Glare free headlights NOT enabled on my Canadian truck

[Rtashiro]

Hi. Everything I read online says my truck should have the glare free auto headlamps enabled on my truck. I am located in Canada and purchased brand new from a local dealer. There is no toggle available to enable it. Is this something I should take to the dealer or should I just enable it myself on forscan? I’m curious why my truck isn’t enabled. It’s a 2023 lariat

Sponsored

 

[digitaldad]

My vote is just FORScan it if you're inclined...I'm sure thats much faster than trying to explain it to the dealer (then schedule/do the actual work).

 

[Rtashiro]

After posting in this I asked chat gpt and this is what I got





Why “Glare-Free High Beam” / “Adaptive Matrix Headlights” Are Disabled in Canada








Even though your 2023 F-150 Lightning Lariat has matrix LED headlights, Ford software-locks the glare-free function in North America (U.S. & Canada).








1.


Regulatory reason (main cause)

• Until February 2022, Transport Canada and NHTSA did not allow adaptive “glare-free” high beams — they required either full low beam or full high beam only.
• Even though the U.S. and Canada have since approved adaptive driving beam (ADB) technology (it’s legal now), Ford hasn’t yet certified or activated it for the F-150 platform here.
• Certification involves expensive testing, so Ford has chosen not to re-certify existing models just for software activation.

In other words:





The hardware is capable, but the software feature is turned off to comply with regional regulations and to avoid recertification costs.














2.


Regional software locks

• Ford builds one global version of the headlamp control module, but regional software (North America vs Europe) sets the feature set.
• The “glare-free” or “matrix” function is active on some European F-150 / Ranger / Lightning variants, where regulations have permitted it for years.
• In your truck’s Body Control Module (BCM) and Headlamp Control Module (HCM), the “glare-free” parameters are set to Disabled or “North American mode.”

Even if you enable those bits via FORScan, the feature won’t work fully unless:

• You flash in the European HCM firmware (which is risky and could brick the module), and
• The truck’s firmware supports the communication between BCM, IPMA (camera), and HCM in ADB mode.

So, it’s not just a toggle — it’s a combination of regulatory lockout and software-level firmware limitation.














3.


Ford’s public position








Ford has said (in F-150 forums and support responses):





“The F-150 is equipped with Matrix LED headlamps but the adaptive high-beam functionality is not enabled at this time in North America.”





The expectation is that Ford may activate it in a future model year (possibly via OTA update once officially approved), but as of the 2023 Lightning Lariat, it’s disabled.

 

[Rtashiro]

Perhaps my truck was just built before it was certified to work in Canada?

 

[21st Century Truck]

You can enable it. I have a 2023 North American XLT and I enabled it. It takes about 20 minutes of careful work with FORScan across (as far as I can remember... it's been a year now) six modules.

It's a worthwhile function which increases safety while driving at night, for You and for others.

 

[GoodSam]

How does one know if one has the adaptive high-beam functionality? My 2022 XLT 312a seems to dim for approaching traffic and progress back to high beams when clear. The headlights also move slightly for curves in the road.
However, I have not noticed the dimming of parts of the beams when approaching traffic like shown in this video.

Sponsored