Help with experiment (autolights)

[akendall1966]

Excuse a new thread on auto lights, but would like to ask MG5 owners to perform a small experiment to see if there is something different between years of the model.

Page 40 of the owner's manual suggests the sensor on the centre of the dash is responsible for measuring ambient light and control the headlight automatically turning on. It says don't cover it. "Failure to adhere may result in the headlight operating when not necessary". this thing....

On my MG5 LR Exclusive 2022 supplied in April covering this has no effect the light so not turn on. On the windscreen bottom right of the blacked-out portion there is what I believe is the rain sensor, and another light sensor. Covering and uncovering this does cause the lights to operate.

What I am trying to figure out is if this dash sensor worked in earlier years of the model or if it is different between the excite and exclusive versions?

If you are willing, can you go out in daylight turn the car on and cover the dash sensor and see if the lights operate. Posting back the result with the year and trim level of your car?

 

[Deep purple]

I suggested that this was the location on the other thread, I must have read it somewhere!
I did what you asked and if you cover the bottom right corner of the blacked out bit (in front of the rear view mirror) where the small lens is with an object the lights switch on after a short interval, when you remove it they switch off after an interval and the DLR come on again.
Mine is an MG5 Exclusive supplied in early May 2022 from the shipment that arrived in April.
My lights don't come on until it is very dark which is no use so I usually have to go to manual operation.

 

[akendall1966]

Thanks sound like your was likely the same batch as mine. I collected 2nd May.

 

[DK1083]

I suggested that this was the location on the other thread, I must have read it somewhere!
I did what you asked and if you cover the bottom right corner of the blacked out bit (in front of the rear view mirror) where the small lens is with an object the lights switch on after a short interval, when you remove it they switch off after an interval and the DLR come on again.
Mine is an MG5 Exclusive supplied in early May 2022 from the shipment that arrived in April.
My lights don't come on until it is very dark which is no use so I usually have to go to manual operation.

I have a March 22 Exclusive and find the auto lights pretty useless and I was going to ask if there was a setting anywhere that could be altered. The only time the lights automatically operate is when it’s pitch black. Sometimes they don’t even operate in a tunnel.

 

[Deep purple]

There is a thread somewhere which dealt with this issue before and one of the posts said that the garage can tweak the settings if required, but I have not personally tried to get my garage to do it (yet).

 

[akendall1966]

What I was trying to achieve was to determine if the dash sensor actually works on any variant of the MG5. Everyone dislikes it being too dark before it turns on. But I think I have only heard of owners of 2022 shipped cars complain about the flashing on then off at dusk / low light. I believe 2 owners have taken their cars in without success to resolve either problem. Never took the car to them but my dealer told me it can't be adjusted.

The manual suggests the dash sensor should be operational so make me think it's been phased out in more recent cars. This might explain why the flashing is apparently only on 2022 cars.

If you cover this sensor on the dash in daylight, do your lights come on?

 

[Avro]

Can't say for sure* ref the MG 5 but in past vehicles these round sensors on the dash are "sunshine detectors for the aircon". It's more likely the lights are detected from a screen mounted detector.
Just for the record my previous Skoda Fabia III auto lights were probably worse than the MG! Auto lights on my Citroen are pretty damn good though. Given that both systems were likely supplied by Bosch or Valeo it's probably more due to be the specific installation.
* Just checked and l note the reference to the solar sensor in the manual in under Air Conditioning.