I took delivery of my 2010 1.4 Tsi Elegance Estate in May this year; it was built in April. It has the extra DRL bulbs next to the front fog lights and my particular car also has Maxidot. I have posted previously on this subject but to answer your specific point, my Dealer activated them for me earlier this month. I had to wait about 15 minutes while it was done. The resultant modification to the software has added another menu item to the Maxidot which enables me to select, or deselect, DRL operation. This was not there when the car was new. In practical terms, with DRL selected, the DRL bulbs are illuminated with the ignition on (no tail lights or any other lights are illuminated). If I switch on the headlights then the DRLs extinguish. It all works very well and I am very pleased with the setup. I should also mention I have the Light Assistant package - auto lights etc - but I don't think this has any bearing on the DRL function.

There is a lot of "mystique" about DRL within the Skoda network and I think some Dealers are more illuminated (sorry about the pun) than others on this subject. I suggest you have another go at them.

Thank you very much for your answer.

My Father noticed that the extra option for DRL appeared in his Maxi Dot and it was through that option he managed to turn off the bizzare DRL set up that had been enabled. I did suggest that he try another dealer to see if they can give him the set up he wishes.

It's good to hear that yours has been enabled in the way he wants it. I believe he ordered his in April and has just taken delivery of it a couple of weeks ago..... it took a long time to come. He also has the Light Assistant package too.

I will report back once he has been to another dealer.

The set-up on your dad's car (dipped headlights and tail lights) is called 'Scandinavian' and is one of several different DRL options.

The one you describe is Volvo / Saab style.

The latest version which uses the smaller and less powerful bulbs either side of the front fogs is preferred as it pronlongs the life of the other bulbs and battery.

Your dealer has the equipment required to activate them correctly but it sounds to me that they aren't up to speed on the cars they sell!

I just got my 2011 elegance 2 weeks ago. went straight to a dealer in aldershot, hants and the turned the DRLs on FOC within about 10 mins

my car has auto lights and maxidot which helps i think ( i can now turn off/on via maxidot)

Thank you once again for your encouraging answers

Hi

I've just got my new vRS 60 plate, I was looking to find out if the DRL's could be made to not dim when sidelights are switched on and found the answer but while I'm here...does anyone know why there is a small bulb at the very top of the light cluster? It's on the outside upper most part and doesn't seem to do anything. Is this the sidelight if it's enabled instead of the dimmed DRL's?

Dave

Edited 22 October, 201015 yr by daveo2k

Yes, this bulb is the standard 5W side light bulb, except it's not used on the vRS.

As you have the vRS with LED DRL's when you select side lights your DRL's dim and act as side lights.

The standard side light bulb you describe on the vRS is redundant. I guess the headlight cluster is the same as non vRS models so it's just easier for Skoda to leave the bulb in?

On non vRS Octavia's, even those with the halogen rather than LED DRL's, when you turn on your side lights the DRL's turn off completely and the 5W side light bulb turns on.

Edited 22 October, 201015 yr by silver1011

My Fabia that I ordered with foglights has working DRL`s. Had the car a month. The switch for the DRLs is in the fusebox under the dash on the Fabia.

Not sure aout the Octavia. Found the DRL switch location in the hand book.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Grahame

My Dad has now been to three dealers and non of them seem to know how to get the additional running lights in the fog lights working :wonder:

All one of them managed do do was set it so ALL the lights were on (see earlier post), luckily he was able to turn that off via his Maxidot. He has been told by one dealer that becasue his car is the Elegance and has so much kit that the function is not available, something which I know from this forum is not true.

Does anybody know of a 'technical term' which we can request to help get this sorted.

Any comments appreciated.

If you could indicate whereabouts in the UK your car is, then somebody on the forum should be able to point you towards an intelligent Dealer who can sort this for you. As per previous post mine was fixed whilst waiting but they had done another customer's car the previous day, so that had been their learning curve. Skoda Dealer network has an equivalent to this forum where they share technical info and get alerts etc. I would have thought by now there should be something about DRL on there.

With regard to a technical description, why not quote the appropriate paragraph from the handbook on activate/deactivate DRL? You can download a copy of the handbook from the Skoda website.

Thanks for the tips. It’s good to see that you have a 2010 Elegance and have them working.

I am in Southampton and I have just checked again and it has been two dealers – one in Southampton and one in Sway. Admittedly the second one did offer to have a look for him, but did not seem to know about any running lights within the fog lights so he declined their offer as he was short of time.

He had “activate/deactivate DRL” done, but it was headlights/tail lights etc. which he has turned off via Maxidot.

He is thinking now he may try in the New Year when they may have more knowledge due to the change in legislation.

The dealers are helpful, but don't seem to know about the lights within the foglights.

Edited 22 November, 201015 yr by Harters

I haven't had chance to have a good look or to try out the fogs yet so a question please. My Scout was built in week 40 so I assume it is a 2011 model. In this case do I have the DRLs with a mystery bulb somewhere (or do they use the same bulb as the sidelight). Secondly do I have the cornering foglights? I have MAXIDOT with the MFSW but I have not seen anything in the menu to activate/deactivate either of these features.

Cheers.

My DRL extinguish when parking lights or headlights or foglights are switched on. My rear lights are always on with the engine . Probably a multiplicity of possible combinations . I do not have Maxidot.

Edited 23 November, 201015 yr by gregoir

I haven't had chance to have a good look or to try out the fogs yet so a question please. My Scout was built in week 40 so I assume it is a 2011 model. In this case do I have the DRLs with a mystery bulb somewhere (or do they use the same bulb as the sidelight). Secondly do I have the cornering foglights? I have MAXIDOT with the MFSW but I have not seen anything in the menu to activate/deactivate either of these features.

Cheers.

The Scout is simple.

If you have front fogs you do not have DRL's.

Does your headlight switch have two pulls, one for front fogs, two for rear fogs and the front fog light symbol. Yes? Then no DRL's.

DRL's on the Scout replace the front fogs as they use the same aperture in the bumper.

You can't have both.

The DRL bulb and the separate front fog light bulb share the same aperture in the Elegance. It would seem perversely retrograde if the Scout only had one bulb in this location.

Edited 23 November, 201015 yr by gregoir

The DRL bulb and the separate front fog light bulb share the same aperture in the Elegance. It would seem perversely retrograde if the Scout only had one bulb in this location.

Scout has vRS type foglights, hence nowhere for DRL's. Skoda figured bumper moulding too expensive to change methinks.

I can confirm my L&K delivered a month ago had the DRL option in Maxidot and was already turned on when I picked up the car.

DRL's only when no other lights on, no rear lights at all. As soon as you turn any lights on DRL's go out.....

Thanks. that's seems clear. I seem to remember in the brochure that to have DRLs you had to give up the fogs which seemed a silly thing to do. I have always been in the habit of driving with sidelights on all but the sunniest of days anyway so i think i can cope. the auto lights are pretty good too.

What about the cornering of the front fogs though??