Automatic front lighting does not work at all

[Toyauris2014]

Hey all!

I have a Toyota Auris Sports Touring 1.8 HSD model year 2014. Today when i was going out  and when i started the car, no light appeared on the instrument panel indicating that the lighting works. I have the lights on auto and when i went out to check if everything was okey, the lights did not shine.

So I tested a bit manually, the high beam works, the position light works, the low beam works. But when i have the lever on auto, all the lighting outside does not light up, when i have it on auto?

So i went into a parking lot with the auto setting on and boom so everything turned on automatically. When I drove into the indoor parking lot and when I drove out again,  the lights went out

Links with some pictures to understand better.

This image the lever is on auto and the the lights doesn't turn on
https://imgur.com/a/PZudtsI

This image is when the lever is on the position light and then only the warning lights up
https://imgur.com/a/BxgrSO6

Here the lever is on low beam and now only  then half and warning light turn on
https://imgur.com/a/ioK13VT

 Now the lever on the round circle thinks it's just a warning light but no light turn on
https://imgur.com/a/IkoxKjV

Does anyone know what the error might be, would appreciate any help I can get. Is there something I can fix myself or is it just to book service.

Thanks

[FROSTYBALLS]

If you're talking about the 'lights on' warning light in the instrument panel, as far as I'm aware the warning light doesn't illuminate when the light switch is on auto.

On auto, the headlights work on a light sensor and will come on when the level of light outside reduces, and will turn off when the outside light level increases.

[Toyauris2014]

57 minutes ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

If you're talking about the 'lights on' warning light in the instrument panel, as far as I'm aware the warning light doesn't illuminate when the light switch is on auto.

On auto, the headlights work on a light sensor and will come on when the level of light outside reduces, and will turn off when the outside light level increases.

 

[Toyauris2014]

With warning light i mean DLRs, google translate screwed me me there.

 

Here in Sweden the DLRs need to be on all the time, even when it's light and bright outside.

[Heidfirst]

I don't think that there is a light on the dashboard to indicate DRLs only being on - there certainly isn't on my Avensis.

DRLs are also required to operate at all times in the UK too. However (again at least on an Avensis), if you just start the car the DRLs won't come on until you engage gear/handbrake off - once they are on they are on until you switch off again.

[FROSTYBALLS]

7 minutes ago, Toyauris2014 said:

Here in Sweden the DLRs need to be on all the time, even when it's light and bright outside.

Same as the UK. However, the DRLs (daylight running lights) turn off when the position/side lights or headlights come on, whether in daytime, evening or night time, and that applies to the majority of cars. There is no warning light on the dashboard to show DRL's are operating.

[Toyauris2014]

29 minutes ago, Heidfirst said:

I don't think that there is a light on the dashboard to indicate DRLs only being on - there certainly isn't on my Avensis.

DRLs are also required to operate at all times in the UK too. However (again at least on an Avensis), if you just start the car the DRLs won't come on until you engage gear/handbrake off - once they are on they are on until you switch off again.

ohh oke, with a "warning light" i mean the the green " two light symbol" here is the picture i took off it https://imgur.com/a/hXIXxp3.  Beacuse in the morning when i had it on auto nothing showed up and every light was off. But i tried going for a drive in the dark and the second i turned on the car i got the green symbol on the picture and everything worked in auto but only in the dark.

Thank you so much.

[Toyauris2014]

25 minutes ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

Same as the UK. However, the DRLs (daylight running lights) turn off when the position/side lights or headlights come on, whether in daytime, evening or night time, and that applies to the majority of cars. There is no warning light on the dashboard to show DRL's are operating.

With a "warning light" i mean the the green " two light symbol" here is the picture i took off it https://imgur.com/a/hXIXxp3. 

Does the green symbol i circled in come up when i put the car in gear and the DLRs turn on, or does it just come up the when it's night? 

I will try to have gear on tmrw and hope it works Thank you so much.

[Heidfirst]

1 hour ago, Toyauris2014 said:

Does the green symbol i circled in come up when i put the car in gear and the DLRs turn on, or does it just come up the when it's night? 

 

If it is like an Avensis it only comes on when lights (other than your DRLs) are lit - either manually selected or brought on by falling light levels with the switch in Auto. Your DRLs only can be on with no indication on the dash.

[yossarian247]

10 hours ago, Heidfirst said:

If it is like an Avensis it only comes on when lights (other than your DRLs) are lit - either manually selected or brought on by falling light levels with the switch in Auto. Your DRLs only can be on with no indication on the dash.

That's been my experience with daytime running lights too, in Toyotas and other makes. There is never any indication on the dash that the daytime running lights are on.

[FROSTYBALLS]

We're on our third new car with DRL's (Toyota and Hyundai) and none show any indication on the dashboard that the DRL's are operational or not.

The 'two light' symbol is for position/side lights or headlights.

[Catlover]

I suppose it could have been Volvo who originated DRL as a safety concern, I wonder if they had an ON indicator on the dash.

[mrpj]

19 minutes ago, Catlover said:

I suppose it could have been Volvo who originated DRL as a safety concern, I wonder if they had an ON indicator on the dash.

I think it was Joe, along with Saab. Then similar was adopted here with "dimmed" headlights. I owned an old Peugeot Family Estate car with those fitted.

I could be wrong, usually I am, but I think they were phased out because, when dimmed, a halogen lamp doesn't operate at the correct temperature. Thus premature failure.

[FROSTYBALLS]

14 minutes ago, mrpj said:

Then similar was adopted here with "dimmed" headlights

It was the 'dim dip' system which was peculair to the UK. Eventually it was dropped in favour of running lights.

[Catlover]

Are DRL’s now mandatory in the uk.

[Heidfirst]

yes, since 2011 on all new cars.

[Cyker]

With my Mk4 Yaris, the DRLs do NOT come on until I put the car into D, then they always stay on.

If I turn the car on to Ready mode (i.e. footbrake+Start button), but leave it in P, and get out to look, the DRLs are off. When I shift it to D, or R, they turn on and stay on (Even if I put it back into P) until I press the Start button to turn off the car - Might be a similar thing with yours?

It's easier to see this if you park facing a window or wall so you can see the reflection of the DRL.

If you're looking for a dashboard status light, there isn't one for DRLs as they're assumed to be always on.

 

[FROSTYBALLS]

6 hours ago, Catlover said:

Are DRL’s now mandatory in the uk.

DRL's were mandatory on new Type Approvals from 2011, and on all new cars from November 2014.

For example the second generation Auris carried forward the 2007 Type Approval from the first generation, so didn't need to have DRL's until November 2014. 

[Toyauris2014]

Hey again, i tried to put it in gear and out of park and it worked. Thank you so much for your help. I was about to book a service.

The strange thing i went to a toyota dealer and asked him about it. He checked the lights and moved the switch and said starnge he didn't know. And I should book a service.

Thank you so much for your help.

[Cyker]

Congrats on sorting it :)

Yeah, I find, esp. with the new models, the dealers really don't know their quirks very well. I guess they don't get to take newer models as loaners to drive them around and familiarize themselves with them like they used to. At my dealer, most of the staff don't even seem to own Toyotas!

I don't think it's like this in all the dealers, but with mine the gap in knowledge is really bad - They rely on TSBs over experience far too much to do things. I still remember being shocked when they tried to insist changing the fuel filter in my old diesel was an expensive job because it was in the tank (It isn't, it's under the hood near the alternator!), and most recently they claimed they were unable to fit a rear dash cam in my Mk4 because they claimed they had to remove a one-use piece of trim that I'd have to pay £50 to replace (I still don't even know what that was about!).

It's things like this that really shake my confidence in the franchised dealers...

 

[Toyauris2014]

29 minutes ago, Cyker said:

Congrats on sorting it 🙂

Yeah, I find, esp. with the new models, the dealers really don't know their quirks very well. I guess they don't get to take newer models as loaners to drive them around and familiarize themselves with them like they used to. At my dealer, most of the staff don't even seem to own Toyotas!

I don't think it's like this in all the dealers, but with mine the gap in knowledge is really bad - They rely on TSBs over experience far too much to do things. I still remember being shocked when they tried to insist changing the fuel filter in my old diesel was an expensive job because it was in the tank (It isn't, it's under the hood near the alternator!), and most recently they claimed they were unable to fit a rear dash cam in my Mk4 because they claimed they had to remove a one-use piece of trim that I'd have to pay £50 to replace (I still don't even know what that was about!).

It's things like this that really shake my confidence in the franchised dealers...

 

Yeah i was close  to booking a service....after he told me to do that. But thanks good i asked here first . Iwill start do to my research about some good mechanics people can vouch for. 

[yossarian247]

22 hours ago, mrpj said:

Then similar was adopted here with "dimmed" headlights. I owned an old Peugeot Family Estate car with those fitted.

I could be wrong, usually I am, but I think they were phased out because, when dimmed, a halogen lamp doesn't operate at the correct temperature. Thus premature failure.

They were called "dim-dip" headlights and were phased out when Britain became part of the single European market. Although individual member states could set their own vehicle construction & use regulations they had to demonstrate that any such regs were not an unneccessary barrier to free trade accross the EU. The UK government could have gone through the process and made a case for getting dim-dip allowed as part of the construction and use regs, but I think basically they didn't consider it was worth the effort so we fell into line with the rest of the EU. From that point onwards manufacturers selling cars in the UK could still choose to fit dim-dip to new cars if they wished, but the government could no longer compel them to. Not surprisingly they mostly didn't bother.

[rajivrattna]

Our 2015 auris (in Sweden) does not have indicator on the dash showing when the DRL is on. Since the early morning hours are now quite dark in Sweden the headlights (low beam) come on instead of the DRL as you start the car. I noticed that the other day when the wife drove off to work.

[mrpj]

On 8/26/2021 at 11:48 AM, FROSTYBALLS said:

It was the 'dim dip' system which was peculair to the UK. Eventually it was dropped in favour of running lights.

It was dropped, as I wrote, because the halogen lamps were operating at the wrong temperature (with reduced voltage) either resulting in premature failure and/or discolouring the lenses.

Fortunately my present car is pre daytime fairy light lookalikes as some manufacturers seem to favour using!

It also has "automatic" lights and I don't even know if they work. Never used them. I will decide when to switch on the lights.

[yossarian247]

2 hours ago, mrpj said:

It was dropped, as I wrote, because the halogen lamps were operating at the wrong temperature (with reduced voltage) either resulting in premature failure and/or discolouring the lenses.

 

It was actually dropped because the EC/EU took the UK government to court and prevented the UK from enforcing a vehicle lighting setup that didn't comply with EC standardised regulations, which dim-dip did not.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automotive_lighting#Dim-dip_lamps

 

If anything, running an incandescent bulb at a lower voltage/brightness tends to make them last longer, rather than fail prematurely.