I agree with the above 2 posts -

On my daily travels, I run on a road that is just about all covered over with a canopy of trees. When it is raining, or even on cloudy days, I will run with my headlights on - while on this road, my dash lights will come on and go off a few times going in and out of the canopy - really quite annoying.

 

My past job installing computer equipment all over the world, driving 12 -14 hrs a day to get there ( 99 f150 xlt 4x4 ) , and running into the occasional person who would not see me. I always drove with my lights on, however just DRL's would have been fine.
So when i got my 09 plat. I had the DRL's turned on. As soon as the truck is in any gear , out of Park. the headlights turn on. half bright. Its an option , takes 5 mins to turn on.

the dash lights working the way they do , is different. it also seems to me , that depending on how high my dimmer is set. also determines, when they are on? im probably just seeing things.

i do love these trucks. if i could just get used to the tranny shifts!.
have a good week everyone.

 

Don't know how many of you have noticed but the headlights come on when the wipers are on. Even delay wipers.I like this feature.

 

Never noticed this - probably since the dash lights don't come on during the day.

I'm going to have to check this out......

 

Yup...plus one. There were a few times this Summer when we were towing the trailer near dusk and the dash lights would not come on and I could not see how fast I was going winding through the mountians.

 

Deano same here...in auto mode the exterior and dash lights should always come on at the same time...they are both controlled by the same sensor...right? It's only when you manually turn on the headlights during the day that the dash lights don't come on. My only issue with the system is that Ford programmed it to take too long to come on as it is getting dark out and when going into tunnels, etc. My BMW auto feature is instant on, which is handy when entering a dark tunnel/underpass at freeway speeds etc. Anyone know if that sensor is adjustable?

 

Didn't notice this - thanks for the heads up Here in Cali it's actually the law that when it's raining out, you are supposed to turn on your headlights - commons sense - but here comes BIG BROTHER

 

betcher - didn't even realize it was an option on US trucks to have the DRL's turned on - so all the equipment for the DRL's must already be installed? Also, did you have to have your dealer do it for you? This is something I'd ber very interested in doing as being seen helps reduce accidentsthx

 

Just checked mine - doesn't do it for me.
I have an FX4 - maybe it is a Lariat or Platinum feature?

 

Some of you guys must have bad eye sight. I have been doing a lot of driveing to the lake and back this last 2 weeks and it's been pretty dark at times with loads of tree cover and sometimes my dash lights will come on and sometimes not but i have no problem seeing them when they are on or off. They come on way before you should have problem seeings the dials. At the point mine funtion i can only just about see the blue glow from them being on. Also the reason they have a delay to turn on and off is so that the lights dont cycle. This was a common prob with the early versions of auto headlights where you would pass under a tree or a small single bridge an they would turn on for a couple of secs then turn of again.

 

I have a XLT and it works on mine. I had to try it out today after reading this. Hasn't rained for a month here (just got the truck a month ago) so I had no idea about it.

 

Lights come on for me with the wipers also

 

WTH? If I ever can remember, I'll have to check this out to see if my truck does this. Bizarre. Do they pop on when you use windshield washer fluid to clean your glass too? Odd, very odd.

 

nope... they don't come on if you push in on the wiper ****... only if you turn it.

 

Strange. I'll have to check it out when I remember it sometime I'm outside. I have left the delay wiper on a couple times when coming home when it was raining, and come outside the next morning to my remote-started truck with it raining and the wipers occasionally wiping, and no headlights on then. Perhaps that has something to do with it being remote started?