Hello Everyone,

I've been driving a 2011 Superb 1.8TSI SE for about 2 months now.  I discovered how the auto light setting worked after much reading on this site.  Thanks to all previous posters on the subject, I believe there is enough complexity in it to actually run a three year degree programme!

 

A problem for me though that occurred recently is that when first starting the car and taking off, with lights set to auto, if I give the windscreen washer a quick pump the lights momentarily go off, about 2 seconds, and the road is plunged into total darkness.  The first time it scared the pants off me!

 

I'm testing it tonight on the manual setting to see if it does it also.

 

First, though, has anyone else experienced this?  I can't find any references to it on the web or on this site, so far.

 

Second, it shouldn't do this should it, right!?  And therefore, do you think i most likely have an electrical fault?  If so, possible locations - windscreen wiper stalk, some electronic box somewhere or in the lights themselves?

 

Any thoughts, theories or opinions greatly received.

 

Thanks everyone. 

 

Happy Driving!

 

 

Shouldn't do it but there could be an explanation.

 

Do you have Xenon lights? Not sure the exact specification of your SE, it could have optional Xenons.

 

If it does then it may well be the headlight washers kicking in and spraying the headlights. Now it shouldn't switch the lights off completely and plunge you into darkness, but there will be a momentary reduction in light as the washers pop out and then spray.

 

 

If you don't have xenons, then yes it sounds like there is an electrical issue somewhere.

 

 

Hello Coops,

 

Thank you for the reply.   I've noticed the wash function already and that is only a dimming as you point out.  This is like only the side lights are left on.

 

Oh boy.  Xenon headlights.  I don't think I have these and that was another thing I spent a long time reading about on this forum, do I or don't I.  I don't believe I do.

 

I have what looks like a H7 fitting in one headlight section, I think this is the high beam though.

 

I was only looking in the engine bay today and thinking, I'm going to have to flip the cover off and see if it's a H7 or a Xenon.  

 

I think it is a standard halogen lamp though as the light doesn't look like a sun or blue or particularly white.

 

Do you think the fault could be logged on the cars diagnostic thingymebob?

 

I'm buying a little elm327 device to have a look at things as I bought the car second hand from dealer but have no idea what is on the logger.

 

Thank you for your help.

 

Regards,

16 hours ago, Umbilicalboy said:

Hello Coops,

 

Thank you for the reply.   I've noticed the wash function already and that is only a dimming as you point out.  This is like only the side lights are left on.

 

Oh boy.  Xenon headlights.  I don't think I have these and that was another thing I spent a long time reading about on this forum, do I or don't I.  I don't believe I do.

 

I have what looks like a H7 fitting in one headlight section, I think this is the high beam though.

 

I was only looking in the engine bay today and thinking, I'm going to have to flip the cover off and see if it's a H7 or a Xenon.  

 

I think it is a standard halogen lamp though as the light doesn't look like a sun or blue or particularly white.

 

Do you think the fault could be logged on the cars diagnostic thingymebob?

 

I'm buying a little elm327 device to have a look at things as I bought the car second hand from dealer but have no idea what is on the logger.

 

Thank you for your help.

 

Regards,

Hello and welcome along!  One way of discovering if you have xenons is whether the lights perform a quick self adjustment just as you start the car.  This will be where the light beam automatically adjusts itself (up and down and side to side) for a couple of seconds just after you turn on the ignition.  Xenons lights will be noticeably brighter than halogens though.  Also, when you look at the actual headlight unit on the exterior, there should be some writing along the side of the unit indicating that it is a xenon light system.  The dimming that you mention is normal where you have headlight washers (I have had it on my last four cars) and it can look like the lights have momentarily gone off altogether, especially on an unlit road.  You can actually have headlight washers fitted even where you have normal halogen headlights and I think this is what you might have.

i have xenons and when they are being washed there is a noticable reduction in light but they do not go off.

Thanks Superb 170 for the reply. 

 

This is without doubt the best forum I've ever been a member of, really helpful and so many of you have so much Skoda knowledge it's frightening.  

 

I tested the car in the garage and no movement of light/headlights and more of a golden light so no xenon lighting.  I took key out and restarted several times and pulled stem on and as you stated, washers come on for headlights.  Although close range, distance to garage door about 0.8m, the quality of the light drops to a dirty brown.  Out on the road, I can see this being the difference between 'night and day' (pardon the pun) over the throw distance of the lights.  I must have only seen the washer effect at dusk or in poor daylight and maybe it was/is that I just haven't driven it much at night since we've had it.

 

A little more investigation by me thanks to good advice from you to finally decide if it's a problem.  I think I'll stand down the road as my partner drives towards me, should nail the answer once and for all.

 

I just need to find out next if I have the hill hold in car (inactivated) or not.  I've bought a little OBD device but doubt that will help too much so more digging in the Briskoda goldmine.

 

Many thanks.

 

paul

The light reduction on xenons when the washers work is noticeable, but light levels probably only drop about 10%. However with less powerful halogen lights I can imagine that the impact is much greater.

 

Glad that's all it was.

 

Hill hold - drive up a hill, stop, let your foot off the brake and see if it holds the car steady. That's what it should do. Do you have auto or manual gearbox?

 

Hi Coops,

 

I think it's just so noticeable for me because it's such a dark lane and halogen.  The weather has been so bad up North I haven't been able to do my stand by the side of the road test as my partner drives towards me so I can satisfy myself once and for all.

 

My car doesn't hold on any of the hills so i definitely haven't got it but I read somewhere else that sometimes it has been fitted but not activated - not sure if it can be done via a simple bluetooth or you need the VCD software.

 

It's the best ride I've had on English roads by some distance, including some of the famous German marques as well.  Seriously impressed.

 

Your help has been invaluable to me thank you so much and to TubbyTommy too.

 

No pun intended but what a Superb forum.

 

thank you again.