What are "Autolamps"?

[ThisWas]

What are Autolamps and when shouldn't I use them?

I drive around with my XL's exterior lighting control set to Autolamps, because I like the added safety of daylight running lights. However I wonder if there are times when my headlamps and tail lights are not on, perhaps on sunny days? Or sometimes at night?

I've gotten out of the truck to look and I think I've seen the tail lights on at some times and off at other times, but I don't know if that's because I have to switch into "Park" before I get out. I can't ask my wife to look because after 9 or 10 months I'm not allowed to talk to her about Mavericks any more.

Last weekend I had to drive into Boston to take someone to the airport. Driving home at night on an 8-lane highway I thought that more than one driver flashed their lights at me in my rear view mirror, so I wondered if my tail lights were on or off. I switched to "Headlamps On" just in case. You should know that I-93 has overhead lights plus there were a million cars driving towards me and also behind me with their headlights on - could this confuse the "Autolamps" sensor? Another possibility is that no one was actually flashing their lights at me; they were just bouncing over New England pot holes.

I've Read The Ford Manual several times and wish there was a better explanation about how "Autolamps" works.

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[Darnon]

I'd say the last passage from the manual is a pretty concise answer. When it's dim enough or the wipers are on, it turns the headlights on, but there's circumstances you may need to turn them on manually. You'll know if they're on because the light icon on the instrument cluster illuminates. Also typically if it's because it's dark enough the IC/infotainment will go into its dimmer, night mode.

 

[Trucklet]

I can't ask my wife to look because after 9 or 10 months I'm not allowed to talk to her about Mavericks any more.

I'm still waiting on delivery and so I can't help you with lights, but I can suggest that if you get interested in Bitcoin your wife will BEG you to talk about the Maverick again.

 

[Bootstrap6]

Tried to ask my family member that has a maverick to see what they say but they never really paid attention. My Mazda has auto lamps and all they really do is during the day stay on because they are the daytime running lights and at night/low light they turn on high beams and low beams depending on on coming traffic or if there are cars in front of me. Brakes aren't lit during the day but will automatically come on when the wipers are deployed or its dark enough. I also have auto wipers which is wild too and im still not used to that. I figure your system works almost the same in terms of the headlights/taillights

 

[MAVERICK8011]

I drive day and night with outolamps on. It's the safe way to drive. They are on during day for extra safety. At night high beam work automatedly..

 

[Davis]

My experience with autolamps in a F-150 has been meh. If it's a rainy overcast day, the headlights will turn on and off as I drive. Now, it's not the headlight part that drives me nuts, it's the dash panel lights turning on and off as the headlights do that is very annoying.

 

[Brian_J]

I leave my auto lamps ON 24/7. I also have my drls ON, but my auto high beams OFF.

This gives me added visibility during the day, auto lamps at night, but allows me to control when the high beams come on because they were a bit funky imo.

 

[Stimpy433]

I leave my auto lamps ON 24/7. I also have my drls ON, but my auto high beams OFF.

This gives me added visibility during the day, auto lamps at night, but allows me to control when the high beams come on because they were a bit funky imo.

That’s what I do too!!!

 

[Truckish]

I chatted Ford today and the guy said that the dealer might be able to set the lights to remember last setting. I called dealer and they of course didn't know what I was talking about. Has anyone done it with dealer or by coding it to stop going back to auto on the headlights? I also want to see if I can get the AC to come on every time I start the car even when not in AUTO AC mode.

 

[Pointyears]

I chatted Ford today and the guy said that the dealer might be able to set the lights to remember last setting. I called dealer and they of course didn't know what I was talking about. Has anyone done it with dealer or by coding it to stop going back to auto on the headlights? I also want to see if I can get the AC to come on every time I start the car even when not in AUTO AC mode.

I haven't even seen the option to change that in Forscan.

 

[Escapologist]

I sorta trust it to come on at night, but turned on manual when in bright snow storm/blowing snow conditions in the middle of the day, because I figured it wasn't smart enough.

 

[Carlitos_92]

I chatted Ford today and the guy said that the dealer might be able to set the lights to remember last setting. I called dealer and they of course didn't know what I was talking about. Has anyone done it with dealer or by coding it to stop going back to auto on the headlights? I also want to see if I can get the AC to come on every time I start the car even when not in AUTO AC mode.

Start here: https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/forum/threads/forscan-101-step-by-step-how-to-start-guide.7406/

Then here: https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/f...-maverick-forscan-spreadsheet-livnitup.77563/

If you can't find it there, use the handy forum SEARCH feature.

 

[Pointyears]

I sorta trust it to come on at night, but turned on manual when in bright snow storm/blowing snow conditions in the middle of the day, because I figured it wasn't smart enough.

I LOVE that it defaults to auto. Having had auto-on headlights since 2005, I'm just not used to turning the switch on, and mechanics and such would turn the switch off and I'd end up driving in the dark without headlights.

 

[HeyBales]

I LOVE that it defaults to auto. Having had auto-on headlights since 2005, I'm just not used to turning the switch on, and mechanics and such would turn the switch off and I'd end up driving in the dark without headlights.

Curious if your prior vehicle did the full set of night-time lights automatically, or some subset?

I'm still surprised how many very new vehicles only have DRL on constantly, but at night turn the dashboard lights on - but not the night-time lights.

My son and I make it game now assuming someone is driving with no dashboard lights because no night lights on or headlamps - but nope, dashboard lit up causing confusion to driver only using their DRL. And some of those older versions weren't bright at all.

 

[Truckish]

I LOVE that it defaults to auto. Having had auto-on headlights since 2005, I'm just not used to turning the switch on, and mechanics and such would turn the switch off and I'd end up driving in the dark without headlights.

I'm surprised the embarrasing things people post on the internet. Basic car operation, driving without headlights at night because you want automation for everything? I'm not sure how your post contributed to the question that don't like this feature. I am sure there are threads from others that don't know how to operate basic car controls like headlights, wipers, high beams. Perhaps you can post your love for this stuff there. This thread was for people that do know how to operate a car and want to control certain things for mechanical reasons.

Perhaps, you can pause for a minute and practice walking in someone else's shoes....try this. Let's say you loooooooove automatic headlights and automatic wipers and automatic high beams and automatic whatever.... Ok you with me so far.. You love all this stuff. Now imagine that every single time you start the car/truck, it defaults to auto headlights off and every single time, you have to turn on your auto-whatever..... You can't choose what you want, you have to do it every single time. I have another car that has automatic headlights as well. If I put the light switch on A, it stays there and if I put it on OFF, it stays there. I am asking as a knowledgeable car operator that knows and prefers to drive a car, that the car let me do the same. The same goes for air conditioning. It comes on every single time I start the car whether I want it or not, whether it is on automatic mode or not. I don't want my AC on wasting gas and putting a load on the engine when I'm not warm.

So I am happy you like it and I am happy you have the auto headlights so you don't kill someone on the road but just imagine if you had to set it every single time you start the car to whatever your preference is.

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