Irritating adaptive headlamps

[alexp999]

I think other than maybe the master tech's and engineers you never get to speak to, the regular members on this forum know more about Fords than the people working for Ford.

[northern_nubie]

20 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

You're confusing two totally different features there.  The actual headlights are different for fixed or adaptive.  Adaptive was a £1000 option.  The manual covers features that are optional and not fitted to every car.

I now understand that I don't have adaptive headlights. So probably best to disregard my previous reply to you. I'm off to google the difference between adaptive and fixed headlamps, out of interest, and to look into ForSCAN.

[northern_nubie]

1 minute ago, alexp999 said:

I think other than maybe the master tech's and engineers you never get to speak to, the regular members on this forum know more about Fords than the people working for Ford.

Yes, this is the distinct impression I get.

[RL123]

Ford do have a habit of making things confusing. Whether it’s lane keeping or lane centring  , adaptive lights(auto main beam) or adaptive lighting matrix( dynamic swivelling main beam). 
the cornering lamps are usually your fog lamp on the inside of the turn, outside if reversing to assist visibility in poorly lit areas. Can be useful at times when manouvering slowly.

[alexp999]

10 minutes ago, RL123 said:

Ford do have a habit of making things confusing. Whether it’s lane keeping or lane centring  , adaptive lights(auto main beam) or adaptive lighting matrix( dynamic swivelling main beam). 
the cornering lamps are usually your fog lamp on the inside of the turn, outside if reversing to assist visibility in poorly lit areas. Can be useful at times when manouvering slowly.

And to add to the confusion, the MK4 facelift doesn't have fogs.

The cornering light is now built in to the main cluster again. I had a MK3 like this. With bi-xenons, so you'd have nice white main beam and yellow cornering lights.

[RL123]

Yep, had the same on my 2014 smax 

[northern_nubie]

18 hours ago, unofix said:

Yes the cornering light function can be turned off using FORScan.

The headlights are as you say Alex, the standard fixed LED's so the OP must just be seeing the beam pattern change from the activation/deactivation of the cornering lights.

Can I ask, is FORScan something an independent dealer would have, and be able to use to turn off cornering lights for me?

I assume a Ford dealer wouldn't do this, as they would mention issues about the warranty, perhaps.

[alexp999]

A Ford dealer don't need and wouldn't use Forscan as they have the official IDS/FDRS software from Ford to make changes. However that official software is restricted with what changes Ford allow, sometimes they can make adjustments though. I have had my local dealer try to turn on ambient lighting on a previous car and also successfully disable PDC (pull drift compensation) on my Mk3 ST.

The bigger problem with the dealer is getting passed the service desk and being able to speak to an accomodating master tech that's willing to look on the system to see if they can turn it off. Most won't.

An independent may have it, especially if they work on a lot of Fords, but most will not and have probably never heard of it as it's community software.

[northern_nubie]

12 minutes ago, alexp999 said:

A Ford dealer don't need and wouldn't use Forscan as they have the official IDS/FDRS software from Ford to make changes. However that official software is restricted with what changes Ford allow, sometimes they can make adjustments though. I have had my local dealer try to turn on ambient lighting on a previous car and also successfully disable PDC (pull drift compensation) on my Mk3 ST.

The bigger problem with the dealer is getting passed the service desk and being able to speak to an accomodating master tech that's willing to look on the system to see if they can turn it off. Most won't.

An independent may have it, especially if they work on a lot of Fords, but most will not and have probably never heard of it as it's community software.

Thanks, Alex. That's given me a few ideas. On Monday, I will contact the Ford dealer where I bought the car, who are owned by Ford UK. It's not local (almost 100 miles from home) but will be worth a try. Failing that, I'll research some independents and ring around.

 

[unofix]

37 minutes ago, northern_nubie said:

Can I ask, is FORScan something an independent dealer would have, and be able to use to turn off cornering lights for me?

If you find yourself near Durham anytime, I have FORScan and the new vLinker FS cable. 😉

[northern_nubie]

5 minutes ago, unofix said:

If you find yourself near Durham anytime, I have FORScan and the new vLinker FS cable. 😉

I will certainly bear that in mind, thanks.

[VFR800]

Are the cornering lights linked to speed?

Do they only work at speed, or can i just turn the wheel when stationary and check that the fog lights have come on?

Reason i ask, i think mine have packed up.

[northern_nubie]

On 2/17/2023 at 2:51 PM, alexp999 said:

And to add to the confusion, the MK4 facelift doesn't have fogs.

The cornering light is now built in to the main cluster again. I had a MK3 like this. With bi-xenons, so you'd have nice white main beam and yellow cornering lights.

As someone with little knowledge about these things in general, and no knowledge of the car's electrics, I'm wondering if wiring diagrams are available for my Focus. Specifically a diagram showing how the power is supplied to each cluster. And whether the fog/cornering part of the cluster has a separate wire entering the cluster from behind, or whether each cluster somehow has a single combined cable, if that makes sense.

When I look closely at the cluster, I can't even seen how it produces light. No visible diodes. Just a lot of shiny surfaces.

And I assume it is not possible to replace the clusters with ones which don't activate the fogs when turning the steering wheel, only when the lighting control dial is pushed.

Ideally, I'm hoping FORScan or similar will disable the cornering lights. I also wonder if there's a connection which could be unplugged behind the steering wheel, for example near the clock spring (or whatever the correct name for it is).

[northern_nubie]

23 hours ago, VFR800 said:

Are the cornering lights linked to speed?

Do they only work at speed, or can i just turn the wheel when stationary and check that the fog lights have come on?

Reason i ask, i think mine have packed up.

Mine don't really seem to be related to speed. When my Focus is stationary, if I turn the steering wheel to the left or right, the cornering/fog lights illuminate. They also do the same while travelling at any speed on a bend. I find them pointless as well as irritating. I can already see all of the road perfectly before they kick in. And on my previous Focus and other cars, seeing the edges of the road while going round a bend was never a problem. Away with them, I say!

If yours have packed up and you find out why, I'd love to know the reason for the fault - I'd like to have that fault so the fogs don't come on when cornering.

[alanfp]

25 minutes ago, northern_nubie said:

I'd like to have that fault so the fogs don't come on when cornering.

 You could just take the bulbs out. When was the last time you found them helpful in the fog?

[alexp999]

44 minutes ago, alanfp said:

 You could just take the bulbs out. When was the last time you found them helpful in the fog?

It’s all led built in to the cluster. No bulb to take out. 

[alanfp]

14 minutes ago, alexp999 said:

It’s all led built in to the cluster. No bulb to take out. 

Sorry - I can't keep up with this modern technology...... but there is presumably an electrical connector that can be unplugged or a wire that can be cut?

[unofix]

23 minutes ago, alanfp said:

there is presumably an electrical connector that can be unplugged

In short no. Equipment on vehicles these days are controlled by a central computer. For things not directly related to the engine it will be the Body Control Module. It communicates with equipment over a Canbus network. Pulling plugs out or cutting wires will cause a range of faults to be flagged up and it will not just be one light that goes out, but the whole unit. All functions are monitored and protected by the BCM, much equipment no longer have fuses, they are electronically protected by power Mosfets in the BCM. 

[alexp999]

7 hours ago, unofix said:

In short no. Equipment on vehicles these days are controlled by a central computer. For things not directly related to the engine it will be the Body Control Module. It communicates with equipment over a Canbus network. Pulling plugs out or cutting wires will cause a range of faults to be flagged up and it will not just be one light that goes out, but the whole unit. All functions are monitored and protected by the BCM, much equipment no longer have fuses, they are electronically protected by power Mosfets in the BCM. 

It’s not even a central computer. It’s a network of computers. It’s possible that each headlight simply has power and a canbus connection and a built in computer which does the controlling of the lights. The BCM simply requests that lights are on. Then depending on how Ford have configured it the BCM may be monitoring the steering angle and send a request for cornering lights. Or each headlight could be monitoring steering angle. Even the steering module itself may do it. There are so many modules now that all work together. 
 

[StephenFord]

8 hours ago, alanfp said:

Sorry - I can't keep up with this modern technology...... but there is presumably an electrical connector that can be unplugged or a wire that can be cut?

You'd have to go old school - place a bit of black tape over the lens to block beam! 

[Botus]

10 hours ago, northern_nubie said:

Mine don't really seem to be related to speed. When my Focus is stationary, if I turn the steering wheel to the left or right, the cornering/fog lights illuminate.

 

taken me this long to hold back from ranting

high-beam assist is stupid and dangerous.  Often dazzling to coming traffic as it gets muddled and fails to operate (especially VAG cars), dips dangerously when you are the only road user - when finding other roadside detritus it thinks is another vehicle, and due to stupid urban area laws doesn't reactivate high beam until you are back over 30mph on dark unlit country lanes

but here we are talking about corning illumination - it has three main reasons they fit

1)  many cars are now fitted with LED laser death ray lights, meaning few other road users can see if the indicator is actually on (cornering light features helps differentiate, either on proper cars dimming the light so the indicator stands out -  or at least giving an asymmetrical stance bringing focus to the indicator area that's hard to see 

2) people are now so lazy, it works as a slightly late to the party indicator even if they don't bother

3) at night it better highlights the side of the road - to save tyres and pedestrian's lives making it safer for everybody

 

[northern_nubie]

On 2/17/2023 at 4:45 PM, alexp999 said:

The bigger problem with the dealer is getting passed the service desk and being able to speak to an accomodating master tech that's willing to look on the system to see if they can turn it off. Most won't.

 

Is there any particular reason why most master techs won't look into whether, for example, cornering lights can be disabled? Maybe I'm being naive, but if you hadn't mentioned that, I'd have assumed they'd be happy to do it to help a customer out, especially if a certain feature is really disliked.

[StephenFord]

10 minutes ago, northern_nubie said:

Is there any particular reason why most master techs won't look into whether, for example, cornering lights can be disabled? 

Time = money...

[northern_nubie]

7 hours ago, Botus said:

taken me this long to hold back from ranting

high-beam assist is stupid and dangerous.  Often dazzling to coming traffic as it gets muddled and fails to operate (especially VAG cars), dips dangerously when you are the only road user - when finding other roadside detritus it thinks is another vehicle, and due to stupid urban area laws doesn't reactivate high beam until you are back over 30mph on dark unlit country lanes

but here we are talking about corning illumination - it has three main reasons they fit

1)  many cars are now fitted with LED laser death ray lights, meaning few other road users can see if the indicator is actually on (cornering light features helps differentiate, either on proper cars dimming the light so the indicator stands out -  or at least giving an asymmetrical stance bringing focus to the indicator area that's hard to see 

2) people are now so lazy, it works as a slightly late to the party indicator even if they don't bother

3) at night it better highlights the side of the road - to save tyres and pedestrian's lives making it safer for everybody

 

Entirely agree about high-beam assist. I tried it, then turned it off. I found it dips the headlights a little too late for most oncoming cars.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who has noticed that a fair few modern cars have directional indicators that are hard to see, being embedded in the cluster. I find this quite surprising considering governments and manufacturers and often going on about safety, but they seem content to accept these embedded indicators. Several times I've thought someone isn't indicating when they're slowing down to pull in, but in fact they are. Similar problem on roundabouts.

I respectfully disagree about cornering lights. I simply don't see a purpose for them. I believe they're installed to try to attract buyers to a what is in fact a needless feature. In my previous cars, including two Focuses, which didn't have cornering lights, I could see the edges of the road perfectly. And, frankly, the very few times the cornering lights don't come on when I go round a bend, I can see the edges perfectly. So the constantly flicking of the lights when negotiating many bends, especially on narrow roads, is just annoying to me, especially because I also think they're not needed.

[plasticpat]

On 2/14/2023 at 10:28 PM, StephenFord said:

That's an irony. I love DRLs to the extent that I fitted them on my old Mi2, but I'm old enough to remember the 70s when Volvo had there own DRLs when the sidelights were permanently on, and unknowledgeable drivers use to flash at the owners to try and communicate that they had left their lights on! LOL But then, being a grown up, I'm thoroughly aware I now have LED DRLs, and also know when it gets dark enough, I turn my proper lights on illuminating front & back of my car, we're a dying breed Unofix LOL

I'll happily throw my hat in the old skool ring , maybe not as senior but I'm old enough to remember the Volvos and their DRL's ! 
So lookin forward (not) to having my headlights turned on for me in my next car 🙃