Automatic High beam is not working

[shivendra]

After second maintenance it stopped working now dealer is not able to fix, what are the options with customer.

How to get it fixed car is still under 2 yrs warranty

Have complained to Toyota but dealer said they will also not do anything.

What to do next to get it fixed,any consumer court go get this issue addressed if Toyota refuses to fix.

It's 2023 Toyota Corolla Hybrid LE

[FROSTYBALLS]

As regards the warranty, depends whether the fault is a manufacturing defect.

Have Toyota US responded?

As Toyota Owners Club is UK based, with the majority of members in the UK, we're not in a position to advise what legal action is applicable in the US.

[TopGeek]

I took my car in for its first service today - only 2450 kms in 14 months. The only issue I have is that I have never had the automatic main beam working. I have the left stick forward and the left lower switch on. The blue main beam indicator does not go out when another vehicle comes towards me. In fact, I have often been flashed by approaching vehicles.

My main dealership, where I bought the car new last year, had no idea how to test this feature and ended up saying I should test it myself in my own garage at night - and shine a bright torch at the detector in the rear mirror assembly. I've done that and there is no reaction. The garage technician carried out another daylight test, with a detector mounted on the dashboard, which did  turn the main beam off when he covered it That obviously prevents high beam being used in daylight but it doesn't play any part in preventing high beam blinding other drivers at night.

NB: Mine is a left-hand-drive vehicle so the positions of detectors and switches may differ to those of UK vehicles.

BTW: the cost of the service was a shock at €350, considering it took exactly one hour and the car has had so little use.

[TopGeek]

The Toyota garage informed me that the Automatic Main Beam feature is not speed dependend but, when I check the Manual, I find that this feature only works above 30kmh. Consequently, it is impossible to carry out static testing.

[SDR]

3 hours ago, TopGeek said:

I took my car in for its first service today - only 2450 kms in 14 months. The only issue I have is that I have never had the automatic main beam working. I have the left stick forward and the left lower switch on. 

My car is a 2024 Corolla so the controls may not be exactly the same as yours.

However, on my car the automatic high beam is activated by pressing the switch on the lower dash but leaving the stalk (stick as you call it) in the low beam position, i.e. back closer to the driver, not forward closer to the windscreen.   Worth a try...

I don't know what your manual says but I have already learned that mine is out of date,

 

 

[TopGeek]

Thanks Simon. That does indeed seem to be the same with my car. The manual is quite confusing in this respect. Even so, that is how I normally drive, with the Auto high beam switch 'on' and the stalk in the middlie (low beam) position. However, the Blue auto high beam indicator never comes on automatically. It only lights up if I push the stalk forward.

[SDR]

27 minutes ago, TopGeek said:

 Even so, that is how I normally drive, with the Auto high beam switch 'on' and the stalk in the middlie (low beam) position. However, the Blue auto high beam indicator never comes on automatically. It only lights up if I push the stalk forward.

That is correct, I believe.  When you have the AHB switch on the dash turned on, and the stalk in the low beam position, you get a green indicator that looks like a headlight with an 'A' inside it.   This tells you that AHB is active and the headlights will change automatically between low and high beam according to the conditions (above 30kmh, no or minimal streetlights, no car lights, etc.).   

The blue high beam indicator doesn't come on when AHB is active, even when the headlights are actually on high beam.   You only see the blue high beam indicator if you push the stalk forward to manually select high beam.   This is how mine works anyway. 

[Extreme_One]

Unless they've changed it from the 2023 model to the 2024 model, the above is incorrect. 

You need to push the button by your knee to activate AHB, and you must have the stalk pushed forward as if you were manually activating HB. However HB won't switch on in this mode unless the conditions are right. 

You'll see the green indicator that looks like a headlight with an 'A' inside it, telling you the system is active.

Then the car will automatically activate High Beam when appropriate and you will see the blue light on the dash when high beam is active. High Beam will switch off automatically when it detects other traffic and street lights etc. also deactivating the blue light on the dash.

This is how mine works anyway.

 

 

 

[AndrueC]

Stalk forward is 'high beams on' but if auto dip is active they only come on if the head lights are on and the car thinks it's safe (which is not very reliable).

Stalk middle is high beams off at all times.

Stalk backward (has to be held) is flash lights.

[Extreme_One]

7 minutes ago, AndrueC said:

and the car thinks it's safe (which is not very reliable).

In my experience mine is incredibly reliable. I think Toyota must have improved the algorithm on the newer models.

I had a 2021 Corolla on which the AHB was erratic to say the least, but the 2023 model is far better, in my experience.

It's incredibly rare I ever need to intervene and, in the event of another car approaching, my high beam is usually off well before the other car has reacted and back on again as soon as they've passed.

It's literally something I can set-and-forget now.

[SDR]

3 hours ago, Extreme_One said:

Unless they've changed it from the 2023 model to the 2024 model, the above is incorrect. 

You need to push the button by your knee to activate AHB, and you must have the stalk pushed forward as if you were manually activating HB. However HB won't switch on in this mode unless the conditions are right. 

You'll see the green indicator that looks like a headlight with an 'A' inside it, telling you the system is active.

Then the car will automatically activate High Beam when appropriate and you will see the blue light on the dash when high beam is active. High Beam will switch off automatically when it detects other traffic and street lights etc. also deactivating the blue light on the dash.

This is how mine works anyway.

 

 

 

It seems that there has indeed been a change in the way that the AHB system operates.   When I had a firm delivery date for my car, and being new to Toyotas, I looked at a few Youtube videos to get an idea how everything worked.   IIRC, AHB operation was as you describe.

However, the AHB system on my car definitely works as I have described above, i.e. AHB switch 'on' and stalk in the low beam position.

This from my car's manual:

2024 Corolla Hybrid Hatchback Touring Sports - Owner Manual

Using the Automatic High Beam system

1. Press the Automatic High Beam switch.

   

2. Turn the headlight switch to the or position.

   When the headlight switch lever is in the low beam position, the AHB system will be enabled and the AHB indicator will illuminate.

   

 

Turning the high beams on/off manually

Changing to the high beams

Push the lever forward.

The Automatic High Beam indicator will turn off and the high beam indicator will turn on.

Pull the lever to its original position to enable the Automatic High Beam system again.

Changing to the low beams

Press the Automatic High Beam switch.

The Automatic High Beam indicator will turn off.

Press the switch to enable the Automatic High Beam system again.

Temporarily changing to the low beams

It is recommended to switch to the low beams when use of the high beams is inappropriate or when the high beams may cause problems or distress to other drivers or pedestrians nearby.

Pull the lever rearward and then return it to its original position.

The high beams will illuminate while the lever is pulled, however, after the lever is returned to its original position, the low beams will remain on for a certain amount of time. After this, the Automatic High Beam system will operate.

 

 

As a by-the-by, I have also found that it seems to work very well.   So far, I don't think that I have ever needed to intervene and I don't think that I have been flashed by anyone for being too slow to dip my lights.

[TopGeek]

Hardly surprising that there is confusion. The technicians at my main dealership clearly don't know how the AHB system works and, if Toyota has changed it, the online manual may or may not apply to my car.

During the time I have had the car, I have tried many times and have never seen the system working, either by observing the blue light or by watching the actual main beam activity. I suppose I'm going to have to go out on an unlit road at night and do some more testing.

[SDR]

2 hours ago, TopGeek said:

I suppose I'm going to have to go out on an unlit road at night and do some more testing.

'afraid so 🤔

FWIW, I am - to put it politely - not overly impressed with the manual.   It's clear enough on stuff like headlights but when it comes to setting up the main meter screen... 👺

[trashman1965]

Still waiting on my new Corolla but I understood the newer Excel you leave on "main beam" all the time and it adjusted the beams/matrix as needed.

Certainly my MY21 is auto when forward, dipped in "middle" (ie overriding auto). 

[SDR]

28 minutes ago, trashman1965 said:

Still waiting on my new Corolla but I understood the newer Excel you leave on "main beam" all the time and it adjusted the beams/matrix as needed.

Certainly my MY21 is auto when forward, dipped in "middle" (ie overriding auto). 

I think that the Excel has matrix headlights, or whatever Toyota calls them?   Completely different to the other models.   The manual does have instructions for their use but I have never read that bit!

For the other headlight types, Toyota seems to have changed how they work for MY24.   Auto in low beam position, forward overrides auto to manually select high beam.

[TopGeek]

Yes indeed. I have been deluded into thinking that the AHB function worked with the stalk in the high beam/forward position but, based on your earlier advice, Simon, I went out into the countryside this evening and found that it works as you described, with the stalk in the low beam position. Another thing that surprised me is that it does not work on normally-lit roads. The ambient lighting is sufficient to block AHB. I rarely use unlit roads so that's the reason I had never seen AHB in operation.

[SDR]

1 hour ago, TopGeek said:

Yes indeed. I have been deluded into thinking that the AHB function worked with the stalk in the high beam/forward position but, based on your earlier advice, Simon, I went out into the countryside this evening and found that it works as you described, with the stalk in the low beam position. Another thing that surprised me is that it does not work on normally-lit roads. The ambient lighting is sufficient to block AHB. I rarely use unlit roads so that's the reason I had never seen AHB in operation.

Pleased to hear that it works!

There's quite a lot of detail in the manual, for my car anyway, about when the system will switch to high beam and when it won't;  I didn't copy and paste all of it above.   

In a nutshell, it isn't designed to switch to high beam on roads with streetlights, so it looks as though it is working as intended.

[TopGeek]

On 5/14/2024 at 9:04 AM, AndrueC said:

Stalk forward is 'high beams on' but if auto dip is active they only come on if the head lights are on and the car thinks it's safe (which is not very reliable).

Stalk middle is high beams off at all times.

Stalk backward (has to be held) is flash lights.

It seems that this may be true for certain production years and is what I had been led to believe. However, the logic has changed. In my case AHB works with the stalk in the low-beam (middle) position and is solely dependent on the AHB switch being 'on' and the rotary headlight switch on the stalk being in the Low-Beam or Auto position..

[Roker]

On 5/13/2024 at 10:11 PM, SDR said:

My car is a 2024 Corolla so the controls may not be exactly the same as yours.

However, on my car the automatic high beam is activated by pressing the switch on the lower dash but leaving the stalk (stick as you call it) in the low beam position, i.e. back closer to the driver, not forward closer to the windscreen.   Worth a try...

I don't know what your manual says but I have already learned that mine is out of date,

 

 

My 2020 is exactly opposite it must be switched to high be for automatic beam to dip it

[SDR]

4 hours ago, Roker said:

My 2020 is exactly opposite it must be switched to high be for automatic beam to dip it

For sure.   If you read through the thread in detail, it works the same way as yours up to and including 2023 Corollas. 

The change, to AHB working with the stalk in the low beam position, has only started with MY24 Corollas (copy and paste of Manual above).

[Extreme_One]

I feel a bit silly now, but I think it's best to own your mistakes. 🙂

I tested this last night and it turns out I was wrong with my earlier assertion.

On my 2023 Corolla I need to put the stalk in the central position with the button by my knee active for AHB to work.

I think I confused myself because I haven't driven in the dark for a couple of months, and on my previous 2021 Corolla you had to push the stalk forward when using AHB.

It's actually better this way as if, on the rare occasion, the car doesn't react quick enough and dazzles an oncoming driver I can pull the stalk towards me (like you do when you're flashing) and the AHB is overridden momentarily and dips the beam before reactivating shortly after.

Sorry if I caused additional unnecessary confusion on the subject!!

[SDR]

9 minutes ago, Extreme_One said:

I feel a bit silly now, but I think it's best to own your mistakes. 🙂

I tested this last night and it turns out I was wrong with my earlier assertion.

On my 2023 Corolla I need to put the stalk in the central position with the button by my knee active for AHB to work.

I think I confused myself because I haven't driven in the dark for a couple of months, and on my previous 2021 Corolla you had to push the stalk forward when using AHB.

It's actually better this way as if, on the rare occasion, the car doesn't react quick enough and dazzles an oncoming driver I can pull the stalk towards me (like you do when you're flashing) and the AHB is overridden momentarily and dips the beam before reactivating shortly after.

Sorry if I caused additional unnecessary confusion on the subject!!

No issues 🙂

I am guessing, then, that the change of functionality came with the MY23 facelift as it isn't just MY24 cars that have the different way of selecting AHB. 

I had been wondering why the change had been made and had been thinking that it might be to do with making it easier/quicker to temporarily dip the lights.  I have found that the system seems to work very but there are going to be times when I am going to need to override it;  I was thinking about pedestrians and cyclists in particular. 

[Extreme_One]

14 minutes ago, SDR said:

it might be to do with making it easier/quicker to temporarily dip the lights

That's my thoughts too. It's certainly easier than the old way.

[TopGeek]

On 5/16/2024 at 9:49 AM, SDR said:

For sure.   If you read through the thread in detail, it works the same way as yours up to and including 2023 Corollas. 

The change, to AHB working with the stalk in the low beam position, has only started with MY24 Corollas (copy and paste of Manual above).

That must depend on country as mine was delivered in Belgium on 28 Feb 2023.

In any case, my AHB does not work in the presence of even spubik street lighting. For economical reasons, Belgian residential street lights are now switched off at midnight so I have again had the opportunity to test that AHB works fine in the dark.

[SDR]

49 minutes ago, TopGeek said:

That must depend on country as mine was delivered in Belgium on 28 Feb 2023.

In any case, my AHB does not work in the presence of even spubik street lighting. For economical reasons, Belgian residential street lights are now switched off at midnight so I have again had the opportunity to test that AHB works fine in the dark.

Correct.   It is clear from more recent posts that the change of functionality, for UK market Corollas, happened with the MY23 facelift.

My AHB doesn't work on streetlit roads either, but it is clear from the manual that it is not meant to.