Anyone got any info on how the tunnel lights work? (I know there's a sensor on the windscreen, I mean in a bit more depth!)

Normally they work fine, drive under bridge/in tunnel - lights turn on, leave bridge/tunnel they turn off.

Sometimes though they get ambushed by trees/structures part obscuring the sun on a sunny day and turn on, but then don't turn off!

After being triggered you can be driving on an open road (no shadows overhanging the road) towards the sun with loads of natural light and they won't turn off automatically. Yet if you flick the light switch to "off" and back to "auto" they don't come back on again.

So what does the sensor know after the "reset" that it didn't know before?

Or am I being impatient and not leaving the car long enough to figure it out for itself (normally give it 3-4mins)?

A minor niggle, but annoying all the same!

Niall

Have you done a forum search? I'm sure this subject has been raised before and there were some answers on that post.

The sensor does measure something like light frequency, hence going under tress in bright sun that causes the very fast flash/dark thing, means the lights get confused.

Generally I find that at dark times of the day, driving into tree lined roads will cause the lights to come on and generally they do go off when you come into light.

I would say I'm 90% happy with the way the lights operate - sometimes in rain, even though it gets dark, I'll need to switch the lights on myself. Oh the hardship of modoern motoring ;-)

mine seem to work in the same way as yours. sometimes in the bright summer months theyll come on during midday sunshine and wont go off, something to do with the high conrast of the light from previous posts ive read.

Don't they work on the difference between the light from the front and from the rear? So they go on when you enter a dark tunnel ('cos it's dark ahead but light behind), then when you come out of a tunnel, after a few seconds they should realise that there is equal light rear and aft and switch off.

But they don't always do that....

Don't they work on the difference between the light from the front and from the rear? So they go on when you enter a dark tunnel ('cos it's dark ahead but light behind), then when you come out of a tunnel, after a few seconds they should realise that there is equal light rear and aft and switch off.

But they don't always do that....

Your thinking of the dimming mirror.

The lights only work from the front snesor -and bright light/flicking as in ubder trees confuses it.

Pre MY07 cars are more susceptable due to a different sensor being used. Does yours have triangles if you look at it?

As far as I can see, the sensor reacts not only to the amount of light, but the relative colour temperature and contrast of the ambient light. There may even be other variables too. This would explain why the lights often come on on a summer's evening when the sun is low in the sky, which is one of the most dangerous driving times of the day. If your lights are on in these conditions, you have a very good chance of being seen by other road users, (who may be dazzled by the low sun) compared to having no lights on at all. I have had three cars with this auto lights feature (Citroen C3, Vectra 3.2 Gsi and now the Skoda) and they have all exhibited the same behavioural pattern in this regard. With the Skoda, the lights will also automatically come on if you are driving at over 80 mph, to make it even easier for the cops to book you!!!

I have found that they can also come on after washing then windscreen and stay on even though it is bright and sunny. Simply turning the light switch to ‘Off’ then back to ‘Auto’ sorts it. Oh and if you go over 90mph they also come on, which is a feature I like.

Oh and if you go over 90mph they also come on, which is a feature I like.

.........err, didn't I just say that? :nana: