Member Since: 20 Sep 2008
Location: Manchester
Posts: 1416
Light sensor - confused!
Picked the car from the parking yesterday, light switch almost always set to auto, so headlights come on. Drive up the ramp, into broad daylight, lights still on. Ok me thinks, give it a moment to adjust... 15 mins later, lights still on. I switch them off, then back to auto, still on (a few times actually).
Had to pull over, switch off the engine, remove the key and restart to resolve (sounds like a Microsoft technique...). The car has just been washed, so I ruled out the possibility of the sensor being blocked (where is it BTW, behind the rear view mirror?).
Second time this has happened recently, in completely different circumstances, the commonality being that the car is started in a dark environment.
Anybody have any ideas on cause or had similar glitch?
13th Aug 2009 2:17 pm
ThatMartinChap
Member Since: 06 Nov 2007
Location: Deepest Darkest Berkshire
Posts: 696
I seem to remember that the lights behave differently if you start the car in a dark place and the lights come on straight away. Possibly this raises the threshold at which the lights turn off again.Also Gone : MY14 D4 SDV6 HSE : Barolo Black + Almond
Sadly Gone : MY08 D3 TDV6 HSE : Stornoway + Alpaca + Privacy + BAS Remap
13th Aug 2009 2:27 pm
lafona00
Member Since: 30 Nov 2007
Location: Dubai
Posts: 808
It does happen sometimes to me... but I have to admit that I don t really care.Arno
No more LR... but a Toyo
Disco 3 XS Auto - MY2008 - Leather, heated seats.
Def 90 - 1993
13th Aug 2009 4:42 pm
SPOTTER
Member Since: 06 Dec 2006
Location: Adrift........
Posts: 3095
if you have a pre 2007MY you can live in blissfull ignorance of this happening end of an era ....... maybe a Defender when it appears.......
13th Aug 2009 4:50 pm
MikeT
Member Since: 31 Aug 2008
Location: Lancs
Posts: 260
I start mine in our garage and the lights come on, however they go straight off again when in the daylight outside.
I always leave the switch in Auto, it has been in this position for a few months now!
So just confirms that what your describing isn't normal (Or for mine anyway)
13th Aug 2009 5:08 pm
BBS SPY Site Sponsor
Member Since: 15 Jun 2007
Location: Sunny Cyprus
Posts: 3054
Could be down to different software in the ECU between cars, we have been working on software programming for a while and all this week we have been loading different software into all my ECU's and its amazing what changes there are.
The sensor is located on the dash top to the rear right corner of the speaker grille
you can clearly see the bulb for it in this picture
Click image to enlarge
mines an 05MY so i dont get you with the 07 bit spotter
mines an 05MY so i dont get you with the 07 bit spotter
Me neither The End
13th Aug 2009 7:26 pm
BBS SPY Site Sponsor
Member Since: 15 Jun 2007
Location: Sunny Cyprus
Posts: 3054
Quote:
mines an 05MY
In fact, now i have had a few i would like to add "now with full on premium specification gonads" to that.
Hence the nice shiny logic seven spec speaker in the picture, which i and my neighbors might add sounds every bit as good as it looks
I know you understand what i mean biz, from your two pence worth on my upgrade thread.
14th Aug 2009 12:12 am
buellbeast
Member Since: 30 Jul 2008
Location: Exile
Posts: 1885
The 07 on has a lights on indicator in the instrument panel.
Can this be enabled by upgraded the ecu and fitting a bulb??Club Forum Criminal !!!
14th Aug 2009 12:19 am
caverD3
Member Since: 03 Jul 2006
Location: Oberon, NSW
Posts: 6922
Sorry BBS that is the temp sensor for sun load with the climate contol.
The light sensor is behind the rear view mirror.“There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely gamesâ€
Ernest Hemmingway
D4 3.0 Active Diff, Adaptive Lights, High Beam Assist, Surround Cameras, Privacy Glass.
D3 2.7:Adaptive Headlights,Electronic Rear Diff,ARB Bar,Blaupunkt Speakers,JVC Powered Subwoofer,Removable Snorkel,Mitch Hitch,Pioneer After Market Head Unit,Steering Wheel Control Adaptor,Remote Adjustable Supension Rod System, Taxside Dual Battery System.
14th Aug 2009 1:50 am
SPOTTER
Member Since: 06 Dec 2006
Location: Adrift........
Posts: 3095
Slimer wrote:
BBS SPY wrote:
mines an 05MY so i dont get you with the 07 bit spotter
Me neither
just the fact there is no lights on indicator on the dash so if it is bright I can't tell whether my lights are on or not unless they reflect on something............................that was all end of an era ....... maybe a Defender when it appears.......
14th Aug 2009 6:37 am
discoBizz
Member Since: 20 Sep 2008
Location: Manchester
Posts: 1416
Thanks to all.
It's a MY08 HSE that I have... the strange thing is that from the garage of our house, it behaves normally (lights go off almost instantly upon exit to the daylight).
Thanks BBS and caver re location of the sensor, both areas were clean anyway, so not that...
Not too worried about it happening, just found it odd that it did twice randomly (and without the dealer have tinkered with the IDS...).
I guess I'll live with it for now and see how often/if it re-occurs.
Thanks again!
14th Aug 2009 7:05 am
caverD3
Member Since: 03 Jul 2006
Location: Oberon, NSW
Posts: 6922
Next time you are at the dealers get them to re-zap the software for the auto lights. “There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely gamesâ€
Ernest Hemmingway
D4 3.0 Active Diff, Adaptive Lights, High Beam Assist, Surround Cameras, Privacy Glass.
D3 2.7:Adaptive Headlights,Electronic Rear Diff,ARB Bar,Blaupunkt Speakers,JVC Powered Subwoofer,Removable Snorkel,Mitch Hitch,Pioneer After Market Head Unit,Steering Wheel Control Adaptor,Remote Adjustable Supension Rod System, Taxside Dual Battery System.
14th Aug 2009 8:12 am
discoBizz
Member Since: 20 Sep 2008
Location: Manchester
Posts: 1416
Yeah, would do, but judging by the confusion on the guy's face when I took it over to fit the extra bumper lights and the fact in the end I had to go through the IDS menus myself (as I did for the better part of the bumber fitting BTW) and figure out what was what to enable them, I would probably have better luck on my own! Oh, wait, I don't have a diagnostic yet!!! (other than the read-only hidden one in the car)
All things considered, I think I was lucky though the local LR garage let me work on my car on my own and let me have a hands-on at the IDS (though I was really spooked at messing things up). They only charged me for the time it took for the guy to route the harness and make the connections (c.45 mins)
Now to figure out whether I can justify the price of a Faultmate
...and a BAS remap
14th Aug 2009 8:34 am
crews control
Member Since: 18 Mar 2007
Location: Dorset
Posts: 5011
BBS SPY wrote:
The sensor is located on the dash top to the rear right corner of the speaker grille
I thought there were just two light sensors? - One behind the rear view mirror and the other next to the red alarm LED at the bottom of the speedo dial?
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Disco 3 XS Auto - MY2008 - Leather, heated seats.
Def 90 - 1993 
i would like to add "now with full on premium specification gonads" to that.
and the fact in the end I had to go through the IDS menus myself (as I did for the better part of the bumber fitting BTW) and figure out what was what to enable them, I would probably have better luck on my own! Oh, wait, I don't have a diagnostic yet!!! 
