As an Amazon associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

The headlamp high beam feature is an essential component in modern vehicles, offering improved visibility for nighttime and low-visibility driving conditions. On the 2018 Ford Explorer, the high beam functionality enhances safety and confidence by providing a more expansive field of vision, allowing drivers to detect obstacles, road signs, or hazards at greater distances. Designed with convenience in mind, the high beam system integrates seamlessly with the headlamp controls, ensuring quick and efficient operation when needed. This guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to operate the headlamp high beam on your 2018 Ford Explorer, helping you make the most of this critical feature.

Feature Guidelines

Manual High Beam Control

To manually control the high beams:

1. Push the lever away from you to activate the high beam.

• The high beam indicator illuminates when active.

2. To deactivate the high beams, either:

• Push the lever away from you again, or
• Pull the lever toward you.

3. For a quick flash of the high beams, slightly pull the lever toward you and release it.

Automatic High Beam Control

WARNING: This system assists but does not replace the need for attentive driving. Be prepared to override the system if it fails to switch the high beams on or off appropriately.

The automatic high beam system activates by default when the lighting control is set to the autolamps position. It uses a camera sensor mounted behind the windshield to monitor light conditions and traffic. The system automatically adjusts between high and low beams based on detected conditions.

High beams turn on when:

• The ambient light is sufficiently low.
• No vehicles are detected in front of your vehicle.
• Vehicle speed exceeds approximately 32 mph (51 km/h).

An indicator illuminates when the system is ready to assist.

High beams turn off when:

• Ambient light levels are sufficient.
• Approaching headlamps, tail lamps, or street lighting are detected.
• Vehicle speed drops below approximately 27 mph (44 km/h).
• Severe rain, snow, or fog is detected.
• The camera sensor is obstructed.

Note:

• Ensure the windshield area near the sensor is clean and free of damage to maintain proper system function.
• Extreme weather conditions (e.g., heavy snow or ice) may impair system performance. In such cases, manual override is necessary.
• If the camera is blocked by debris (e.g., bird droppings, bug splatter, snow, or ice), the system defaults to low beams. Clear the blockage to restore functionality. A warning message may show in the information display if the camera is obstructed.
• Alterations to the vehicle, such as larger tires or accessories such as snowplows, may impact the system's effectiveness.