2021 Select High beam fade

[MacherAWD]

I have owned my 2021 Select almost 4 years now. Tonight I noticed the transition between high beam and low is now a fade/gradual vs abrupt. I swear the last 4 years it was instant.

Can someone with a select confirm? Might be a pending software update as settings were changed today which typically indicates background updates.

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[ReverendPete]

Hmmm, that feature was rolled out back in '22 via OTA, I believe. Did you recently get a long overdue OTA update?

I love that feature, BTW!

 

[Jimrpa]

I have a 2021 Premium at the latest software level and my headlamps do not “fade” from low beams to high beams (or vice versa). They just go “bright”-“dim”. A friend with an Escape has headlamps with that effect, and it’s neat, but I’d rather Ford gave us European style adaptive headlamps.

 

[Bad Dolphin]

I have owned my 2021 Select almost 4 years now. Tonight I noticed the transition between high beam and low is now a fade/gradual vs abrupt. I swear the last 4 years it was instant.

Can someone with a select confirm? Might be a pending software update as settings were changed today which typically indicates background updates.

Our new 2024 GT has that feature. Personally, it makes me crazy! I strongly prefer instant. On our rural roads, we use high beam a lot, and when there is more oncoming traffic than usual, the fading on of high beam can mean that I'm accidentally blasting someone. At the same time, if incoming car has passed I want to be able to get high beams immediately--not wait to see if they're going to fade on or if I missed the switch.

 

[MacherAWD]

Hmmm, that feature was rolled out back in '22 via OTA, I believe. Did you recently get a long overdue OTA update?

I love that feature, BTW!

No recent updates, you have a premium though, we have different headlights. Do we know it was rolled out to Selects also? Not sure which headlights are on the different GTs.

And it may very well be a feature I have had for years, I dont drive a lot at night and especially in areas that trigger high beams, so I might have forgotten.

Kinda funny that its a feature of the car, but I cant find out how it works from any ford documentation or my dealer, the car is an enigma.

 

[Mach-Lee]

No recent updates, you have a premium though, we have different headlights. Do we know it was rolled out to Selects also? Not sure which headlights are on the different GTs.

And it may very well be a feature I have had for years, I dont drive a lot at night and especially in areas that trigger high beams, so I might have forgotten.

Kinda funny that its a feature of the car, but I cant find out how it works from any ford documentation or my dealer, the car is an enigma.

You have to have the headlight switch in auto. If you normally always turn the auto headlights off or press the stalk to manually turn the high beam on and off you may have disabled auto mode without knowing it?

Fading high beams requires a configuration change to the HCM.

 

[kamorela]

Our new 2024 GT has that feature. Personally, it makes me crazy! I strongly prefer instant. On our rural roads, we use high beam a lot, and when there is more oncoming traffic than usual, the fading on of high beam can mean that I'm accidentally blasting someone. At the same time, if incoming car has passed I want to be able to get high beams immediately--not wait to see if they're going to fade on or if I missed the switch.

I agree, having instant bright/dim is highly desirable - and I think necessary - in certain situations. Coming around a curve with brights on and you meet an oncoming car, you want to instantly dim your headlights, or when summiting a hill. That said, I haven't seen the headlight fade so don't know how long it takes...maybe it's OK?

 

[Bad Dolphin]

I agree, having instant bright/dim is highly desirable - and I think necessary - in certain situations. Coming around a curve with brights on and you meet an oncoming car, you want to instantly dim your headlights, or when summiting a hill. That said, I haven't seen the headlight fade so don't know how long it takes...maybe it's OK?

Too slow for me...

 

[E90alex]

I agree, having instant bright/dim is highly desirable - and I think necessary - in certain situations. Coming around a curve with brights on and you meet an oncoming car, you want to instantly dim your headlights, or when summiting a hill. That said, I haven't seen the headlight fade so don't know how long it takes...maybe it's OK?

With auto high beams it only fades on but instantly switches off.

If you manually activate the high beams it will still be instant.

 

[Teslaeata]

I have owned my 2021 Select almost 4 years now. Tonight I noticed the transition between high beam and low is now a fade/gradual vs abrupt. I swear the last 4 years it was instant.

Can someone with a select confirm? Might be a pending software update as settings were changed today which typically indicates background updates.

I have Feb ‘21 Premium and it’s always been fade to and from high beam.

 

[Bad Dolphin]

With auto high beams it only fades on but instantly switches off.

If you manually activate the high beams it will still be instant.

Thanks. But that means lights won't automatically come on at dark, right? So I'd have to turn the lights on manually, like in my 2006 Porsche that's still performing nicely

 

[Jimrpa]

I always leave my headlamps in full auto.

 

[ChrisO]

Thanks. But that means lights won't automatically come on at dark, right? So I'd have to turn the lights on manually, like in my 2006 Porsche that's still performing nicely

There is a setting for "Auto High Beams" on the Vehicle -> Lighting list.

 

[Bad Dolphin]

Very helpful--thank you!

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