Knees and lights

[05surveyor]

Anyone else noticed this?  Quite regularly when I get into the driving seat and before starting the engine the warning beeps start to say that the headlights are on.  It turns out that, in the act of climbing into the car, (Kodiaq), one of my knees has caught the light switch, moving it from Auto to Headlight position.  Is it me who is deformed in some way, or have any of you other Kodiaq drivers noticed this?  If only the switch was positioned higher on the dash panel, (like it is on the wife's Rapid).

Edited 14 August, 2018 by 05surveyor

[KKB24]

Happens when my hubby drives the car all the time. 

[lowedb]

Never happens to me though I can see why it might. On the other hand it's always happening to me in the Furby.

[silver1011]

How close to the steering wheel do you sit!?

 

Wouldn't knocking the switch when getting into the car move the dial towards the gear lever i.e. from 'Auto' to '0' (off)?

 

I'm too busy getting annoyed at the creaky grab handles when pulling the door shut to notice much else 

[05surveyor]

13 hours ago, silver1011 said:

How close to the steering wheel do you sit!?

 

Wouldn't knocking the switch when getting into the car move the dial towards the gear lever i.e. from 'Auto' to '0' (off)?

 

I'm too busy getting annoyed at the creaky grab handles when pulling the door shut to notice much else 

 

No, catching the bottom of the switch with the knee moving left rotates the switch clockwise, from Auto towards Headlights.

 

I am 5'9" so don't have to sit too close to the wheel.  It's not a problem when in and driving, it's when getting into the car that it happens.

 

At least my grab handles aren't squeaky, that would really wind me up!

 

 

Edited 15 August, 2018 by 05surveyor

[Jfhuk]

In 6ft 4ins and haven’t managed to hit this one. Have had a similar issue driving a friends jaaag but then you expect these sort of things on cars designed for cads called Jeremy 8-)

[Shevtheblue]

Must be a 5ft9 thing because this has happened to me on a couple occasions, as well as unwittingly, somehow, pushing the gear stick into manual and thinking the cars knackered when trying to accelerate!

[johnhat]

Another 5'9 person (well, just over) who also has a knee-meets-lights issue...

[silver1011]

Given that the actual touch point of the light switch only protrudes from the dash a couple of centimeters I'm guessing if the switch wasn't there you'd still be clattering your legs on the dash?

[05surveyor]

12 hours ago, silver1011 said:

Given that the actual touch point of the light switch only protrudes from the dash a couple of centimeters I'm guessing if the switch wasn't there you'd still be clattering your legs on the dash?

That "couple of centimetres" is enough!  Now that I am aware of the problem I have changed the way I get in and avoid the problem that way.  Why is the switch not mounted higher next to the air vent as in other Skoda models?

[silver1011]

The light switch location does seem a bit of an afterthought, almost as if they forgot about it.

 

Given that the only 'telltale' of your headlights being turned on is on the switch, it would have been nice to have it a little higher up.

[Yogi-Bear]

48 minutes ago, silver1011 said:

Given that the only 'telltale' of your headlights being turned on is on the switch, it would have been nice to have it a little higher up.

 

The satnav goes into night mode too :-)

[silver1011]

I tend to drive on sidelights during the day, so have had to turn off the 'night mode' on the sat nav.

[Adrian55555]

I have electric seats in my superb sportline and coded the easy entry feature..... Im sure this is something that could be coded to kodiaqs with electric seats too! 

[Adrian55555]

Seat moves back when ignition and door is opened so easier to get out and next time u get in its easier. Seat moves back to saved position when door is closed and ignition i switched on

[Yogi-Bear]

12 hours ago, silver1011 said:

I tend to drive on sidelights during the day, so have had to turn off the 'night mode' on the sat nav.

 

Yeah, me too. I really must get round to buying a VCDS cable (or a keg of beer for someone who already has it) so that I can change the DRLs to include the eyelashes (if possible) and enable the rear lights as DRLs as well - that would be perfect.

 

Do you find that the illumination of the dashboard dials is somewhat lacking when you have the sidelights on?

[silver1011]

I think the dash illumination is deliberately reduced with the switch in the sidelights position to encourage the driver to select dipped headlights or auto.

 

I know the Highway Code still promotes the use of sidelights under certain circumstances but I think these days they're more suited for parking at night etc.

 

I like the way on the Kodiaq that in sidelights mode the DRL's don't dim, as you say they instead add the eyelashes and rear tail lights. On all my other Skoda's turning on the sidelights has either dimmed or turned off completely the DRL's. This is why I like to use sidelights during the day on the Kodiaq. When I struggle to see the dash dials I know it's time to flick over to dipped headlights. I think the undimmed LED DRL's could become a bit of a distraction to oncoming traffic if used when it's dusk, they do seem quite bright.

 

Edited 24 August, 2018 by silver1011

[DaveMiller]

The satnav goes into night mode when it is dark. The auto lights come on when it is dark. But ... they aren’t connected!  They must use separate light sensors, because I notice my satnav and lights switching over at different times, quite independently.

 

I suppose that makes sense, as some drivers may want to put their lights on in daytime, but not have the dark satnav.

[BoxerBoy]

10 hours ago, silver1011 said:

I think the dash illumination is deliberately reduced with the switch in the sidelights position to encourage the driver to select dipped headlights or auto.

 

I know the Highway Code still promotes the use of sidelights under certain circumstances but I think these days they're more suited for parking at night etc.

 

I like the way on the Kodiaq that in sidelights mode the DRL's don't dim, as you say they instead add the eyelashes and rear tail lights. On all my other Skoda's turning on the sidelights has either dimmed or turned off completely the DRL's. This is why I like to use sidelights during the day on the Kodiaq. When I struggle to see the dash dials I know it's time to flick over to dipped headlights. I think the undimmed LED DRL's could become a bit of a distraction to oncoming traffic if used when it's dusk, they do seem quite bright.

 

 

Indeed the dash lights are pretty clever.  If one is stupidly driving without headlights when it gets dark then all you get are white needles on the dials.  Turn Yer ****in’ Lights On.

 

I’m not one for the Auto Lights position on the switch.  It’s never right and I don’t want to burn lights every time I get in or out of the car.

 

I was surprised to find “full” dial illumination when using side lights when it wasn’t too dark outside - maybe just a bit gloomy.  The. The dash goes out when the outside light reduces. Simply Clever.

 

I like to use my side lights.

 

(oops - the pc policeman got me)

Edited 24 August, 2018 by BoxerBoy