How to Adjust Auto Light Level Setting

Found this in my WorkShop manual today.
Seems like someone would be interested in. So here it goes.
This is apparently for people who think their CX9's auto-headlights are too sensitive and want to dumb it down a bit (to low-sensitivity)....
(proceed at your own risk)

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AUTO LIGHT ILLUMINATION SETTING

Without Using M-MDS

Caustion:
- If any of the following occurs, the sensitivity cannot be set properly. Therefore, resume from Step 1.
- Each procedure and operation interval exceeds 5 s.
- Procedures are performed incorrectly

Note:
- Perform the procedure in a condition that allows verification of the headlight illumination because it is necessary to verify the setting condition according to the number of times headlights turn on

#1: Turn the ignition switch to the ON position with the light switch in the OFF position and pulled back (Flash-to-pass ON)
#2: Switch the light switch from OFF to TNS position five times and return it to the OFF position
#3: Pull the light switch back once (Flash-to-pass ON)
#4: Turn the light switch to the TNS position
#5: Switch the light switch from the TNS to ON position five times and return it to the TNS position
#6: Turn the light switch to the ON position
#7: Switch the light switch from the ON position to AUTO position five times and return it to the ON position
#8: Turn the light switch to TNS position

Note:
- Switches to the sensitivity setting mode when the above operations are performed
- The headlights turn on for the number of times according to the current setting conditions
> Illumination (Two times): Standard sensitivity
> Illumination (Three times): Low sensitivity

#9: Switch the sensitivity by pulling the light switch back (Flash-to-pass ON)
#10: Verify the number of times the headlights turn on and that the sensitivity is set properly
- Illumination (Two times): standard sensitivity
- Illumination (Three times): low sensitivity

TNS Position?

My lights come on going under over-passes. I would like a bit more time delay or less sensitivity, so I found your post, ceric - thanks for the effort! What is the TNS position do you suppose?
TIA,
Haen

TNS is their term for "parking light" position.
i,e, 1st position forward on the light stoke.

Thanks ceric - I'll give it a try.

I have tried this 30 times with no success. can anyone verify that this works?
Also I have a 2010 if it makes any difference. My lights come on when it is an overcast day!

Mine can sometimes come on during an overcast day too. I don't care about the lights coming on as much as the dimming of the Nav Screen and Instrument panel during the day. I've thought about changing the sensitivity, but for now, it happens infrequently enough that I just hit the override button on the instrument panel. The biggest problem is remembering to push it again when it gets dark to dim them down, but obviously I know it's on when the panel is full blast at night, so I just hit it again. At some point, I may try this (2009 model) but I'm afraid of really screwing something up...

SHINEDOWN said:

I have tried this 30 times with no success. can anyone verify that this works?
Also I have a 2010 if it makes any difference. My lights come on when it is an overcast day!

Click to expand...

The instructions for 2009 (I assume you have that) could be slightly different.
The instructions I posted were a direct excerpt from WorkShop manual for 2008.

ceric said:

The instructions for 2009 (I assume you have that) could be slightly different.
The instructions I posted were a direct excerpt from WorkShop manual for 2008.

Click to expand...

I have an 08 and tried this four times with no luck.

I don't know about you but I doubt that I could follow each of the steps within 5 seconds. It says so that you have to.

Hah, for sure! It's like a game-show in a way. I'm just wondering if a step got left out in all of those crazy steps. I checked All-Data (which I am finding has done a great job in the CX-9 manuals and documents), but they don't have the procedure.

What is "M-MDS"?

Has anybody gotten this to work? The factory setting is driving me crazy.

So I tried it again without much luck, then I tried it REALLY fast. I did not get past the first few steps when this horrible sound came out from the front driver kick. Kinda like a fog horn. I could feel a vibration too but the car was not running. Maybe came from the speaker but not sure. Weird. I shut it off and all seemed fine after a restart. Maybe I should just take it in...

M-MDS is Mazda technician's hand-held computer.
We don't have that, of course.

Honestly, I am confused by the procedure as well.
Never tried it myself yet.

do you have access to the 2011 manual?

ceric said:

M-MDS is Mazda technician's hand-held computer.
We don't have that, of course.

Honestly, I am confused by the procedure as well.
Never tried it myself yet.

Click to expand...

I saw a version of 2011 manual, not sure if it is the right one, but show no procedure for the 2011 without the MDS. Not sure if that is correct. Needless to say, I try as crazy the procedure listed here, but since the switches are actually different on the 2 models (2009 vs 2011). Did not work. bellow what I found on the section I was able to see.