metroplex242

Will that “ procedure” also get switch over back to auto?

atoner

I noticed this annoyance for the first time on Sunday. I’ve had my 2019 SQ5 since April, driven in FL and CA with the setting on early, and never noticed a problem with day/night auto. On Sunday it stayed in night mode through the morning despite clear and sunny skies here in Southern CA. When I switched off the headlights it complained about needing to turn them back on.

This morning - still sunny but with the setting on late instead of early, it stayed in night mode for 10 minutes into my morning commute. Oddly enough, I noticed it switch to day mode when I was in the shade. Not long after, it switched from day to night and back to day in a span of 10 seconds when I was passing through a dark underpass.

I park outside overnight, but my car wasn’t in the sun when I left this morning.

It really seems like something (sensor going bad) or a combination of things (sun low in the sky + colder temperature) is causing my vehicle to stay in night mode all of a sudden.

82DMC12

I think it's the sun low in the sky in the AM creating long shadows. I wouldn't be surprised if there's an algorithm that considers average time in the sun over a short period before it switches from night to day, maybe even taking into account the clock setting. Otherwise it might switch back and forth rapidly through shadows as you drive down a neighborhood street.

It switches to night immediately under a long overpass because the total light change was a lot greater.

atoner

Even with the "late" setting my automatic headlights are staying on too long in the morning.
This morning it was sunny here in southern California. Twilight was 6:30 a.m. and sunrise 7.
I left the house at 7:30 after the car had been parked in my driveway overnight. It was shaded when I left.
The headlights finally shut off at 8 a.m.
I didn't notice any other cars on my commute with their headlights on. We weren't in the direct sun, but it shouldn't take direct sun to shut off the headlights.
I tried turning off the headlights manually, but then it complained that I needed to turn my headlights on.
After they finally shut off automatically, they quickly turned on and then back off when crawling under and overpass in traffic.
Is there something the dealer can actually do about this? I'm concerned that if I don't take it in now - which I don't want to do - the sun will be higher by the time I'm due for my next service.
Has any proven where the ambient light sensor is and if it is really sensitive to a dirty windshield?
Thanks.