I never use parking light - in fact no idea what it is for (parking, I guess, but why?)

Similarly low beam is pointless. In fact, I think the whole DRL and headlight switch are pointless.

What's wrong with Volvo's design? 2 less bulbs to change and 1 less switch on the dash! (still need switches for fogs though!)

Though I think there is an even better way still Graham. The switch should just have OFF and HEADLIGHTS. Parking lights only come on the moment the key gets taken out of the ignition, ie when your car is parked! But then you can't park the car with parking lights on and listen to the radio. Though nothing stops you from taking the key out and then switching the radio on I suppose...

Johann - using your idea, I think you'd end up with a flat battery fairly quickly as you'd have no means of turning your parking lights off as your vehicle could not distinguish as to when you actually wanted to have parking lights or not.

Mike

Johann - using your idea, I think you'd end up with a flat battery fairly quickly as you'd have no means of turning your parking lights off as your vehicle could not distinguish as to when you actually wanted to have parking lights or not.

Mike

Doh! Of course. What I suggested meant that EVERY TIME you parked your car (even inside your own garage) it would have parking lights on. Doh indeed. We stick to Graham's suggestion then!

Doh! Of course. What I suggested meant that EVERY TIME you parked your car (even inside your own garage) it would have parking lights on. Doh indeed. We stick to Graham's suggestion then!

+1

Mike

On ANY car forum wars ALWAYS start with any mention of the words "fog lights" and/or "parking lights" and their use.

As to the sensor: is it perhaps the little eye in the middle above the AUTO and AC buttons?

You might be right there Johann, I'll check it out tomorrow in daylight.

There is a section in the Owners Manual on page 57 under the heading "Instrument lighting" although it is ambiguous; "For the information display => page 24 the intensity of the lighting is automatically set. It is only possible to adjust the instrument lighting with the control dial if the light intensity drops below the set value of the light sensor."??? :wonder:

I agree with Graham.

Parking lights should only be used as per the highway code, which states that in speed limits in excess of 30 mph parking lights MUST be used during the hours of darkness.

Johann, your idea for the switch is bloody brilliant and far more logical for drivers these days.

I vote for OFF...... HEADLIGHTS..... Parking

As to the sensor: is it perhaps the little eye in the middle above the AUTO and AC buttons?

I thought I read somewhere in the "handbook" that the eye thing is the temperature sensor for the Air Con... but as usual, I'm probably wrong.

I thought I read somewhere in the "handbook" that the eye thing is the temperature sensor for the Air Con... but as usual, I'm probably wrong.

I might be the one that is wrong! I have NO idea what that little eye does TBH! I was just guessing it might be this light thingy...

I might be the one that is wrong! I have NO idea what that little eye does TBH! I was just guessing it might be this light thingy...

I guess we can try it out by putting a hand over it and seeing what happens. Nice to get back to a constructive discussion, I nearly decided to give the forum up after some of the ******** that was flying around. I would suggest that anyone who wants to call them parking lights puts them on next time they park for the night (but don't ask me to push you in the morning).

What is the reasoning behind driving on side/parking lamps?

I disagree with the idea that it may be fine to drive in "well lit" tunnels on parking lights. The fact a driver may feel he can see adequately ignores his visibility to others. I notice on tunnel approaches headlamp signs-is it said these should be ignored and, if so why?

The solution -however regrettable- is to remove the option by making the light setting for parking lights default to DRLs or dip beam when a vehicle is moving.

If you cannot park off the carriageway but need to leave your car on an unlit country road you can select the parking lights on the outward side only. If you leave a car parked without any lights on a dark back road I won't help you to call the ambulance/tow truck you may need in the morning

I would suggest that anyone who wants to call them parking lights puts them on next time they park for the night (but don't ask me to push you in the morning).

By Law they are only required if parking in a road where the speed limit exceeds 30mph, so it doesn't apply to most town streets, and certainly not outside my house.

On the way to work tonight I observed the number of vehicles driving without their headlights on. To be honest there are not that many, however it was very noticeable how those on just parking/side lights "disappeared" in the general melee of traffic. The worst are those with a seperate light. Those with the little light in their headlight were slightly more visible.

YF, why get the hump just because people disagree with you? That is what is called DISCUSSION. It would be nice to know your reasoning behind your idea for not using your headlights, or your DRL's.

When the EEC (as it was then) announced in the early 1990's that it was going to make dim-dip headlights compulsory, many manufacturers started fitting them, wired in such away that it was impossible to drive on parking lights alone. My 1996 RS2000 is just such a car.

With parking lights on, turn on the ignition and dimmed head lights come on straight away. You can select full brightness by selecting headlights on the normal switch.

This was the forerunner of DRL's I guess because by swapping a rather fiddly link on the back of the fuse box, you can change the circuit so that dim-dip lights come on every time the engine is started, even in daylight. The parking lights really are just that, lights for parking!

Subsequently the EEC decided not to proceed with the plan and the idea was abandoned before the end of the 90's.

Edited 10 November, 201114 yr by speedsport

I thought I read somewhere in the "handbook" that the eye thing is the temperature sensor for the Air Con... but as usual, I'm probably wrong.

+ 1 No, you are right

Edited 10 November, 201114 yr by Great Yeti

Yep, I think this is brilliant practice (the way the Yeti does it, NOT the Lexus way). Most people only know their lights are on in low light if the dash is also illuminated. So having it permanently illuminated is just daft in my book.

Try telling Ford! The Mk4 mondeo Dashpod is always illuminated.

My Yeti dash is always illuminated, ( light switch left on auto, and DLR's on).

My Yeti dash is always illuminated, ( light switch left on auto, and DLR's on).

No auto lights on the Mondy, no DLR's. Just the PITA dashpod.

Oh dear! I really didn't intend to start a war.

:'(

It's all gone a bit Orf Topic but I'll add my four pennyworth, I only ever use headlights when driving in inclement or dark conditions. I rarely venture into town after dark so have never needed to use parking lights.

I certainly haven't got an Auto position on my lighting switch so no Auto lights.

To try to get back on topic, can anyone answer my question about where the alleged sensor is?

Fred

The light sensor is in the rear view mirror holder. [ Page 54 of handbook,Lights and visibility ]

I thought I read somewhere in the "handbook" that the eye thing is the temperature sensor for the Air Con... but as usual, I'm probably wrong.

You are quite correct, it is the sensor for interior temperature,[ page 103 handbook, heating and a/c system.]

"sidelights" is a very old name for a concept which has long gone.The Yeti has parking lights and DRL's. The purpose of vehicle lighting is two fold, to see and to be seen. Parking lights are there to indicate to others a stationary vehicle. DRLs are there to indicate a moving vehicle and headlights are to illuminate the way ahead.

There are many circumstances where from a drivers point of view you may well feel your view ahead is adequate and headlights would not improve it. That does not necessarily mean that you are as visible to others as you should be.

If you are rooted in the era of Hillman Minxes and Ford Prefects please consider joining the era of alternators and decent batteries.

I feel I must point out that in the handbook Skoda refer to the " side lights " on several descriptions, [ Lights and visibility page 53 on ] Also any garage I've been to for an MOT test always refer to " side lights " when carrying out the light checks. So it's not a long gone concept, or a very old name.

The one thing I agree with is a lot of people don't realise that even with DRL's on there is nothing lit at the rear, but all is explained in the Yeti handbook.

The light sensor is in the rear view mirror holder. [ Page 54 of handbook,Lights and visibility ]

I'm still not sure about that.It seems to be related to cars that have the Auto light function but mine doesn't.

The section that talks about light sensor starts "If the automatic light control is switched on, the light is regulated with the light sensor in the rear mirror holder. If the light intensity drops below the set value, e.g.when driving during the day into a tunnel, the low beam and the side lights as well as the licence plate light come on automatically. If the light intensity increases again the lights switch off automatically."

But, as I've already said, my car doesn't have the Auto lights function so I can't see how it would apply. Also the rearview mirror is bonded to the windscreen and there are no electrical connections to the car. Very strange.

Fred

Surely, if it is dark enough for side lights then it is dark enough for headlights?

Plus by turning the sidelights on your are turning the BRIGHTER DRL's off!

Must be me, but I only use sidelights as parking lights, and never use them in a moving vehicle

=

I'm still not sure about that.It seems to be related to cars that have the Auto light function but mine doesn't.

The section that talks about light sensor starts "If the automatic light control is switched on, the light is regulated with the light sensor in the rear mirror holder. If the light intensity drops below the set value, e.g.when driving during the day into a tunnel, the low beam and the side lights as well as the licence plate light come on automatically. If the light intensity increases again the lights switch off automatically."

But, as I've already said, my car doesn't have the Auto lights function so I can't see how it would apply. Also the rearview mirror is bonded to the windscreen and there are no electrical connections to the car. Very strange.

Fred

I think you are right. The light sensor in the central mirror control the lights outside. There is an aditional sensor somewhere inside the car to measure ambient light in the car to control the brightness of the rev counter and speedo illumination (on all specs of Yeti). Thus far it seems no one knows where it lives!!!

There are two sensors in the mirror. One facing forward and stuck to the glass that measures the light for the headlights and a rearward facing sensor that dims the interior mirror (and the driver's mirror on some specs) when it detects bright lights from behind. The latter also switches on the headlights in the daytime when it detects a bright setting sun behind you (so cars coming towards you can see you in the sun's glare).

Must be different on the Yeti then, as on others the sensor for the lights is on the windscreen along with the rain sensor.

The sensor in the mirror is only for the dimming mirror function on all other VAG models.

Must be different on the Yeti then, as on others the sensor for the lights is on the windscreen along with the rain sensor.

The sensor in the mirror is only for the dimming mirror function on all other VAG models.

Further to my original post; went through the Blackwall Tunnel today, the lighting is good enough to not need lights on the car but the dial markings disappeared and just left the needles illuminated. Most annoying and possibly dangerous.

Read on another thread (Fabia) that this is a variable that can be set in VCDS, can any owners confirm this please.

Fred

Further to my original post; went through the Blackwall Tunnel today, the lighting is good enough to not need lights on the car but the dial markings disappeared and just left the needles illuminated. Most annoying and possibly dangerous.

Read on another thread (Fabia) that this is a variable that can be set in VCDS, can any owners confirm this please.

Fred

Yes as far as I'm aware you can have three settings changed via VCDS:

1. Only the needles on when the engine is on (the default Yeti option)

2. Everything always off when the engine is on (like cars from the olden days )

3. Needles and markings on when the engine is on

The last option is the most dangerous as people usually think their headlights are on when they see the markings and needles lit... When in fact their are driving without anything being on.