Auto headlights - sensitivity

[Fatbloke]

Since enabling them they seem to be over sensitive to turning themselves on. On all but the brightest days they are on. Also once triggered on a bright day eg tunnel, they take an age to go back off. Is this normal? Obviously I can, and do, turn them off but I would rather have them do what they say on the tin!

[CFB]

We get the same.

I know they will turn on at entry to a tunnel but, as you say, they take ages to turn off after coming out.

Ours also seem to be too sensitive.

VCDS bods, is this something that can be altered?

[Gti Jazz Blue]

There are some settings in the Sensor coding in VCDS that can be played with.

There is a delay so that they don't keep switching on and off too frequently which isn't good for bulb life - especially Xenons - though Halogen bulbs prefer not to be switched too often either.

Paul

[Richard46]

Pretty sure mine turn off after exiting a tunnel quite quickly although not instantly. Nov 2012 car.

[nickguzzi]

Yup, seems quite a few have commented on this, me included. I don't use them any more.

[TDIum]

Mine are oversensitive in that they sometimes come on when they are not needed, but this is tolerable. The tunnel function seems to work perfectly though. I leave the switch on AUTO nearly all the time.

Have you got the rain/daylight sensor windscreen/mirror thing and if so is it stuck on properly? It came unstuck very soon on my new car and the dealers of course fixed it under warranty - the fix was to replace the windscreen bizarrely.

[CFB]

There are some settings in the Sensor coding in VCDS that can be played with.

There is a delay so that they don't keep switching on and off too frequently which isn't good for bulb life - especially Xenons - though Halogen bulbs prefer not to be switched too often either.

Paul

Thanks Paul, I'll get the dealer to see if they can do something, as a 1st port of call, but I suspect they won't solve the issue.

Mine are oversensitive in that they sometimes come on when they are not needed, but this is tolerable. The tunnel function seems to work perfectly though. I leave the switch on AUTO nearly all the time.

Have you got the rain/daylight sensor windscreen/mirror thing and if so is it stuck on properly? It came unstuck very soon on my new car and the dealers of course fixed it under warranty - the fix was to replace the windscreen bizarrely.

Yup, it's got auto wipers and auto dimming mirror too, but IIRC, the mirror is autonomous.

The car isn't here ATM but I'll have a look at the windscreen sensor at the weekend.

[Anddenton]

Is having lights on (Even in daylight) really seen as a bad thing?

[Fatbloke]

Is having lights on (Even in daylight) really seen as a bad thing?

I have DRLs for that running at ~3.5 amps vs 10amps+ headlights, sidelights and taillights. Call me a pennypincher but that uses more fuel (up to 4% by my calculations!!)

[TDIum]

Hmmm engine putting out tens of kilowatts cruising and about ten times that at full power. Headlights about 100 Watts. So less than 1%.

Air-con? Must in the 0.5-2 kilowatts range.

[pablo68]

Mine turn on if I go over 80 mph* and then don't turn off again until I turn the car off.

*Obviously this is only on private roads and foreign motorways

[reverse]

Just a thought - has it been raining on the days they come on? There are quite a few rules about what makes the lights turn on, some related to the usage of winds screen wipers for example. I live in a quite gloomy place and I hardly see the lights on during daylight. Also they turn off again after tunnels in about 30 seconds.

[Fatbloke]

Just a thought - has it been raining on the days they come on? There are quite a few rules about what makes the lights turn on, some related to the usage of winds screen wipers for example. I live in a quite gloomy place and I hardly see the lights on during daylight. Also they turn off again after tunnels in about 30 seconds.

That is a good thought, just minutes ago I was reading an older thread asking if 'rain triggered auto headlights' function could be disabled. Now I think about it, it has rained almost constantly since activating/retrofitting autolights

[Fatbloke]

Hmmm engine putting out tens of kilowatts cruising and about ten times that at full power. Headlights about 100 Watts. So less than 1%.

Air-con? Must in the 0.5-2 kilowatts range.

Air con off! But your calcs make a good point, I hadn't considered calculating it like that, it does make sense albeit slightly simplified. I had read on a couple of eco forums that the lamps take a flat load that converts to approximately 0.03 gallons/hour so I put that into my adding up to come up with my result

[blackspaven]

Mine turn on if I go over 80 mph* and then don't turn off again until I turn the car off.

*Obviously this is only on private roads and foreign motorways

Yup, that's normal and set from factory as such. Annoying... when you're on the continent.

[Anddenton]

That is a good thought, just minutes ago I was reading an older thread asking if 'rain triggered auto headlights' function could be disabled. Now I think about it, it has rained almost constantly since activating/retrofitting autolights

Yep, auto lights will come on if wipers are on permanent (as opposed to intermittent) and will then not go off until wipers have benn still for at least 120 seconds iirc.