Disappearing Headlights!

[Dave Newport]

Hi

After 4 weeks my Superb Estate Elegance 170 Dsg has developed its first fault!

Late last night I was exploring the full potential of the car along a very intresting country road!

All of a sudden the lights went off! Complete darkness to the front of the car.

This lasted for less than a second and I had no time to check the dash panel or pull the main beam stalk.

I checked the light switch to see if the switch was in the correct position and that was fine! (set in Auto)

4 miles further on it done the same! Again only momentarily but complete darkness!

Been to the dealer this morning but no faults have been found.

It was 2 rather intresting moments and I dont want to change the colour of the ivory interior if it keeps happening!

Has anyone else experienced this or have any suggestions?

Thanks

Dave

[mannyo]

I never use my lights in auto, the switch is only ever in off, or normal position. I find the auto lights a pain, and keep switching on when I dont want them to. I guess it could also work the other way round, and if the rain sensor thinks its bright enough (headlights use the same sensor) the lights will go off. Auto only comes into its own, and its real purpose when driving through tunnels and simillar.

[Dave Newport]

Hi

Thanks for the reply.

I agree with you that the auto function can be a pain during the day switching on and off when they are not required!

At the time they were playing up it was 11.45pm last night while driving down through the wooded Wye valley.

There wasn't any external infunence to the light levels eg oncoming cars or street lights ect!

Just momentary loss of all front lighting, but I couldn't say if the green dipped warning lamp dissappeared or not as I was more concerned keeping it on the road!

I will run it in the manual mode from now on, but the problem I have is that i don't know if I lose the lights again I will be able to pull the stalk and use the halogen main beams in an emergency or they lose power aswell!

thanks

Dave

[john999boy]

Could it be that your headlight washers were active at the time and the view was obscured due to that?

[Dave Newport]

Hi

At the time it was dry and the wipers were not in use!

I have experienced the headlamp wash at night and it is rather disturbing to see the amount of light output lost!

Thanks

Dave

[kprida77]

I had a similar experience in my FL Octavia Vrs (factory fitted Xenons). Went off then on, luckily i was in a queue of traffic although the bloke in front must of wondered what was going on. Mine have only ever done it the once though.

[Dave Newport]

Hi

Its done it twice in one evening!

Trouble is that nothing has been done yet to fix it as no errors were shown up at the dealer.

Hopefully it was just a one off but you do wonder now what wil happen if i do lose the lights again!

Makes driving at night a buttock clenching time hoping they dont fail as you come up to the z bends!

Lol

Dave

[Darragh]

Hi

Its done it twice in one evening!

Trouble is that nothing has been done yet to fix it as no errors were shown up at the dealer.

Hopefully it was just a one off but you do wonder now what wil happen if i do lose the lights again!

Makes driving at night a buttock clenching time hoping they dont fail as you come up to the z bends!

Lol

Dave

I have had my superb for 6 months now and have almost never switched the light setting off auto. I've never lost lights at night for a second. It sounds like that despite the lack of fault find by the dealer a fault must exist. Has anyone else found a problem with the auto setting?

[Chocaholic]

I have had my superb for 6 months now and have almost never switched the light setting off auto. I've never lost lights at night for a second. It sounds like that despite the lack of fault find by the dealer a fault must exist. Has anyone else found a problem with the auto setting?

Mine have been in almost nothing but Auto mode for nearly 2 years now - apart from in fog when it never gets gloomy enough to turn them on before i get scared of not being seen !