W211 electrical puzzler

[BigDoug]

Recently acquired 2005 E320 W211 ...... here's a head-scratcher for you.
In slow-moving traffic today. Late afternoon, drizzling and generally murky. Lights set to "Auto". A minute or two later, the headlights came on. After a time, windscreen wipers were also switched on, to "intermittent". They operated properly.
Drizzle eased off a bit, so I turned off the wipers. This caused the headlamps to also turn off, at the same instant.
I did the same sequence several times and on each occasion, the headlamps turn themselves off when the wipers are switched off.
Any ideas ? Maybe I should just live with it ?
Doug

 

[DSM10000]

On a number of MB cars the lights (if set to Auto) will switch on if the wipers have been operating for a certain period of time.

I believe this characteristic is mentioned in the handbook, pretty sure it is in the one for my C Class.

 

[BigDoug]

Thanks for the advice. I'm finding the handbook very difficult to follow. Probably 'cos I'm of the wrong generation !

 

[DSM10000]

Thanks for the advice. I'm finding the handbook very difficult to follow. Probably 'cos I'm of the wrong generation !

Not at all, they are not especially well written!

 

[KillerHERTZ]

On a really hot/sunny day my wipers sometimes come on for a few seconds. Got to be something to do with the Infrared signals.

 

[DSM10000]

On a really hot/sunny day my wipers sometimes come on for a few seconds. Got to be something to do with the Infrared signals.

Mine also.

Headlights sometimes operate on a sunny day, presumably to make the car more visible in case of dazzle from the bright light?