Check adaptive headlights, see manual - warning.

[rourkey555]

Hi there,
I’m new to the forum. I was wondering if anyone has experienced a warning on their dash saying - Check adaptive headlights, see manual? I have a mk8.5 ST3 Fiesta and I have been troubled with this warning for the past 6 months. I have had the car in at the Ford dealership and I’m being told that there is no issue with my lights. I explained that the lights do not sweep left and right with steering wheel input, while the car is in motion.
I also own a Mk3.5 ST3 Focus. It has adaptive headlights which follow the steering wheel input.
When the Focus is started, you can see the headlights move up and down and left to right. I assume this is self levelling and some sort of adaptive headlight diagnostic.
My Fiesta ST3 does not do the left to right movement and they certainly do not move with steering input while the car is in motion.
The car is due a service in the coming months so, I may try a different dealership to see if I have any better luck with them.
In my eyes, the adaptive headlight function on my car is not working!
thank you in advance 👍

 

[Intuit]

I'm guessing that EPAS/PSCM and BCM have to talk to one another to pull this off. Sounds like the BCM is able to manipulate the headlamps but is not acting on input from EPAS/PSCM. I would ask if this was an option that could be turned on/off in the menu system but the warning message implies that this isn't necessarily relevant. Use https://forscan.org/ to see whether there are any codes present. (make sure the software is compatible with your vehicle prior to purchasing the connective hardware)

 

[rourkey555]

Hi Intuit,
Thank you for your reply.
The dealer informed me that they checked for codes but, none were found.
They asked if I could bring the car in with the fault on the digital display but, it is so intermittent that that isn’t really possible.
I don’t understand what is so difficult for the dealership to understand? The adaptive aspect of the headlights does not work.
Thanks again. 👍

 

[Intuit]

Intermittent problems can be the worse. You'd think there would a historical code set but maybe the code is reset with each ignition cycle? May try reading codes without keying off the next time it pops-up. Any changes from stock, including light bulb replacements?

 

[rourkey555]

No, no changes or modifications at all. The car is completely standard. I believe they are the matrix LED headlamps.
Everything works as it should. It’s just that the adaptive aspect of the headlights doesn’t work.
thanks.

 

[Intuit]

The Ford techs should be able to track this down. The techs have a back-channel to reach out to Ford; and it is Ford's technical support staff who can tell the tech what steps to take. If that dealer refuses to help, then reach out to Ford directly yourself and they'll direct you to a dealer for service. In the meantime just re-seat the cables connecting the headlamps. I have a different generation but no matter how much I fiddled and re-fiddled with it, couldn't get one of the connectors to fully seat without removing the gasket. Everything worked properly, the connector stayed in place, it just wouldn't fully seat and "click". (this was only after taking it apart to re-pin the connector)

 

[rourkey555]

Thank you for your help, Intuit.
I have read that the headlight modules should store diagnostic trouble codes if there is a problem with them.
I have contacted Ford but, I got an email back which made it sound like they couldn’t care less.
I am a reasonably competent home mechanic but, my knowledge is limited where this type of system is concerned.
My understanding is that something between the steering wheel and the headlights, perhaps a sensor, could be the issue.
I was hoping that someone on this forum might have had the same problem.
If I have no joy here, I will just have to take it up with the other Ford Dealership that is local to me.
thanks 👍

 

[TyphoonFiST]

Not in Murica* Wish we did have that problem though!

 

[M-Sport fan]

Yeah, your only hope of any helpful responses on here is from a fellow Brit Isles owner, or one of the other rest of world Mk8 owners who frequent this site.

 

[SteveS]

I don't think I'd be emailing the Ford dealer. I would GO to the Ford dealer. If I am interpreting your idiosyncratic way of saying the year of your car, it should still be under warranty. You may have to leave it overnight for diagnosis. If you don't trust the first one, take it to the other one.

 

[rourkey555]

I don't think I'd be emailing the Ford dealer. I would GO to the Ford dealer. If I am interpreting your idiosyncratic way of saying the year of your car, it should still be under warranty. You may have to leave it overnight for diagnosis. If you don't trust the first one, take it to the other one.

The car is a 2022 so yes, it’s still under warranty for another year or so.
I will take the car to the other dealership local to me. I just assumed that someone on this forum would have had the same issue. There’s plenty online about the fault, across the range. Unfortunately not a lot about the mk8.5 ST3 - 2022 / last of the Fiesta builds though.
Thanks.