other road users are detected, the main-beam headlamps are automatically switched on
    • if other road users are detected, the partial main-beam headlamps are automatically switched on
  • The
    mbsymb2_inv_004b.png
    indicator lamp in the instrument cluster also lights up.
  • At speeds below approximately 25 km/h or when there is sufficient street lighting:
    • the partial main-beam headlamps are switched off automatically
    • the main-beam headlamps are switched off automatically
  • The
    mbsymb2_inv_004b.png
    indicator lamp in the instrument cluster goes out. The
    mbsymb2_inv_005f.png
    indicator lamp in the multifunction display remains lit.
nav_left.png

To switch off: move the combination switch back to its normal position or move the light switch to another position.
 

rorywquin

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I like ILS on mine. I tend to leave it in dipped and then just go to auto high beam when there is less traffic about. Seems to work fine for me and the intelligent light pattern is a big improvement over standard high beam.

I leave mine permanently on high - never been flashed by another car!
 

ajlsl600

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It sounds like a well thought out system .... o_O

Another needless bit of tech cos they can.


i always thought that stalk on the left of steering wheel did all this with fairly minimal effort, if one is not actually disabled
 

A.J.

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Hi John, that's a good question. Most of the time I use the car after dark would have been under 40 MPH. I think there would have been some occasions over that but I will specifically test this when I get chance. Thanks for the reply.

I think the ILS operates a bit below 40 mph, mine start to operate at about 33/34 mph. :)
 

John Laidlaw

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I think the ILS operates a bit below 40 mph, mine start to operate at about 33/34 mph. :)
Working from memory Andy since I defected !! Sounds like 30 is the magic figure
 

A.J.

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wivenhoe

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I like ILS on mine. I tend to leave it in dipped and then just go to auto high beam when there is less traffic about. Seems to work fine for me and the intelligent light pattern is a big improvement over standard high beam.
On the latest generation of ILS (not sure when it was introduced) on High Beam you have main beam on even following a car - the cameras create a black spot on the car in front but lights around it. I was alarmed initially as the full beam light was on whilst following a car but then I realised it wasn’t causing a problem - the driver in front must wonder where the additional light is coming from !
 

rorywquin

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i always thought that stalk on the left of steering wheel did all this with fairly minimal effort, if one is not actually disabled


It seems your car does not have this feature - It is far more advanced than you seem to appreciate (Adaptive High Beam Assist Plus) - it provides the best possible visibility without dazzling other drivers. The car ahead looks almost as if it is in a black box while everything around it is lit up and the headlights continually adjust to oncoming traffic and the road (actively uses GPS and speed).

This technology frees you up so you can have a safer journey and pay better attention to speed, road hazards and other issues on your journey.....You cannot really appreciate how good it is until you use it....perhaps you would prefer the old foot operated switch on the floor and headlights that dazzled other drivers.
 
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