fishfingers Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 I just got a 2010 Fiesta, and I've noticed it suffers from the same dangerous problem my mother's 2010 Focus has. For some reason, even though both cars are not fitted with automatic headlamps, the car is able to detect when it is dark and illuminate the dashboard accordingly. As someone who has extensively driven cars with automatic headlamps in the past, I made the error on two occasions of driving off from indoor car parks at night, not realising that my headlamps were off. I think this is a dangerous design flaw from Ford. If the car is able to detect the light level, then why not complete the system and make automatic headlamps standard across the line? And if not that, why should the dashboard illuminate if the headlamps are not turned on? Has anyone else had this problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iNath Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 Has anyone else had this problem? Yeah there's been a couple of times I've left car parks with my lights off. You're not alone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ONETrueSaturday Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 Main reason probably? Cost.... I make it a habit of alwayssss turning them on lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2011fiesta Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 I thought the dials on models without auto headlights just lit up as soon as you unlocked the car? Ones with auto headlights have the dark coloured lump on the centre front of the dash to detect light - so without that how would a non automatic headlight fiesta be able to detect how dark it was to decide whether to light up the dials? :-s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartynS Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Strange, the other day I thought I heard a quiet beeping when my lights were off driving along the path between the carpark at work and the road, but it may have just been something on the radio. This needs some investigating now! That said, the dash is always illuminated anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rojariggs Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 As far as I can tell, the dials are simply illuminated all the time. They don't detect light. There's a green light on the dash that tells you whether you have your lights on or not. There's many cars on the market that work in this way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2011fiesta Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 As far as Ican tell, the dials are simply illuminated all the time. They don't detect light. Yup thats what I think - and the brighter the weather the less you notice your dials are illuminated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iNath Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Dash is illuminated as soon as you unlock the car, then it dims when lights are on are the little green icon appears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dLockers Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 I just got a 2010 Fiesta, and I've noticed it suffers from the same dangerous problem my mother's 2010 Focus has. For some reason, even though both cars are not fitted with automatic headlamps, the car is able to detect when it is dark and illuminate the dashboard accordingly. As someone who has extensively driven cars with automatic headlamps in the past, I made the error on two occasions of driving off from indoor car parks at night, not realising that my headlamps were off. I think this is a dangerous design flaw from Ford. If the car is able to detect the light level, then why not complete the system and make automatic headlamps standard across the line? And if not that, why should the dashboard illuminate if the headlamps are not turned on? Has anyone else had this problem? lol Dash lights are always on. Pay more attention? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoney871 Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Better than Vauxhalls (spit). Their dash lights are way too bright all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRC89 Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 I prefer them being illuminated all the times, makes the dials always really clear, whether your going through a dark tunnel without headlights, or whether the sun is glaring off them you can always see your dials. Many modern cars I've seen have the same features. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordpartsman Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 If you go into menu on the stereo and change the illumination from auto to daylight it keeps them the same all the time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lodav2011 Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 im usly way to interested in whats in front of me to be looking at all the pretty lights in my car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Concabuu Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 ..."Ones with auto headlights have the dark coloured lump on the centre front of the dash to detect light - so without that how would a non automatic headlight fiesta be able to detect how dark it was to decide whether to light up the dials? :-s Iam told that lump is the part of the perimeter alarm, when i had to have it fixed at a dealers, the light detection unit is visible from outside. if you look at the rear view mirror fixture on the screen from outside you will see there is a small "eye" fitting thats the light detector Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orcomma Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 to the OP - surely the question is why are you relying on the illumination of the dials to check whether you're headlights are on, when there is a dedicated indicator lamp (green, bottom of speedo) to tell you. thats like just relying on the clicking noise to tell you the indicators are on then complaining that you can't hear it over modern car radios :blink: :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dLockers Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 to the OP - surely the question is why are you relying on the illumination of the dials to check whether you're headlights are on, when there is a dedicated indicator lamp (green, bottom of speedo) to tell you. thats like just relying on the clicking noise to tell you the indicators are on then complaining that you can't hear it over modern car radios :blink: :blink: Or the fact that...you can see...with the headlights on.....in the dark....lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orcomma Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Or the fact that...you can see...with the headlights on.....in the dark....lol maybe one of these going off every 5 minutes that the headlights are on would be required Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dLockers Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 maybe one of these going off every 5 minutes that the headlights are on would be required lol forgot about that, awesome episode Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orcomma Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Ones with auto headlights have the dark coloured lump on the centre front of the dash to detect light - so without that how would a non automatic headlight fiesta be able to detect how dark it was to decide whether to light up the dials? Thats the sunlight sensor for the EATC climate control. the headlight dusk sensor is behind the rear view mirror, next to the infrared-refraction rain sensor for the auto wipers B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2011fiesta Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Iam told that lump is the part of the perimeter alarm, when i had to have it fixed at a dealers, the light detection unit is visible from outside. if you look at the rear view mirror fixture on the screen from outside you will see there is a small "eye" fitting thats the light detector Ohh I didn't realise that. Thanks for the info :-) So is that lump sensing for movement when the car is alarmed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2011fiesta Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Thats the sunlight sensor for the EATC climate control. the headlight dusk sensor is behind the rear view mirror, next to the infrared-refraction rain sensor for the auto wipers B) Oh, So it's either what you said or the perimeter alarm lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orcomma Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 the perimeter alarm only looks after the car's perimeter (doors, bonnet, hatch switches). nothing to do with proximity/motion sensing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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