I was reading thru my owners manual this morning. I have it saved as a PDF. Every once in a while I scan thru it just to re-familiarize myself. I was mainly looking at how the trans. works in the different modes. So as I was scanning I found this. Something I don't remember reading before. It's under Drivers Controls-Multifunction lever, right after Windshield washer.
--Windshield wiper rainlamp feature (if equipped with autolamp)--
"When the windshield wipers are turned on during daylight, and the headlamp control is in the autolamp position, the exterior lamps will turn on after a brief delay and will remain on until the wipers are turned off."
It's kind of weird because a few days ago I was thinking about how the autolamp works. I was thinking back when I was a teenager and riding with my Dad in his '66 Fleetwood. I remember that the headlights would automatically come on when it got light out, And it also had a feature that when you were driving at night and had the high beams on, the car would automatically switch on the low beams when a car approached. There was a rotating slider around the headlight switch on the dash. You could adjust the sensitivity of how soon it would switch to the low beam. Then after all the on coming cars passed the high beams would come back on. That's something I would like to have on my truck.

 

Interesting. I just looked in my 2009 manual and don't have that feature.

I guess it is to help those folks who don't have the smarts to turn on their lights when it is raining. Most states now have laws of "wipers on - lights on". Since 75% of the driving public can't seem to figure this out, Ford has implemented this feature for them I guess.

 

In 2009, 2010, and 2013 it is called "rain sensing". Excerpted from the 2009 owner's manual ...

 

That's the exact opposite - wipers that sense rain, not headlights that sense wipers.

 

Yea, it's not a rain sensing system. That's a different option. That senses the rain on the windshield and operates the wipers. On this, during the day, if the autolamp is turned on, and you turn on the wipers, the headlights are turned on. It just says after a brief delay. So I guess one day I'll try it and see how it works.

 

This seems a bit redundant since we already have daytime running lights.

 

Did you buy your truck in Canada eh? US spec trucks don't have DRLs as a standard feature.

 

Or he bought it used and the previous owner added drl's. Since he lives in Florida, odds are its a us spec truck

 

It's used, yeah. I didn't realize they weren't standard. I would actually prefer if it didn't have them. But every time I shift into drive, the headlights come on.

 

My 2011 has this. Works great!

 

Maybe the daytime running lights come on if the lights are in the auto position?

 

I was just thinking about this. I wonder if the headlights are triggered with just the intermittent on? For me, the wipers constantly going back and forth in front of my face is distracting, and annoying. Unless it's an outright downpour, I'm almost always on the intermittent. The next time we have some "weather" I'll try it. At the moment it's bright and sunny out........

 

There's a pyramid shaped sensor in the middle of the dash right at the base of the windshield. This sensor is what turns the headlights on when the switch is in the Auto position. I'm not entirely sure what the logic is with the rain sensing wipers. It's too cold outside for me to get the hose out and spray the windshield with a hose to see.

JohnBoy, if your truck has DRLs it has been added by a former owner. The laws between the US and Canada are almost identical for vehicle equipment. Some of the only differences are Canada requires DRL, a maple syrup scented air freshener and de meeetric numbers on the instrument panel. For this reason activating the DRLs is a pretty easy thing to do. Most vehicles use a relay or some type of control module while others use a software switch in the PCM. I'm not sure what type of control is used on the late model Ford trucks but with a quick search you should be able to sort it out.

 

The reason for this feature is that some states (I'm pretty sure Ohio is one) require drivers to activate their running lights whenever they are using their windshield wipers. The assumption being that rain decreases visibility. However, unless your vehicle has a feature to turn your lights on automatically, forgetting to turn on your lights when using the wipers in a light mist for example, could end up being more of a revenue enhancer for local municipalities than an accident preventer. This "automatic on" feature takes human error out of the equation and prevents a frivolous ticket.

 

It is, they passed it into law about two years ago.