Headlight dashboard indicator

[steve_beds]

tI've had my new 1.2 TSI DSG Elegance now for a month, and I'm very very please with it. 1000 miles in and the fuel economy is starting to creep up, which is a relief!

 

I do have one little 'bug' though. When the headlights are on dip (in either auto mode or when the dial is manually turned) I have no indicator on the dashboard to confirm they are on (the usual green one from my previous SE spec model). It does have a working full beam blue indicator.

 

I dropped it in to Progress Bedford this morning and they've done a diag and said everything appears fine and suggested my particular model might not have this indicator (it seemed like they genuinely had no idea if it should or not).

 

So, my question, does anyone have an MY14 (I believe? Delivered late June) 1.2 Elegance spec who can confirm whether this indicator is indeed not present? I do wonder if the dealer is just wanting to avoid a potentially very time consuming piece of work to rectify the problem if it's missing/faulty.

 

Thanks in advance!

[fatuscatus]

Mine's not a MY14, but was delivered early June though and does have the green low beam indicator in the middle of the rev counter. Page 25 of the manual refers.  Sounds odd that you wouldn't have it...

[Wiganyeti]

Hi Steve

I also have a 1.2 TSI DSG just over a month old

There is no warning light in the main cluster when the lights are on , the switch you use for turning the lights on is illuminated to show what light is on See page 44 in Owners Manual " Automatic Driving Lamp Control" Hope this helps

[MarieK]

Mine is MY14 and I concur with Wiganyeti. 

[Genstabler]

Excuse my ignorance but what is MY14?

[fordfan]

Model Year 2014.  Manufacturers introduce annual changes to each model, they usually time them so that the production line can be updated to accommodate them during their annual shut down for holidays.

[BigHusky]

Steve my latest Yeti is nearly 4 weeks old to, and I  have no dashboard indicator either? Unlike my previous 2010 model which did. I'll be mentioning this also to my dealer, very odd though??

[steve_beds]

Thanks for the feedback everyone! I hadn't noticed the symbol on the opposite side of the knob (after having the auto lights in my previous model too). I shouldn't be surprised, I hadn't noticed the electric mirroring folding either until a couple of weeks after having the car. Though the operation of that makes little sense to me. It only seems to fold them in when I move the dial to that position upon stopping, and the dial needed moving back when I wanted to restart for them to fold out again. I'd rather assumed they'd just auto fold in and out when the ignition was stopped and started when this feature was active.

 

One final oddity with the headlight indicator. I grabbed my phone and put it in flash light mode, shone it as the dash, and noticed there's still an icon for the low beam indicator! I wonder why they've opted to disable it.

[Wiganyeti]

Hi Steve By holing the close button on your remote for a few seconds will  fold your mirrors , they will fold out again when you start the car

[Zib]

Thanks for the feedback everyone! I hadn't noticed the symbol on the opposite side of the knob (after having the auto lights in my previous model too). I shouldn't be surprised, I hadn't noticed the electric mirroring folding either until a couple of weeks after having the car. Though the operation of that makes little sense to me. It only seems to fold them in when I move the dial to that position upon stopping, and the dial needed moving back when I wanted to restart for them to fold out again. I'd rather assumed they'd just auto fold in and out when the ignition was stopped and started when this feature was active.

 

One final oddity with the headlight indicator. I grabbed my phone and put it in flash light mode, shone it as the dash, and noticed there's still an icon for the low beam indicator! I wonder why they've opted to disable it.

 

The mirrors should also fold if you hold down the lock button on your remote control for a second or two.  They then auto unfold when you start off.

[Paul52]

My Yeti was delivered right at the end of May. I do have an indicator for dipped beam in the rev counter which lights whether the selector is on auto lights or set manually. I noticed this evening this stays on when I select full beams, so I then have a green "dipped" indicator and a blue "full" indicator at the same time.

[cpa]

My Yeti was delivered right at the end of May. I do have an indicator for dipped beam in the rev counter which lights whether the selector is on auto lights or set manually. I noticed this evening this stays on when I select full beams, so I then have a green "dipped" indicator and a blue "full" indicator at the same time.

Mine too. Delivered on June.

Edited 5 August, 2013 by cpa

[Kenny R]

+1

I have the dash dipped beam indication light too. Delivered in June.

Seems a bit strange removing the dipped beam indicator from the dash, as if you have auto lights its the first indication that your lights have come on, say when its raining during the day. The light switch is not always visible, without actually moving your head, and actually looking at it.

[ejstubbs]

Seems a bit strange removing the dipped beam indicator from the dash, as if you have auto lights its the first indication that your lights have come on, say when its raining during the day. The light switch is not always visible, without actually moving your head, and actually looking at it.

 

I was thinking exactly the same thing.  I didn't even know before today that the icon on the switch lit up when the auto lights came on.  (And why is it the sidelights icon, not the dipped beam icon?  That just seems completely daft.)  The one on the instrument panel is much bigger and far easier to spot at a quick glance.

 

I dropped it in to Progress Bedford this morning and they've done a diag and said everything appears fine and suggested my particular model might not have this indicator (it seemed like they genuinely had no idea if it should or not).

 

Two things:

1) One could get the impression that some motor mechanics these days never actually look at the car, they just run the diagnostics and say "nothing's wrong";

2) If they genuinely had no idea, surely it's up to them to find out - especially if they're the supplying dealer.  Leaving you to ask around on an Internet forum is, frankly, pathetic.  If I were you I'd start thinking seriously about whether you really want these people servicing your car in future.

[steve_beds]

It does seem like an odd choice to actually disable this indicator (as it's definitely present if you shine a light onto the dash). Is one other possibility, given how close together MarieK, Wiganyeti, BigHusky and my cars were built that there's an actual issue with the batch rather than it being intentional?

 

I wonder if I should perhaps contact Skoda UK to get proper confirmation given the dealer isn't being particularly helpful.

[Wiganyeti]

What does your owner manual say , my manual is correct for the way the warning lights operate? i.e no warning light in cluster but the switch is illuminated

[steve_beds]

Good point! I've been looking at the manual online up until now, I've just pulled it out of the car, and sure enough it's as you suggest in there, both on page 44 regarding the indicator on the control knob, and pages 18-25 not listing the low beam at all. So it's definitely intentional!

 

I have to admit, I find the change a little jarring! Especially as the indicator still exists on the panel.

[Zib]

Maybe people complained about the green light in the dashboard.  Many cars either don't have a headlight on indicator or have it as part of the switch.

[Brijo]

.... it's definitely present if you shine a light onto the dash)....

I've not tried it on the Yeti but in the case of my previous X-Trail the whole gammut of possible lights could be seen in silhouette if a torch was shone on the dash.  The matrix of icons was present even if there was no lamp behind some of them; they were nigh-on invisible in normal lighting.   

[ejstubbs]

Good point! I've been looking at the manual online up until now, I've just pulled it out of the car, and sure enough it's as you suggest in there, both on page 44 regarding the indicator on the control knob, and pages 18-25 not listing the low beam at all. So it's definitely intentional!

 

I have to admit, I find the change a little jarring! Especially as the indicator still exists on the panel.

 

Makes you wonder why your dealer couldn't have checked that for you.  (The May 2013 online version of the owner's manual also does not list the headlight dipped beam indicator amongst the gamut of things that might light up on the instrument cluster.)

 

Are there any other Skoda (or VAG) models which have recently dropped this indicator light eg the new Octavia?  It seems like a really mean, penny-pinching move.

[Llanigraham]

OFGS!

 

Pardon my ignorance, but why do you need an indicator light to tell you the headlights are on? Surely the position of the switch and your eyes can tell you that!!?

[ejstubbs]

Usual restrained and considered response from you,thanks for that Graham    The simple answer is: auto headlights.  Even with manual headlights, you might turn the headlights on during daylight hours for a very good reason eg driving through a tunnel, and then get distracted and forget that you've left them on.  A wee reminder in an obvious place where you often cast your glance during normal driving (ie not down by your right knee where it is partially or wholly obscured by your right arm most of the time), is helpful.

[Llanigraham]

No sorry, can't accept that as an excuse.  

 

I think I can remember putting my lights on if I go through a tunnel, especially as there aren't that many in the UK., and even if I did forget I'm sure I'd soon catch the reflection in the back of another car, soon enough.

 

And as for auto-lights..........................................................   :wonder:  :think:

[Frenchtone]

as michael winner used to say, calm down (you guys)

[Llanigraham]

Yes, Mon Pere!