Adaptive headlights sensor

[jimbob144]

Hi all, Ok so ive got the dreaded adaptive headlight warning coming up random. I went to ford, and they know about the issue and where aware that it need to bring it to them when the warning comes up so they can plug it in whilst the warning is up on dash.

Now i just need to get it to come up on the dash, heres the thing, to do this i have to put my lights on auto and the lights dont come on in the daylight so then the car wont use the adaptive headlights and thus the error wont ever come up unless these lights are on yes??

Well, ford is open at 830, when its light, and closes at 530 as when its dark, so ive got to try and get this wanring to come up early morning, (tried this morning but no warning) or try it just before ford closes as its getting dark!!!

I had a few questions and ideas if anyone was willing to help advice.

1. Do i have to drive the car around to get the adaptive headlight systeom to work and if so what speeds or terrain?

2. Does it have to be dark for the adaptive headlights to work to trigger the warning on dash?

3. Where is the auto light sensor and could i cover this up to trick the car into thinking its nighttime thus able to put the lights on and trick the car inot thinking its night and then having much longer periods of time to get the warning to trigger and show up on dash, clap clap clap, that would be awesome if it works???

4. sell my car and buy the volvo xc90 and be done with it?

all inputs would be helpful.

thanks all, have a great day 

 

[Trent Edge]

Doesn't have to be dark for the warning to come up. Well at least in my experience anyway. Mine came on during the day time when I started the car and the lights were off. Think the headlights do that movement thing even when the lights aren't on to level themselves and that's where the error pops up.

Obviously you may find it different. No idea if covering the sensor would work.

[unofix]

You can fool the car in to thinking it's dark by covering the camera/sensor on the windscreen next to the rear view mirror. I've done that on mine when testing the 'Auto High Beam'

[jimbob144]

cheers guys, i literally went out there before yous replied to look for the sensor, found it as one of you said , near the rear view mirror but on the outside of the front screen of course. popped some black tape over it and walla, lights on.

2 hours ago, Trent Edge said:

Doesn't have to be dark for the warning to come up. Well at least in my experience anyway. Mine came on during the day time when I started the car and the lights were off. Think the headlights do that movement thing even when the lights aren't on to level themselves and that's where the error pops up.

Obviously you may find it different. No idea if covering the sensor would work.

thanks for the info bud

 

2 hours ago, unofix said:

You can fool the car in to thinking it's dark by covering the camera/sensor on the windscreen next to the rear view mirror. I've done that on mine when testing the 'Auto High Beam'

cheers bud

 

 

now i just need to see if the warning will come up, im of out to test it soon, so will update asap.

have a great day

[AllanB]

If its the "Check Adaptive Headlight" warning, its replacement headlights only to solve the problem, a common fault, and unfortunately as soon as you turn ignition off it resets and clears the fault codes, but your Ford dealers should be fully aware of this.

My Edge has had them replaced 3 times under warranty, any problems ask your dealer to contact Gates of Harlow for advice, or try emailing Ford direct on  execoff1@ford.com 

[jimbob144]

44 minutes ago, AllanB said:

If its the "Check Adaptive Headlight" warning, its replacement headlights only to solve the problem, a common fault, and unfortunately as soon as you turn ignition off it resets and clears the fault codes, but your Ford dealers should be fully aware of this.

My Edge has had them replaced 3 times under warranty, any problems ask your dealer to contact Gates of Harlow for advice, or try emailing Ford direct on  execoff1@ford.com 

Hi, thanks for the input bud, yes i went to ford and they seem to be aware so they told me to drive straight in as soon as the warning comes up and they will plug in, but get this, ive not had the warning since, now im wondering because i have two car and drive the run around more than my edge the battery went low and the front screen was not heating and no stop start and thats when i started getting the warning about adaptive headlights, do you think that could be related?

cheers 

 

[unofix]

1 hour ago, jimbob144 said:

the battery went low and the front screen was not heating and no stop start and thats when i started getting the warning about adaptive headlights, do you think that could be related?

Almost certainly.

Since your car is no longer under the Ford warranty I would adjust the setting of the SOC from the default 80% and increase to 90 or 95% which should solve the problem of low battery charge.

[jimbob144]

9 hours ago, unofix said:

Almost certainly.

Since your car is no longer under the Ford warranty I would adjust the setting of the SOC from the default 80% and increase to 90 or 95% which should solve the problem of low battery charge.

You recon the low battery is the likely cause then bud? how do i do that adjusting, whats the SOC?

[unofix]

The SOC is "State Of Charge" of the car battery. It's very long story but in short the default state of charge (SOC) of the charging system is on most UK and European Ford's set at 80% of the available battery capacity. This means in effect that your battery will only be charged to 80% or less if you do short journeys and/or use things like heated seats or heated front screens. Once your SOC falls below 70% very odd things start to happen and stuff stops working.

You can use a laptop computer and the software FORScan (It's free) to change the SOC to higher level. Most find 90 or 95% to work well.

Download FORScan: https://forscan.org/download.html

You will need a connecting lead: https://tunnelrat-electronics.fwscart.com/USB_Modified_with_switch_ELM327/p4541936_17045457.aspx

[Paulius55]

If you fancy a drive from the West Midlands to the East Midlands I can do the change for you or show you how to do it yourself.

[Pete Terry]

I've had that warning coming up just once, a couple of months ago. I assumed it was being caused by a dirty windscreen (I'd had similar messages on my previous car - a Mondeo). I cleaned the windscreen and (touchwood) the message hasn't come up since.

[Pete Terry]

1 hour ago, unofix said:

The SOC is "State Of Charge" of the car battery. It's very long story but in short the default state of charge (SOC) of the charging system is on most UK and European Ford's set at 80% of the available battery capacity. This means in effect that your battery will only be charged to 80% or less if you do short journeys and/or use things like heated seats or heated front screens. Once your SOC falls below 70% very odd things start to happen and stuff stops working.

You can use a laptop computer and the software FORScan (It's free) to change the SOC to higher level. Most find 90 or 95% to work well.

Download FORScan: https://forscan.org/download.html

You will need a connecting lead: https://tunnelrat-electronics.fwscart.com/USB_Modified_with_switch_ELM327/p4541936_17045457.aspx

Thanks for this.

I've got an adaptor and Forscan on my PC but not used them yet. This sounds like a useful fix, especially now as my car can often be left standing for days and the bulk of my journeys since the pandemic have been short, often in cold weather with the heated sets and windscreen on.

[jimbob144]

Hey, you guys thanks for all the offer to help, not had the warning since so far, lol i bet it will come up now ive said this.

[Scooby-do]

Good Evening group. mine went back to the  dealership as it was still under the sales warranty. I believe they renewed the N/S headlamp unit and probably a linking loom? It lasted nearly three weeks then the fault has reappeared. Booked in for another diagnosis fingers cross. keep you updated. Scooby. 

[Pete Terry]

I've had this fault coming up more frequently recently. I've noticed also when it does, the offside front fog-lamp comes on!

Time to take it in I think.

Anyone know if this work would be covered by the Ford Protect extended warranty?

[Pete Terry]

I'd been having this problem intermittently with my Edge since about 7,000 miles. It would always go away if you turned the ignition off and back on but the fault was getting very annoying as it was happening more frequently.

The first time I had the Ford dealer look at it during a serice they said they could not find any problem. But when I had the car MOT'd last month I asked that they check it again. This time they said they found faults recorded on the car's computer but still weren't sure exactly what the cause was.

So they booked the car in for a few days to carry out further diagnostics, found two fault codes - B14DA & B103C - and ended up replacing the LED nodule and the self levelling nodule in the n/s headlamp.

Thankfully the cost of parts and labour were covered by my extended Ford guarentee, but if not they told me the total cost would have been in the region of £400.

Touchwood, the fault hasn't happened again since the car was returned to me.  

[simonb65]

On 10/23/2023 at 11:42 AM, Pete Terry said:

B103C

That's a heated/cooled seat component open circuit fault!

On 10/23/2023 at 11:42 AM, Pete Terry said:

B14DA

Actuator on the right (offside!) adaptive headlamp fault.

[Steve1.2.3.4]

While I wouldn't say this is a guaranteed fix, my issue went away for a while when I reset the battery BMS 

 

admittedly, it has come back since, but I got a good 3-4 months without it appearing.

 

Maybe that adds some weight to it being battery related

[Pete Terry]

On 10/24/2023 at 11:56 AM, simonb65 said:

That's a heated/cooled seat component open circuit fault!

Actuator on the right (offside!) adaptive headlamp fault.

That's interesting. Those were the codes the Ford Garage gave me!

But thankfully, whatever they did seemed to work. The fault hasn't happened at all since.