2023 expedition max tail lights didn’t auto come on?

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justinj229

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So was driving home tonight and I kept getting flashed by cars behind me so I pulled into a Walmart and my tail lights weren’t on at all. My brake lights worked but taillights were not on. I looked and my switch was on the A auto for headlights which is what I keep it on. I did some tests when I got home and seems half my tail lights came in the top half but the bottom half is staying off on both sides. When I hit brake just the top half lights up not the silver part and below. Anyone seen this?
 

99WhiteC5Coupe

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Question here

So was driving home tonight and I kept getting flashed by cars behind me so I pulled into a Walmart and my tail lights weren’t on at all. My brake lights worked but taillights were not on. I looked and my switch was on the A auto for headlights which is what I keep it on. I did some tests when I got home and seems half my tail lights came in the top half but the bottom half is staying off on both sides. When I hit brake just the top half lights up not the silver part and below. Anyone seen this?


Has the vehicle been repaired after damage to the rear end?

If not - warranty repair?
 
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justinj229

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Both are same way if I hit brake top and bottom light up but when I drove the setting on dash was the one with the A for headlight switch - I pulled over and cycled through them and it went back to working. But the taillights I just see top lit up on both.
 
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justinj229

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Also added context my lane assist doesn’t work I see grey lines every time - could all this be related to the front camera being malfunctioning?
 

JamaicaJoe

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AUTO and Daylight Running Lights (Headlights) in many vehicles do not actually turn turn on the tail lights. It has been this way a long time. I don't know why the NHTSB does not reign in this potential hazard. I first learned of it driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee rental vehicle. I got pulled over by FHP trooper who kindly gave me advice on how it worked. No ticket.
 

apex96

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AUTO and Daylight Running Lights (Headlights) in many vehicles do not actually turn turn on the tail lights. It has been this way a long time. I don't know why the NHTSB does not reign in this potential hazard. I first learned of it driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee rental vehicle. I got pulled over by FHP trooper who kindly gave me advice on how it worked. No ticket.
If a vehicle has auto dusk to dawn lights then the auto function will turn on the headlights and taillights when the photovoltaic sensor deems it dark enough. Now if your vehicle doesn't have this feature you wont have auto lights. You're confusing daytime running lights for automatic lights and they are NOT the same. Many cars have DRLs as they are now mandated to have them. Many people Also still think they need to manually control their headlights and turn the knob to the "O" or off position and then want to determine when to turn on their lights for themselves... problem is they fool themselves because DRLs are relatively bright in low light situations on most cars and those folks think their lights are on when they aren't.

Best advise I can give is turn the knob all the way to the right to the right and then back to the left one notch in the 2022+ expeditions as that is the auto light setting and will ensure the lights come on when it gets dark enough out. In bad weather you can go back one click further to the left right for manual light control (for when it's misting or dry snowing and the light conditions are bright enough not to trigger the lights and you haven't activated the wipers). I have a 2024 for work and just checked the light controls and they are different from the 2018-2021 expeditions as the flipped the Auto and manual light positions on the knob.

In the OP's case I believe he's got some electrical issues stemming from a previous collision. It's likely the shop did a botched repair and it will need to be properly diagnosed and repaired to bring back full functionality.
 
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