Unintentional high-beams?

[ZoeDave]

Hello everyone,

Has anyone else had a problem with finding that their high-beams are on when they didn't want it?

I only ask because I've now had it a few times and do not remember it happening before on any of the previous cars that I've owned. Today I was in an underground car park and someone stopped and got out to tell me. At least he was semi-polite about it but it still blinds the other driver and makes you look like a complete tool, no matter how innocent you are.

On at least one occasion I've felt the light/indicator stalk click back into place, but on the other times wonder if there is a function of the auto lights that it wrong.

Any ideas?

[Verone]

Under certain circumstances the high beams will come on automatically if you have the headlights set to "auto".

If there's low street lighting (or you're un an underground parking lot with shitty lighting) and the car detects this and doesn't detect oncoming vehicle headlights, it'll put your high beams on.

I very rarely use the "auto" headlights because I prefer having control over them, personally.

[londiniumperson]

I totally agree, it is not intuitive at all.
It's made worse by the fact that if you have them set as Auto, then switch them to dipped, this then then turns off the Auto function. So if you expect them to change automatically afterwards, you then need to set them back to Auto mode and the stalk settings are not easily visible.

[ZoeDave]

Thank you for the replies - It's reassuring that it's not completely me being an idiot. I'll try to remember to switch to manual in places where this is likely to happen.

[EEEE]

I once lent my car to someone and had this happen. They left the stalk pushed towards the windscreen. A few days later I was driving somewhere dark and the auto lights kicked in and it went full beam.

I've turned of auto fill beam entirely because it's a stupid feature also.