Auto headlights sensitivity

[FloatingBrick]

I'm just being fussy, but is there a way of adjusting the sensitivity of the Auto Headlights (Xenon) as mine seem to come on quite early compared to other cars with auto headlights? I've already changed the Light Delay setting to 'Late' in the car settings menu on the screen as I'm assuming this means that the auto headlights will come on later? But they still seem to come on way too early, for example when driving near trees whilst the light is still reasonably good. I'm not precious about it, but as the LED daytime running lights are so bright and clear there seems little need to have the headlights on so early.

 

Also, on the top of the dash, behind the speaker under the windscreen there is a black flat bit of plastic in the middle of the air vent (about the size of a matchbox). It looks like a sensor or something similar. I thought it might be the light sensor for the headlights but when I've covered it up the headlights don't come on, so it's not that. I'm just curious as to what it does?

 

 

[Auric Goldfinger]

In the car settings on the Radio, If you go to lights there should be a setting Early, medium, late. That alters the sensitivity of the lights. The black plate could be the light sensor if you dont have auto wipers. If you have auto wipers and auto lights the light/rain sensor are in the Mirror housing on the windscreen. The lights often come on, on my 230 Octavia this is due to shadows caused by the Sun/trees.

I have my light setting set to early. 

Edited 5 July, 2017 by Auric Goldfinger

[john999boy]

The 'other thing' is more than likely for the climate control. 

[Coops]

I have mine set to "late" and on occasions they have come on when going through trees in bright sunlight. I'm still confused at times when they have or haven't come on!

 

7 minutes ago, john999boy said:

The 'other thing' is more than likely for the climate control. 

 

Could be - but I thought the air con sensor was in the unit with the courtesy lights etc 

[wooyay]

59 minutes ago, FloatingBrick said:

Also, on the top of the dash, behind the speaker under the windscreen there is a black flat bit of plastic in the middle of the air vent (about the size of a matchbox). It looks like a sensor or something similar. I thought it might be the light sensor for the headlights but when I've covered it up the headlights don't come on, so it's not that. I'm just curious as to what it does?

 

That's probably the sunlight penetration photosensor (G107) which is part of the Climatronic system.

 

[FloatingBrick]

6 minutes ago, wooyay said:

 

That's probably the sunlight penetration photosensor (G107) which is part of the Climatronic system.

 

Thanks wooyay, Sound technical lol

[Superb170]

I have mine set to medium (tried all three settings actually) and there seems to be a some inconsistency alright.  Overall they always tend to come on earlier than you would expect but that's no bad thing IMO from a safety point of view.  It could be related to how quickly light (or lack of) actually hits the sensor and driving into a tree lined road probably has an immediate impact on the sensor.  I have DRLs on permanently in the rear also, so never really worry anymore about whether I'm lit up as I know that worst case I have lights on front and rear and even with a small drop in daylight the dipped headlights will come on.

[FelisBengalensis]

Auto headlights seem to be a common source of annoyance on many cars that use them.  A clear blue sky on a bright day can trigger them as the sensor doesn't see colour just intensity variations so can read a clear sky as cloudy and turn the lights on.  Or it sees a foggy day as a bright day and won't turn the lights on!  I have had issues across all my BMWs, our Mini and now the S3.  None seem to get it quite right