Auto Headlights on W203

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srefre

Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2010
Messages
35
Car
W124 E220 >> W203 C180 >> W204 C320
I have had a quick search around, and couldn't find another thread with this, so if I somehow missed it, I apologise for my shoddy searching!

This morning, I was driving my W203 C-Class to work (6:30-7:30), and the headlights stayed on for the whole journey. It was quite a bright morning, so it seemed strange to me that the lights stayed on.

I know you can set the lights to be permanently on when in auto through the settings, but I am pretty sure I don't have this, as on previous journeys the lights have not been on, but have flicked on in tunnels etc...

All I could think of was that the sun was low and mostly behind me, so the sensor may have been in the shade, and so triggered the lights.

I have only had the car about a week, so I haven't yet read and learnt everything about it, so maybe I am missing something obvious. I haven't driven it since getting to work, so I don't know for sure if the cause was something related to this particular journey or not.

Has anyone else experienced this, or are there any other thoughts on what was going on?
 
Congratulations on the new car.

Not encountered it myself, it would be worth monitoring it to see if it happens again.

You've definetly not turned from auto to to on on the switch?
 
Thanks!

Will keep an eye on it when I head home and see what happens.
Definitely not moved the switch to on, I did check that, as I wondered if I had knocked it.
 
I have had mine about a month and mine does the same but on days when it is overcast and I think they would come on they sometimes stay off!

It does seem to be on bright mornings (I set off to work about 6:30am). Perhaps it is a clever German thing that knows about lighting up times! :)
 
With very bright and low sun, it's a good idea to have your lights on anyway. Maybe the car's more clever than we give it credit for, and it's not just about darkness?
 
I did wonder if it was a clever system for when there is low sun. So thats a definite possibility.
 
It is a a safety feature. If the sun, as measured by your rearview mirror, is brighter behind you then in front of you, as measured by the headlight light sensor, then it puts the lights on so that you can be seen by oncoming traffic and not lost in bright sunlight.
 
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Interesting.

Thanks for that bit of information - Mystery solved!
 
It is a a safety feature. If the sun, as measured by your rearview mirror, is brighter behind you then in front of you, as measured by the headlight light sensor, then it puts the lights on so that you can be seen by oncoming traffic and not lost in bright sunlight.


Yet they refuse to come on when in thick fog sometimes, so not as clever as you think. :wallbash:

Russ
 

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