NHTSA Complaint #11491119 — 2017 KIA SORENTO

Intermittently, while driving, day or night, the headlights will turn on or off for about 30 seconds despite the called for sensor setting. For example, if it is dark outside, the sensors will trigger to turn on the headlight and running lights and vise a versa, when the sensors detect sufficient light, the running and headlights will turn off. I have only noticed this happens when the headlights are in the "auto" mode position as I don't keep them any other way. I have only noticed it a couple times when the headlights and/or running lights will turn on during the day (bright enough not to trigger the sensor). HOWEVER, it has happened A LOT at night where the lights will turn OFF WHILE DRIVING which causes panic because I'm driving a death machine blindly (nothing bright to mistakenly trigger sensor/no overhead lighting or approaching vehicles, i.e. pitch black). I have not been able to recreate it on demand and it has an unknown, unbiased pattern. I would say that it occurs weekly, up to 2 times per week. I feel that it has happened more often a few seconds after straightening from a turn using the turning signal (but I always use my turning signal). The direction of turn doesn't factor, it'll do it turning left or right. There has been a couple times where I almost have driven off the road and/or hit unseen objects because of having no lights. This has happened enough at night when the lights unwantedly turn off, that I have learned to quickly switch the lights from "auto" to "on" and the lights react/will work and stay on when switched back to "auto". Mechanic unable to recreate issue. No warning lights, messages, or notice of problematic signals (other than the standard "lights on" notification. The attached picture was taken at 4:06 pm on July 29, 2022. It was a hot, sunny day and I was doing 53 on the highway (straight/no curves). My running lights turned on long enough for me to pull out my phone and take a picture.