Unwanted operation of front fog lights

[Tibbermore]

I took delivery of my Yeti SE 1.2 TSI at the start of the month. It has standard head lights and front fog lights. Soon after delivery I disabled the daytime running lights following the handbook instructions. It now seems that the front fog lights come on of their own volition when no other lights are switched on and with no explanation that I can see. Annoyingly I can't replicate this to order. Has anyone had a similar experience and if so how did you fix it? My dealer is 35 miles away so I'm posting here in the first instance in case there's an obvious answer which I'm missing (quite likely!).

Apart from this, it's a fantastic car which I am really enjoying. Even my wife who is a reluctant driver and thinks a car's just a car is much impressed and enjoys driving it.

[CFB]

do you have auto lights?

if so you may have inadvertently pulled the headlamp switch out 1 click and left the lights on the auto setting.

if no auto lights, it could be a dodgy switch?

in either case, i suggest turning the switch off then back on again.

Edited 25 February, 2011 by YetiClive

[bohmer]

Just a thought, I assume you know that any changes to the system have to be done with both sets of keys. Just in case you are using both keys with different settings, not that this would cause your problem unless the DRL's are still programmed on with one set, and you are mistaking them for fogs(not accusing you of being dim!) Other than that maybe a faulty switch as the OP suggested.

[blueR36]

you want to be heard but not seen( thenThe DRLs not the fogs)

Edited 25 February, 2011 by bluvrs2

[900000]

Do both fogs come on? On cars without turning fogs this can be enabled with a VCDS laptop. So even if you did not order cornering fogs they might have been activated? Park car and turn your steering wheel. If te cornering fogs are active only the fog on the side you're turning to will come on and both will come on when you select reverse.

[CJJE]

I am rather bemused why you have decided to delete such an obvious safety feature as DRLs from your car :S . Surely it is better for other drivers and motorcyclists to see you coming, and I very much doubt they affect your fuel economy? Presumably you don't believe in using TPM, ESP, ABS or seat belts either??

Chris

[Tibbermore]

Just a thought, I assume you know that any changes to the system have to be done with both sets of keys. Just in case you are using both keys with different settings, not that this would cause your problem unless the DRL's are still programmed on with one set, and you are mistaking them for fogs(not accusing you of being dim!) Other than that maybe a faulty switch as the OP suggested.

I wasn't aware of that. Thank you, and thanks to all who provided useful comments and suggestions which I will check out.

[pinkpanther]

I am rather bemused why you have decided to delete such an obvious safety feature as DRLs from your car :S . Surely it is better for other drivers and motorcyclists to see you coming, and I very much doubt they affect your fuel economy? Presumably you don't believe in using TPM, ESP, ABS or seat belts either??

Chris

Hi Chris

I'm not sure DRL's constitute "such an obvious safety feature". This website has some interesting data on the subject: My link

Personally I'm not a big fan and have switched the off on both cars where I've had a choice. This decision was partly based on the fact that I just don't like the look of them (non LED type) and also partly based on several studies I've read on the matter.

Regards

Edited 26 February, 2011 by pinkpanther

[mannyo]

I am rather bemused why you have decided to delete such an obvious safety feature as DRLs from your car :S . Surely it is better for other drivers and motorcyclists to see you coming, and I very much doubt they affect your fuel economy? Presumably you don't believe in using TPM, ESP, ABS or seat belts either??

Chris

I hate DRLs, and the site linked to by the previous poster show why they are not a safety feature at all. Accident rates in countries who have tried DRL's in the past have increased when they were introduced, and at least one country has now banned their use and made them illegal.

[rwbaldwin]

I took delivery of my Yeti SE 1.2 TSI at the start of the month. It has standard head lights and front fog lights. Soon after delivery I disabled the daytime running lights following the handbook instructions. It now seems that the front fog lights come on of their own volition when no other lights are switched on and with no explanation that I can see. Annoyingly I can't replicate this to order. Has anyone had a similar experience and if so how did you fix it? My dealer is 35 miles away so I'm posting here in the first instance in case there's an obvious answer which I'm missing (quite likely!).

Apart from this, it's a fantastic car which I am really enjoying. Even my wife who is a reluctant driver and thinks a car's just a car is much impressed and enjoys driving it.

If you enable the DRLs, do the fog lights go off?

[jan25]

The DRLs on the Yeti are only 13W - I don't think these could ever constitute a hazard to other road users in daylight. Ok, they are brighter than an ordinary parking light (5W), but way dimmer than an ordinary headlamp (55W). Some of the LED DRLs I've seen do seem much brighter and may justify critism (are some aftermarket fit?).

With regard to Xenon headlights (and at risk of perpetuating topic hijack!), I've found them a terrific aid for the driver but do worry that I do "catch" oncoming drivers at brows with a left bend - the self levelling system does not seem to pull the lights down far enough to prevent this, and it is worrying that there appears to be no way to avoid it happening. Otherwise, I have no problem with oncoming Xenons under most circumstances, but have been "caught" myself as decribed above. Don't look at them!

[Llanigraham]

Accident rates in countries who have tried DRL's in the past have increased when they were introduced,

The first country that introduced them was Sweden, and their figures don't support that supposition.

and at least one country has now banned their use and made them illegal.

Which country?

[Llanigraham]

If you enable the DRLs, do the fog lights go off?

The two lights are totally seperate. The top roughly third of the light unit is the DRL, the remainder is the fog light. 2 bulbs.

[bilun777]

I am rather bemused why you have decided to delete such an obvious safety feature as DRLs from your car :S . Surely it is better for other drivers and motorcyclists to see you coming, and I very much doubt they affect your fuel economy? Presumably you don't believe in using TPM, ESP, ABS or seat belts either??

Chris

I,m afraid I've disabled my DRL's as well. I was becoming quite paranoid about other road users pulling out in front of me because they thought I'd flashed them.

However, unlike a lot of other motorists,If I want to be seen,or weather conditions are a bit iffy ,I use my headlights. :yes:

[silver1011]

Do both fogs come on? On cars without turning fogs this can be enabled with a VCDS laptop. So even if you did not order cornering fogs they might have been activated? Park car and turn your steering wheel. If te cornering fogs are active only the fog on the side you're turning to will come on and both will come on when you select reverse.

Hi Tibbermore,

When I read your thread title the first thing I thought is that you were experiencing the 'cornering fog light' feature.

This was until I read your opening post which suggests you had no other lights on.

Could your light switch have been in the 'auto' position and you didn't realise your dipped headlights were actually on?

The cornering fog lights (as to the above earlier quoted post) illuminate one side at a time when your turn the wheel either left or right at low speeds or when you indicate. When reversing both light up.

This is the only way I can imagine the foglights could ever light up without actively switching them on.

As to an earlier comment, the DRL's and foglights on the Yeti are quite close together so I thought maybe you were confusing the two, but then you mentioned you had already deactivated the DRL's!

Strange!

[mike 111]

The DRLs on the Yeti are only 13W - I don't think these could ever constitute a hazard to other road users in daylight. Ok, they are brighter than an ordinary parking light (5W), but way dimmer than an ordinary headlamp (55W). Some of the LED DRLs I've seen do seem much brighter and may justify critism (are some aftermarket fit?).

With regard to Xenon headlights (and at risk of perpetuating topic hijack!), I've found them a terrific aid for the driver but do worry that I do "catch" oncoming drivers at brows with a left bend - the self levelling system does not seem to pull the lights down far enough to prevent this, and it is worrying that there appears to be no way to avoid it happening. Otherwise, I have no problem with oncoming Xenons under most circumstances, but have been "caught" myself as decribed above. Don't look at them!

Are these 13W bulbs a special fitting,seems an odd wattage.

[silver1011]

Are these 13W bulbs a special fitting,seems an odd wattage.

P13W is the correct bulb, it is relatively new and is designed specifically for the DRL function.

[blueR36]

The photograph in that link, shows a motorist with full beam on following 2 cyclist , if you want to make your point show a yetti with DRls on following two cyclists,( and I am a cyclist ) when the weather is dull I have reflective jacket 2 front 2 side and three seperate flashing lights, so do not use this as a reason.

[Tibbermore]

Just a thought, I assume you know that any changes to the system have to be done with both sets of keys. Just in case you are using both keys with different settings, not that this would cause your problem unless the DRL's are still programmed on with one set, and you are mistaking them for fogs(not accusing you of being dim!) Other than that maybe a faulty switch as the OP suggested.

I was being dim! I mistook the DRLs for fogs - apologies to all. Following your advice I used the second key and found the DRLs still operating. They have now been deactivated. (Still using ABS, seat belts, etc )

Thanks again for all help and suggestion.

[bohmer]

I was being dim! I mistook the DRLs for fogs - apologies to all. Following your advice I used the second key and found the DRLs still operating. They have now been deactivated. (Still using ABS, seat belts, etc )

Thanks again for all help and suggestion.

Glad you got it sorted. I don't think it tells you about individual settings for each key in the book, I found out when I wanted to switch off the auto rear wiper, which often wiped a dry rear screen, and it drove me mad until I suddenly realised it was only doing it on one key!