Auto high beam headlight issue. SOLVED

19 Denali ultimate · December 24, 2019

I have a 19 Denali ultimate with the automatic system for the high beams and am having an issue. I was also wondering if anyone else had a similar problem and what was done to fix it. About 95 to 98 percent of the time they will not activate at all, it is like the push button switch on the end of the turn signal isn't working. The odd time it does come on, it will shut off randomly. I completely understand how the system works, so I know that all the necessary circumstances are being met for them to work, but the system shuts off completely. I can try turning the auto high beam system on over and over time and time again but it won't turn on. It is going in soon for another recall and will have it checked then but was curious if I am not alone in this lol. Thanks.

Edited January 8, 2020 by 19 Denali ultimate
Issue fixed.

Rocz3cqg · December 24, 2019

I believe the sensor in the center of the dash will activate the system by indication of the icon appearing on the left side of the gage cluster. The windshield front camera then controls whether the headlights go dim or bright depending on the what the camera detects ahead of the vehicle. Are you having problems with anything else the camera controls? Lane Change Alert, Lane Keep Assist, Forward Collision Alert and Forward Braking? Do the headlights come on in Auto in a timely manner when darkness prevails? My Intellibeam system will at times go on and off when it is cold outside and ice has been cleared off the windows. During the summer, no problem. Winter is a different story.

RaisedByWolves · December 24, 2019

Yeah, window fog/dew are the only thing that has made mine not work correctly.

Ravenkeeper · December 30, 2019

On my '18, short "burst" of HIGHs (turn signal forward and back to neutral, less than 1 second) turns my Intellabeams ON/OFF, and while the Intellabeam HIGHs are ON, engaging my HIGHs (even momentarily) turns them off. Flash to Pass does not turn them on/off.

Other than that, I'd dig through your vehicle settings.

Frasierts · January 1, 2020

On my 2020 I noticed that auto bright does no work when you turn on your fog lights. If I keep my dogs off, the auto high beams work fine. Weird if you ask me...

Ravenkeeper · January 4, 2020

On 1/1/2020 at 2:58 PM, Frasierts said:

On my 2020 I noticed that auto bright does no work when you turn on your fog lights. If I keep my dogs off, the auto high beams work fine. Weird if you ask me...

My '18 is the same way.

19 Denali ultimate · January 8, 2020

On 12/23/2019 at 10:11 PM, 19 Denali ultimate said:

I have a 19 Denali ultimate with the automatic system for the high beams and am having an issue. I was also wondering if anyone else had a similar problem and what was done to fix it. About 95 to 98 percent of the time they will not activate at all, it is like the push button switch on the end of the turn signal isn't working. The odd time it does come on, it will shut off randomly. I completely understand how the system works, so I know that all the necessary circumstances are being met for them to work, but the system shuts off completely. I can try turning the auto high beam system on over and over time and time again but it won't turn on. It is going in soon for another recall and will have it checked then but was curious if I am not alone in this lol. Thanks.

It is currently at the dealership getting fixed. They told me that there is an ambient light sensor in the front bumper that was faulty.

Rocz3cqg · January 9, 2020

6 hours ago, 19 Denali ultimate said:

It is currently at the dealership getting fixed. They told me that there is an ambient light sensor in the front bumper that was faulty.

I thought the light sensor was in the middle of the dash in front of that cubby hole. Use to be the temperature sensor was in the front grill. Guess I will have to look it up.

19 Denali ultimate · January 9, 2020

I thought it was the camera behind the rear view mirror but I am only going by what they said, I'll know more when I pick it up.

Jswaze88 · January 9, 2020

I’ve noticed the same with the fog lamps

Edited January 9, 2020 by Jswaze88

Z45 · January 9, 2020

On 1/1/2020 at 5:58 PM, Frasierts said:

On my 2020 I noticed that auto bright does no work when you turn on your fog lights. If I keep my dogs off, the auto high beams work fine. Weird if you ask me...

That's the way its designed. Having fog lights on with the brights serves no useful purpose. Fog lights are designed to illuminate the road so you can see through the fog better. When the brights are on it makes seeing more difficult in the fog. Fog lights are for safer driving not to over power oncoming traffic with more headlight power.

The purpose of the fog lamp is to show the driver the road edges, lane markings and the foreground abruptly appearing during road drive. When used with headlamps in extremely poor visibility, a driver can maneuver safely at slow speed in snow, fog or heavy rains.

Rocz3cqg · January 9, 2020

11 hours ago, 19 Denali ultimate said:

I thought it was the camera behind the rear view mirror but I am only going by what they said, I'll know more when I pick it up.

The sensor in the dash controls when the intellibeam becomes activate while the camera in front of the rearview mirror determines when the brights turn on and off I believe.

Repp · November 27, 2020

I have a 2020 Denali 1500 and have experienced the same issue with my auto dim system. It seems to work for awhile then the auto dim logo in the dash goes off even though it's dark out w/no or very little ambient light. Pushing the auto dim switch on the end of the turn signle stalk doesn't do anything. So, the auto dim system is only working intermittently even though it is dark and I am above the speed at which the system is supposed to activate. No fog or anything else on the windshield that might cause the system to deactivate. Hopefully a simple software upgrade will solve my issue?

redwngr · November 27, 2020

On 12/30/2019 at 3:50 PM, Ravenkeeper said:

On my '18, short "burst" of HIGHs (turn signal forward and back to neutral, less than 1 second) turns my Intellabeams ON/OFF, and while the Intellabeam HIGHs are ON, engaging my HIGHs (even momentarily) turns them off. Flash to Pass does not turn them on/off.

Other than that, I'd dig through your vehicle settings.

Had that system on a 2016.

I bet you'll find the new system with the button on the end of the lever to be much more user friendly.

redwngr · November 27, 2020

Driving with IntelliBeam

The system only activates the high beams when driving over 40 km/h (25 mph).

The blue high-beam on light appears on the instrument cluster when the high beams are on.

There is a sensor near the top center of the windshield that automatically controls the system.

Keep this area of the windshield clear of debris to allow for best system performance.

The high-beam headlamps remain on, under the automatic control, until one of the following situations occurs:
. The system detects an approaching vehicle's headlamps.
. The system detects a preceding vehicle's taillamps.
. The outside light is bright enough that high-beam headlamps are not required.
. The vehicle's speed drops below 20 km/h (12 mph).
. The IntelliBeam system is disabled by the button on the turn signal lever. If this happens, press the button on the turn signal lever when the exterior lamp control is in the AUTO or Headlight On position to reactivate the IntelliBeam system. The instrument cluster light will come on to indicate the IntelliBeam system is reactivated.