Any idea where it is? I've noticed my headlights coming on when it's not dark enough to need them over the last couple of days.

Is it not by/ in front of the rear view mirror on the windscreen?

With the rain sensor on the front windscreen, just behind the mirror.

 

If the glass is dirty it can affect it.

 

You can change the Light Assist setting to Late to see if that makes any difference?

Thanks, will make sure it's not been hit by bird crap in the morning.

Thanks, will make sure it's not been hit by bird crap in the morning.

Had that a few times on the old Golf. Damned seagull **** the size of an elephant turd

I've noticed this as well. Staying on well past needed. There is an option to specify when they come on but not when they go off.

Erring on the side of caution?

I think it may be taking time of day into consideration. Ie yesterday was a nice bright morning but the headlamps were on most of the journey in. Today, however, it was cloudier and darker but I left slightly later and the lamps were off most of the trip. No rhyme or reason to it.

No, it's just sensor based. Time of day would be quite silly to use. What if you live in the northern parts of Norway and you get 18 hours of daylight or nighttime, depending on the time of year?

No, it's just sensor based. Time of day would be quite silly to use. What if you live in the northern parts of Norway and you get 18 hours of daylight or nighttime, depending on the time of year?

GPS?

Umm, you have a dedicated light sensor right on the windshield. You know for stuff like tunnels, overcast skies, maybe you like driving in the darkest forests known to man etc...

Edited 18 March, 201412 yr by TudorM

Low, bright sunshine will cause the lights to come on as well.

Sent from my phone so please excuse brevity and spelling

Low, bright sunshine will cause the lights to come on as well.

Sent from my phone so please excuse brevity and spelling

Yea. I've guessed that one as we've actually had enough sunshine recently to experience this functionality! :-)

It's just seems for me that there's no rhyme or reason to the headlight off times. Specifically in the morning. I had a Golf with the same auto on off functionality (albeit halogens vs Xenon) and it behaved as you would expect.

Oh well. It's going in for a number of warranty issues on Saturday and I'll just add this one to the list. Maybe I just have a faulty sensor.

Low, bright sunshine will cause the lights to come on as well.

Sent from my phone so please excuse brevity and spelling

 

Ah, that may also have been the cause.

Way i look at it....if the sensor decides to turn the lights on then just let it.

Driving around with dipped beams on makes you that bit more visible and doesn't irritate anyone so what the hell.

The only thing the light sensor doesnt work well with it fog where visibility is fairly pap but its bright enough to not warrant turning the lights on....well as far as the car can tell anyway.

Nice alteration to the auto lights set up on the new Octy is that you can turn the front/rear fogs on whilst in auto which of course triggers dipped beam in any case, used to have to switch to manual before.

Way i look at it....if the sensor decides to turn the lights on then just let it.

Driving around with dipped beams on makes you that bit more visible and doesn't irritate anyone so what the hell.

The only thing the light sensor doesnt work well with it fog where visibility is fairly pap but its bright enough to not warrant turning the lights on....well as far as the car can tell anyway.

Nice alteration to the auto lights set up on the new Octy is that you can turn the front/rear fogs on whilst in auto which of course triggers dipped beam in any case, used to have to switch to manual before.

What he said. ^^^

My old Passat CC had the same 'random auto lights'. Used to drive me nuts, some days they would refuse to come on despite being past the level of darkness I would normally put my lights on and sometimes they wouldn't switch off, despite being in bright summer sunshine.

 

Perhaps the same unit?!?

If you go into the info screen and car set up there is a light setting click on this and there are 3 light settings early mid and late this dictates what time the lights will come on. I have a play with my car today and found that out.

A LATER option would be handy....they seem to come on early.

A LATER option would be handy....they seem to come on early.

There are 3 modes to select early is one of them but then you have mid and then late

There are 3 modes to select early is one of them but then you have mid and then late

Thanks for info. I have tried Late...but lights come on when its still bright.

Just to update this, I've noticed that I now seem to have permanent headlights of one sort or another, no matter what they are set to.

 

With the dial turned to Off I get either side lights or dipped beam (no obvious pattern to which it chooses) but the dash illumination is off.
With the dial turned to Auto I get either side lights or dipped beam depending on how bright the outside world is, and the dash is lit.
With the dial turned to side lights or dipped beam I get what I'd expect to have.

 

Time for a trip to the dealers :(
Next person that makes a joke about Fiats having unreliable electrics can f*** off, as mine went five years without a fault.

 

Time for a trip to the dealers :(

 

Well, its cheaper than the valeters, not sure they'll do as good a job of the inside mind.