New Car High Beam Question?

[Solarwinds]

Just picked up my new to me E350cdi 2011, loving it but nearing home it was getting dark and though the headlights are great I went to put on the high beam by pushing the stalk as usual and nothing happened?...IE I didn't see the blue light you would normally see on the dash and nothing showed on the darkening road ahead. When I pull the stalk towards me, like if you were going to flash someone (!) it comes on as normal.

I have this option

608 AUTOMATIC HIGH BEAM SWITCH (IHC)

But even with that presume you should be able to manually switch on the high beam?

 

[EmilysDad]

Just picked up my new to me E350cdi 2011, loving it but nearing home it was getting dark and though the headlights are great I went to put on the high beam by pushing the stalk as usual and nothing happened?...IE I didn't see the blue light you would normally see on the dash and nothing showed on the darkening road ahead. When I pull the stalk towards me, like if you were going to flash someone (!) it comes on as normal.

I have this option

608 AUTOMATIC HIGH BEAM SWITCH (IHC)

But even with that presume you should be able to manually switch on the high beam?

switch your lights switch to ON rather than AUTO & see if that works for you. Do you not get a greyed out main beam icon when you push the stalk when in AUTO?

My 14 plate ML needs to be doing around 35mph for the auto headlights to come on

 

[Solarwinds]

I will try tomorrow thanks, knackered from a 300 mile drive from Birkenhead down to Arundel!

 

[Srdl]

switch your lights switch to ON rather than AUTO & see if that works for you. Do you not get a greyed out main beam icon when you push the stalk when in AUTO?

My 14 plate ML needs to be doing around 35mph for the auto headlights to come on

^ exactly this. Just remember to turn off the lights if you move the switch from “Auto”!

 

[s5tuart]

My auto high beam only works above a certain speed ( no idea what ) and works on the lights Auto setting on the switch.

 

[Wighty]

I will try tomorrow thanks, knackered from a 300 mile drive from Birkenhead down to Arundel!

View attachment 80055

Does the cars manual explain it ?

 

[Dean Fletcher]

Auto lights are ok until you go round a corner and they automatically dip and your not expecting it

 

[Timeandleisure]

As EmilysDad says.... your high beams may always be 'on' (depending on model), when in the 'Auto' position, so you need to switch to a manual setting to achieve high beam to order...

 

[V6Matty]

You can go into the cluster menu, lighting, and deselect high been assist, that goes back to you being in control again

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

I think my high beam assist has worked once in Auto in the 7 years I’ve owned my 12 plate E350cdi and I suspect there is an issue with the software MY11/12. Everything works fine other than this in Manual or Auto mode

 

[rorywquin]

I think my high beam assist has worked once in Auto in the 7 years I’ve owned my 12 plate E350cdi and I suspect there is an issue with the software MY11/12. Everything works fine other than this in Manual or Auto mode

Mine have never been out of Auto mode in 5.5. years of owning the car & I’ve never been flashed by an oncoming car. I find them amazing.

 

[EmilysDad]

My only little gripe with them is the min speed the car has to be travelling. I know that dipped beam is generally enough to see where you're going, but main beam would be better. On some little B roads, c35mph is too fast

 

[AMGeed]

Select "Auto" on the light switch, then push the stalk forward to the high beam position. You should see the letter "A" in the cluster.
The car will now automatically dip the headlights when approaching another car either from behind or one coming towards you, Once its safe to do so, the lights automatically go back to full headlights (unless in a built up area with street lighting) You don't need to touch the stalk again.
They are called intelligent lights for nothing. A great system, especially the cornering lights.

The above works for option 628 IHC+ but should also work for Option 608

 

[Solarwinds]

Yes all correct as if by magic I turned the A off and had my high beam back, also disabled the intelligent smart option in the cluster menu and then back to Auto all good. Just discovered the E/S/M button on the way home!...happy days!

 

[EmilysDad]

..... and had my high beam back,

you had it to start with .... you just didn't know where it was

also disabled the intelligent smart option in the cluster menu and ....

why ....

 

[AMGeed]

you had it to start with .... you just didn't know where it was

why ....

I would also question why you would disable a system that thinks for you and dips the lights when necessary.
It's a brilliant system (pun intended)

 

[V6Matty]

The ILS system is great, but the prefacelift cars has headlight assist which in my opinion isn’t that great, I can usually react faster to changing from low and high beam quicker than it can. That’s said it’s likely they just need getting used to,

 

[Rotorhead500]

The ILS system is great, but the prefacelift cars has headlight assist which in my opinion isn’t that great, I can usually react faster to changing from low and high beam quicker than it can. That’s said it’s likely they just need getting used to,

I'd agree. On roads I know, especially the bendier numbers down here, I react much quicker than last two cars, and can anticipate better than the cars' systems.

Recent years has also seen me getting blinded far more frequently by oncoming traffic, most with uber bright LED or lasery type lights - I'm certain they haven't all disabled the auto main beam shenanigans!

 

[Blobcat]

I'd agree. On roads I know, especially the bendier numbers down here, I react much quicker than last two cars, and can anticipate better than the cars' systems.

Recent years has also seen me getting blinded far more frequently by oncoming traffic, most with uber bright LED or lasery type lights - I'm certain they haven't all disabled the auto main beam shenanigans!

I’m finding similar, being blinded by badly aligned bleeding awful lights is way more common than it used to be. Being in the SLK only makes it worse unfortunately

 

[Solarwinds]

I used to quite like staring into the dull orangey glow of a halogen, old London taxis were my favourite.

Stare at a Xenon now and its like an instant migraine.