# High beam turning itself on



## cemoz101

Hi,

I'm on 2020.16.2.1 and noticed something today when driving in and out of tunnels during the day.

Even though I have auto high beam off, the high beams would turn themselves on whenever I entered a tunnel. It didn't do it all the time, only at random. 

I also noticed that they turned themselves on in broad daylight once.

I know auto high beam doesn't function well, hence why it is off, just amazed at how it still can turn itself on.

Has anyone else encountered this issue?

Thanks.


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## jdcollins5

I also have 16.2.1 and have not seen any issues other than a slight delay in turning off after driving out of my garage.

As for the tunnels, I would not doubt Tesla overriding your settings for safety purposes.


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## garsh

cemoz101 said:


> Even though I have auto high beam off, the high beams would turn themselves on whenever I entered a tunnel.


If you have "auto high beam" off, but "auto headlights" on, and you had the high beams on the last time you drove the car at night, then this is probably happening because the "auto headlights" are turning on for the tunnel.


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## sduck

As above, and also there is a difference between the DRL's and the regular headlights. They seem to have tweaked the auto headlights algorithm, and they come on easier in shadow situations during the day now. You may just be seeing the regular (non-high beam) headlights coming on. Is the on-screen headlight indicator showing green or blue headlight symbols when this happens?


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## cemoz101

In response to garsh, i never had to use the high beams recently, I live in Norway where it is now summer and the sun practically doesn't set. When i do have to use auto high beam, it is only for very short periods so I don't see how auto headlights can turn on the high beams.

Moreover, the whole point of not having auto high beams is that the driver has control over them, period. An algorithm or a tweak in software shouldn't override a driver's preference. I think that is more dangerous.

In response to sduck, high beams is the blue icon and that is what i see on the display.


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## garsh

These are two very confusing statements. Can you clarify?

You never use high beams?
When you do use *AUTO* high beams?
I thought you had auto high beams turned off? Do you regularly switch the auto high beam setting between on and off?



cemoz101 said:


> I don't see how auto headlights can turn on the high beams.


I'm saying that *YOU* were (most likely) the one who turned on the high beams. Then you left them on. Whether on purpose or by accident - perhaps you bumped the lever when you were parking. So now when the car goes to turn on the headlights, the high beams are coming on as well because YOU are controlling them manually AND you had turned them on the last time the headlights were on.

Please note, I'm not saying that this is DEFINITELY what happened. It's just the most likely explanation. Yours is the first report I've heard of unwanted high beam activation.


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## JasonF

If you turn on the headlights manually, do you see a faint icon that looks like a headlight with an "A" on top of it? That means auto high beams are on.

While you're stopped and you manually turn on the headlights, do the high beams come on? That means they were manually turned on at some point. If auto headlights switch on, and you're not fast enough turning off the high beams before the headlights shut off (which can happen fast on a sunny day), it might just "flash" the headlights and not save the setting. 

Either way, you need to turn the headlights on manually via the screen and then switch off the high beams and/or auto high beams to make sure the setting is saved.

But if they're both already off, and the tunnel you drive through is painted white, it might not be the high beams at all. It could just be because the Model 3 has very bright and high color temperature headlights, and it reflects all over the tunnel, making it seem excessively bright. It could also be the fog lights, they can scatter a surprising amount, and they come on with the headlights or parking lights turned on.


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## garsh

JasonF said:


> it might not be the high beams at all.


He's already confirmed that it's the high beams:


cemoz101 said:


> high beams is the blue icon and that is what i see on the display.


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## cemoz101

So to clarify:

Auto High Beam is OFF
Auto Headlights is ON

In this scenario, the headlights should turn themselves on or off, but never turn on or off high beams. Or at least that is what I expect.

I never have Auto High Beam on because I know how unreliable it has been in the past, so I only use it manually by pushing or pulling the stalk.

I am 100% sure I did not turn on the high beams since I did not touch the stalk to enable it. Think of it as the longest most boring road in daylight, you drive straight in the same lane for a very long stretch, you go into a tunnel and all of a sudden the high beams turn on and you see the car in front of you and the surroundings getting blasted with a high beam. The blue high beam icon was on the screen and there wasn't an A in it, which normally indicates that it is in Auto High Beam mode.

And again, I want to stress that I did not have high beams on before entering the tunnel. If I did then there wouldn't be a sudden jump in brightness in the tunnel.

This is the reason why I asked the forum if others have experienced such a thing because I wasn't sure if this was a bug.


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## garsh

cemoz101 said:


> the headlights should turn themselves on or off, but never turn on or off high beams. Or at least that is what I expect.


Perhaps your expectations are incorrect?
If the car automatically turns on the headlights, this will also cause the high beams to come on IF they were on the last time the lights were on.



> And again, I want to stress that I did not have high beams on before entering the tunnel. If I did then there wouldn't be a sudden jump in brightness in the tunnel.


Are you saying that you had already manually turned on the headlights before entering the tunnel?
If not, then the headlights would have automatically turned on within the tunnel, and as I explained above, so would the high beams if they had been left on the last time the lights were on.



> This is the reason why I asked the forum if others have experienced such a thing because I wasn't sure if this was a bug.


Understandable. We're all just trying to make sure we completely understand what you're describing. 
I haven't heard of anybody else describing such a problem with the high beams.


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## cemoz101

Just an update on the matter. I have moved onto 2020.20.12 and still have the same issue. In fact, I was driving in broad daylight yesterday, I was behind a truck and driving in and out of shadows on a road high a lot of trees and high beam turned itself on automatically even though again, Auto High Beam is off and Auto Headlights is on. 

Again to reiterate, I did not use the high beam (manually or automatically) when driving at night or day before this happened. I've driven the car during for the past month in both the day and the night with low beams without issues and all of a sudden the car decides to turn on high beams during the car when behind a dark truck driving in and out of shadows. 

I have never left high beams on before the incident either.

Out of curiosity, does anyone know if it is a light sensor that detects the brightness of the road or does the car use the dashcam for instance to gauge the level of brightness?

Thank you.


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## garsh

Strange that nobody else has reported this issue.

Take a bug report the next time it happens, and note the day and time. Then schedule a service visit. The technicians will be able to pull the bug report from the car and hopefully they can verify that it happened and figure out a fix.


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## cemoz101

Hi garsh,

Yes i find it odd too. Ive scheduled time with service. Hopefully they will have an idea.

Thanks!


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## garsh

cemoz101 said:


> Hi garsh,
> 
> Yes i find it odd too. Ive scheduled time with service. Hopefully they will have an idea.
> 
> Thanks!


Be sure to take a bug report in the car right after it happens. The car will then record some information that the technicians can examine later during your visit.
Do you know how to take a bug report?


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## cemoz101

garsh said:


> Be sure to take a bug report in the car right after it happens. The car will then record some information that the technicians can examine later during your visit.
> Do you know how to take a bug report?


Thanks for the tip! Yes, was it pressing the right button on the steering wheel and saying 'bug report' and explaining the problem?


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## garsh

cemoz101 said:


> Thanks for the tip! Yes, was it pressing the right button on the steering wheel and saying 'bug report' and explaining the problem?


Yes, but I think that method stopped working several weeks back. If so, the other method is to hold down the menu button (the car symbol) for about 3 seconds. A pop-up should appear to confirm that it worked. You don't get to describe the problem with this approach, but if you can tell the service technician the date and time, they should be able to find it.


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## cemoz101

Great, thank you.


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## M3OC Rules

cemoz101 said:


> Hi garsh,
> 
> Yes i find it odd too. Ive scheduled time with service. Hopefully they will have an idea.
> 
> Thanks!


I've noticed recently that my auto high beam turned on but I just noticed it was on. I turned it off and noticed again it was on like the next time I drove. I thought maybe I accidentally turned it on.


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## Bigtron

cemoz101 said:


> Just an update on the matter. I have moved onto 2020.20.12 and still have the same issue. In fact, I was driving in broad daylight yesterday, I was behind a truck and driving in and out of shadows on a road high a lot of trees and high beam turned itself on automatically even though again, Auto High Beam is off and Auto Headlights is on.
> 
> Again to reiterate, I did not use the high beam (manually or automatically) when driving at night or day before this happened. I've driven the car during for the past month in both the day and the night with low beams without issues and all of a sudden the car decides to turn on high beams during the car when behind a dark truck driving in and out of shadows.
> 
> I have never left high beams on before the incident either.
> 
> Out of curiosity, does anyone know if it is a light sensor that detects the brightness of the road or does the car use the dashcam for instance to gauge the level of brightness?
> 
> Thank you.


I have the same problem with my 2020 Model S...called customer service today and they suggested tmthat just having the "Auto" ON for lights selected (Auto high beams OFF) would keep only the low beams on. Unfortunately the next time I started up...high beams came on...I think we have a bug here. Repeat- I NEVER want the high beams and cannot seem to stop the auto high beams function even with a steering wheel reboot and auto high beams turned off smh


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## cemoz101

Bigtron said:


> I have the same problem with my 2020 Model S...called customer service today and they suggested tmthat just having the "Auto" ON for lights selected (Auto high beams OFF) would keep only the low beams on. Unfortunately the next time I started up...high beams came on...I think we have a bug here. Repeat- I NEVER want the high beams and cannot seem to stop the auto high beams function even with a steering wheel reboot and auto high beams turned off smh


I forgot to update this post actually.

After 3 attempts with service and multiple timestamps I finally had service admit that this was an issue seen on 'some model 3s' and that there was a fix for this coming.

I believe a week later i got a phone call from service asking if they can patch the car to fix the error. They did, but oddly enough it was a reinstall of the software version I had, so I'm not sure if there was a tiny fix there or if this was a reinstall.

I have not had any issues since so I suspect whatever was plaguing me is happening on newer model S'. My advice is to do as many timestamps (bug reports) and immediately make a service request on your add stating the exact time and date of the timestamp. They will most likely have you bring it in and they will very likely not be able to replicate it. I suspect after multiple attempts, someone will eventually see that the issue that was on the 3 is now on the S and a fix will be issued.

Good luck!


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## garsh

cemoz101 said:


> ...whatever was plaguing me is happening on newer model S'.


Your profile says that you own a Model 3, and you've posted in one of the Model 3 subforums.

Should this post be moved to a Model S subforum?


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## cemoz101

garsh said:


> Your profile says that you own a Model 3, and you've posted in one of the Model 3 subforums.
> 
> Should this post be moved to a Model S subforum?


Yes, I own a Model 3 and the issue I had was with the Model 3.

Bigtron however is encountering a similar issue with a Model S.

I reckon we can keep it here since this was an issue seen with the M3 initially and was confirmed by Tesla that it was a known issue. Could be helpful for other M3 owners, but as moderator, I'll leave it to you.

Thanks!


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## joebryantco

I’m having the same exact issue but at night - which is how I cam across this post when googling a possible solution…. At random, at night, my headlights like you are on normal auto… never do I use high beams or enable auto high beams but they seem to get bored and turn on at random - blinding oncoming cars … it’s a hazard really … I’ll be scheduling a service with Tesla tomorrow. I have the model Y with latest software.


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## garsh

joebryantco said:


> I’m having the same exact issue but at night - which is how I cam across this post when googling a possible solution…. At random, at night, my headlights like you are on normal auto… never do I use high beams or enable auto high beams but they seem to get bored and turn on at random - blinding oncoming cars … it’s a hazard really … I’ll be scheduling a service with Tesla tomorrow. I have the model Y with latest software.


The next time this happens, immediately afterwards, hold down the right scroll wheel and say "report". This will save the system state to internal memory.
Then when you take it in to service, tell them that you took a report, the date and approximately what time. They can then look up the logs to hopefully have enough information to track down the issue.


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## joebryantco

This is wonderful! Thank you for telling me how to do this!


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## francoisp

I've noticed that when I use the stalk for signaling an upcoming turn, at times I will unknowingly push the stalk causing the high beams to become selected even when the headlights are turned off. When the headlights comes on, entering my indoor garage or driving through a tunnel, the high beams are on.


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