Auto Headlight problem

[LandyAndy]

It seems Lord Lucas could be haunting Snow White.
Left here at 5.30am to take Deb up to the city for doctors appointments.Half way up to the city the auto Headlights went out:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:
Could only get them to switch on manually,even after a re-start.Later on when light I switched back to auto,still no headlights.Got to the hospital drive into the multi-storey carpark and they were working again,much lighter than when they failed.They were when we left too.
Went to another appointment,got back to the car at 5pm.Parked in the open,lights worked again,much lighter than the carpark.At 5.30pm they switched off and it was dimmer than earlier on.No futher issues on the way home.
I had them fail to turn on once before at night too.Ive had very erratic operation of the auto wipers,like wiping with no rain and not wiping in pouring rain.
In this case the windscreen was spotless clean,still has no bugs after a trip up and back to the city.
Anybody had issues with their auto lights????
Andrew

[Tombie]

Won't be Lucas :) Ford/Bosch...

Occasional wipes randomly are normal. Something hits then passes the sensor... In pouring rain if at minimum sensitivity they can take a while as it has to hit spot on to trigger..


As for the lights - can't help there.

[Fred Nerk]

Sorry to hear this, Andrew. I have auto headlights and auto highbeam. They have worked perfectly for three years and a bit longer. I have heard of people having problems because of issues with the sensor and because of a residue on the glass after cleaning with some glass cleaners.

Have you tried rubbing the glass over the sensor to remove any film?

[SilvaD4]

Have you tried rubbing the glass over the sensor to remove any film?

I would have thought that a dirty sensor would make the auto-headlights come on sooner

[LandyAndy]

Windscreen was perfectly clean,it got a good wash a couple of weeks ago and hasnt been driven and locked in the shed since.
I expected Mr Shrek(Tombie) to post it was the Fyrlyts are too bright:D:D:D:D:D
Wondering if the sensor has an issue,both wipers and auto lights are in the same module arent they????
Andrew

[SilvaD4]

Wondering if the sensor has an issue,both wipers and auto lights are in the same module arent they????
Andrew

From my reading of the Exterior Lighting wiring diagram for a D4 (417-01), the Sensor-Rain-Ambient Light (T328) are one and the same.

[LandyAndy]

Won't be Lucas :) Ford/Bosch...

Occasional wipes randomly are normal. Something hits then passes the sensor... In pouring rain if at minimum sensitivity they can take a while as it has to hit spot on to trigger..


As for the lights - can't help there.

Have adjusted min to max and all points inbetween when they dont wipe on auto.Normality resumes and they work perfectly:(:(:(:(:(:(.
Andrew

[nat_89]

Haha yeah my lights come on in the middle of the day for some unknown reason but they have never failed to turn on, only just sometimes come on in broad day light. As for the auto wipers have to agree oh my god freaking silly things they do the same no rain clear day and they randomly wipe and then ****ing down and they go slow, as you said Andy I've tried all settings no difference usually leave it one click on the minimum half side, but still annoying I end up turning them off on long highway trips stops them smudging bugs when they random wipe.

[BMKal]

Andrew ............... the issues you are seeing are because of the colder weather. ;)

You're getting a SNOWFLAKE stuck on your light / rain sensor. :p:p:p

[scarry]

The easiest way to sort out the issue is not to use auto lights or wipers at all:)

I had the wipers on auto accidentally the other day,and they came on and smeared 550k's worth of bugs across the screen:mad::mad:

It was just on dusk,i had to stop and clean the screen,couldn't see a bloody thing,washers didn't help either:mad:

[SilvaD4]

Have adjusted min to max and all points inbetween when they dont wipe on auto.Normality resumes and they work perfectly:(:(:(:(:(:(.
Andrew

I bet your auto head lights will also fail to work when the auto wiper goes south.
Sounds like your rain-sensor / ambient light sensor has a fault

[sniegy]

Andrew,
You haven't had the screen replaced have you?
Check the position of the sensor on the glass, make sure there is no gap between sensor & glass. Have seen some move marginally causing issues.

HTH
Cheers

[LandyAndy]

Andrew,
You haven't had the screen replaced have you?
Check the position of the sensor on the glass, make sure there is no gap between sensor & glass. Have seen some move marginally causing issues.

HTH
Cheers

No mate,its still a virgin,havent hit 11000km yet;)
;);););)
Andrew

[PeterOZ]

while both seem to work ok for the most part on my D3 the auto wipers will do one wipe when I first start teh car up. Why they do this is anybodys guess.

More annying then anything else :cool:

[dmdigital]

I find that I have the reverse problem. The lights come on when it is clearly after sunrise and stay on all the way to work.

Andrew - I'm up to about 10,400km now. But I'll probably take 2 months (or 60 lattes) to get the next 600km :)

[LandyAndy]

Definately got an issue with my auto headlights.Up to Perth at 5.30am again this morning,headlights would not turn on in the auto position.Yes it was VERY dark.
Tried switching to auto many times on the trip,would not turn the lights on.Tried hi beam switch to auto,hi beam+spotties switch to auto,low beam switch to auto.All failed to work.
When I got to Armadale it was light so I switched to auto again,no work.Freeway was a parking lot so I went on to Fremantle,in Nth freo at 8am driving into the sun the auto lights came on and stayed on until we got to the hospital:(:(:(:(:(:(
Called into the dealer later in the day,they hadnt heard of any issues,the Service Manager spoke to his head spannerman.First question was has the windscreen been replaced.They say there is either an issue with the gel patch which the sensors are in(matches Sniegys post) or a loose connector connecting to the gel patch.
Will get it sorted at its first service in august.They topped the oil up for me as the self check was showing 1/2.250mls returned it to full.They will sell the oil but you must have a container as they buy it 1000lts a time.
Andrew

[LandyAndy]

Getting to the bottom of this problem:cool::cool::cool::cool::cool:
Yesterday morming,raining so no walking to get the paper.Ideal time to test the auto wipers.Before starting made sure the switch was on auto for the lights and wipers.Both didnt activate.
Driving to the shop I manualy turned the wipers on,the auto headlights came on,returning the wipers to auto the continued to work as did the lights.Repeated this morning,same results however not raining enough to get more than 1 auto swipe.
Perhaps it is the sensors.
Will make sure the dealer has one in stock when I get the first service done.
Andrew

[Fred Nerk]

Will make sure the dealer has one in stock when I get the first service done

Good luck with that. Each time I have explained to the dealer what part I knew they would need, I explained how it would save me 3 plus hours of driving if they ordered it. Each time it was "Yeah yeah yeah" and when I turn up they say "We have to order the part, come again when we call."

And of course, they don't call and I ring them. "Oh it's here, come on in"

That's why (now that "free" corporate servicing has finished), I use an independent.

[LandyAndy]

Good luck with that. Each time I have explained to the dealer what part I knew they would need, I explained how it would save me 3 plus hours of driving if they ordered it. Each time it was "Yeah yeah yeah" and when I turn up they say "We have to order the part, come again when we call."

And of course, they don't call and I ring them. "Oh it's here, come on in"

That's why (now that "free" corporate servicing has finished), I use an independent.

Sunday afternoon I drove the D4,heavy rain very gloomy.Once again no auto lights or wipers.When I got to 70kmh the wipers started working and the lights came on.Wipers then worked correctly,ie speed and rain dependant.
I sent the service manager an email,explaining what I discovered over the weekend.Tells me they will replace the gel sensor on the upcoming service.
Andrew

[dmdigital]

Obviously you need to be going fast enough for the wind turbine to power the lights and wipers ;)

[LandyAndy]

Ready to bang my head on a brick wall.Auto lights and wipers working perfectly!!!!!
Andrew

[LandyAndy]

An update.
I had the sensor replaced at the first service 3 weeks ago,auto lights worked correctly on the way home.Auto wipers were random,no VERY random then settled down and worked great as they should.
Yesterday was the first time I drove the D4 since,auto lights working well,no need for the wipers as global warming just hit over here,spring has sprung!!!!.We went to Nannup for the day,a 500km return trip,lights came on during the day in overgrown forrest sections,so Im guessing the previous sensor was faulty.
Got lots of bugs on the return trip,so I decided to wash the D4 this morning whilst they were still fresh with an overnite dew.
It seems they may have stuffed the instal of the new sensor,there is an air bubble,away from the actual sensors.The bubble wasnt there when I put the D4 in the shed after the service,as I used a torch to check it.Time will tell if its going to be an issue.
Andrew

[LandyAndy]

I realise its only a minor issue,but my auto headlights still dont work correctly despite having a new sensor fitted at the service a few weeks back.Today was the first time its been out of the shed since then.Left here at 7.30am today in bright daylight for a trip to the city,auto headlights on.
Switched from auto to off many times between here and the city,as soon as I select auto they came on.Called into Southern Landrover as they were still on.They got a tech to check,he agreed,not right,will order another sensor.Funnily enough after there I went to the bank,from that stop on they worked correctly for the rest of the day,at least they saw it malfunctioning.
There is an air bubble in the sensor that wasnt there before.techy says they are a pain of a design and quite troublesome,also says that air bubble shouldnt be there.
Andrew

[Tombie]

You have to catch up though Andy...

Lord Lucas doesn't play with LR Discoveries anymore.

Henry Ford does as well as Siemens.