Hey,

 

Picking up my first ever Skoda this Saturday and stupidly failed to notice it doesn't come with automatic headlamps.

 

It's a Skoda Octavia MKIII facelift (split head lamps, if that helps?).

 

I've been researching into this and saw if I have automatic wipers (which I do) I can just replace the switch in the dash and it should work, nothing seems to be too clear.

 

If anyone has a solid answer on this it would be massively appreciated.

 

Thanks!

Still amazed that they don't come as standard now.

 

Not that I've ever used one but heard a few people suggest these:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/263188217403?chn=ps&ul_ref=https%3A%2F%2Frover.ebay.com%2Frover%2F1%2F710-134428-41853-0%2F2%3Fmpre%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.ebay.co.uk%252Fi%252F263188217403%253Fchn%253Dps%26itemid%3D263188217403%26targetid%3D520181198099%26device%3Dm%26adtype%3Dpla%26googleloc%3D1006736%26poi%3D%26campaignid%3D1464305199%26adgroupid%3D59704400547%26rlsatarget%3Dpla-520181198099%26abcId%3D1139116%26merchantid%3D118953779%26gclid%3DEAIaIQobChMIkaLF79zQ3gIVTLftCh2QyQJ7EAQYASABEgJHEvD_BwE%26srcrot%3D710-134428-41853-0%26rvr_id%3D1739434744148%26rvr_ts%3D0bb9eac21670ab66f195a6a0fff0b6bf

 

Note, that may not be suitable for the Octavia so you may need to look around.

There are plenty of switches in Aliexpress also - might be cheaper from there.

1 hour ago, gRoberts said:

Still amazed that they don't come as standard now.

Tell me about it :/, especially as the rest of the car is pretty well kitted out - I asked the sales person if it had automatic headlamps and they said yes but from doing a bit more research the option isn't available on the dial from the pictures and I assume it's a no go.

 

Thanks for the suggestion on the ebay link - do I still need to use the sensor even if the sensor in the car may already exist?

 

Thanks.

~Luke

What trim level is it?

18 minutes ago, gRoberts said:

What trim level is it?

It's the SE trim level.

As you have auto wipers, it *should* have a RLS (rain light sensor). Assuming it does, you'll probably need:

- a new switch

- possibly an extra wire from the switch to BCM (body control module)

- coding changes

 

This is based on the older MK2 but I'd expect it to be similar on the MK3.

 

Might be worth posting an autoscan from VCDS to see what modules you have installed.

I can't be 100% certain, as I was chasing this particular issue for my SE Tech that is coming soon.

 

https://www.whatcar.com/car-leasing/deals/personal/skoda/octavia-hatchback/10-tsi-se-5dr/3267030/44325274/

 

The above suggested that my SE Tech has them, but your SE doesn't? Suppose it's wait and see time, unless someone else as an FL SE, that can confirm?

Amazing - thank you everyone for your time, patience and assisted research in this, it is massively appreciated.

 

I guess I'll need to stop the assumptions and wait until I've got the car in my hands to do some thorough searching.

 

It also says yours has start/stop which I'm pretty sure mine doesn't either...this'll be interesting, I'll see if I can get the bits to do a VCDS when the car comes in.

 

Cheers!

They all have stop start, that’s not spec dependant sadly.

4 hours ago, SashaGrace said:

They all have stop start, that’s not spec dependant sadly.

Weird, the option to turn it off/on wasn't next to the phone tray when I was testing - I really need to have a full inspection come this weekend.

 

I'll make sure to keep this post updated.

 

Thanks!

Hey all,

 

Sad news...it doesn’t have automatic headlamps but I enjoyed the car too much to reject it at the dealer.

 

Also I’ve attached a picture of the right stick, I’m not sure if this has the sensor? I push it up once and it’ll wipe every 15 seconds but will wipe more if there’s more rain.

 

 Looks like I might need to plug in a vcds and get it uploaded to help.

 

Does anyone recommend a service to retrofit this? And approximate cost? Or shall I have a go myself

 

Cheers!

~Luke

1 hour ago, Luke_H said:

Hey all,

 

Sad news...it doesn’t have automatic headlamps but I enjoyed the car too much to reject it at the dealer.

 

Also I’ve attached a picture of the right stick, I’m not sure if this has the sensor? I push it up once and it’ll wipe every 15 seconds but will wipe more if there’s more rain.

 

 Looks like I might need to plug in a vcds and get it uploaded to help.

 

Does anyone recommend a service to retrofit this? And approximate cost? Or shall I have a go myself

 

Cheers!

~Luke

 

The rain light sensor wouldn’t be obvious from the wiper stalk. 

If you say whereabouts in the country you are, then there may be someone local with VCDS who can scan your car.

 

Just now, wg100 said:

 

The rain light sensor wouldn’t be obvious from the wiper stalk. 

If you say whereabouts in the country you are, then there may be someone local with VCDS who can scan your car.

 

Yeah, I wasn’t sure if it would be different on a car with the sensor.

 

I’m in North Hertfordshire area, Luton, Letchworth, etc

 

Thanks for clarifying, I’ll get the dump

done or buy the cable and do it myself.

It's trivial to see if the RLS is fitted. Take a picture of the rear view mirror mount from outside the car and post it here

Is there any info in this topic?

 

 

I checked and I don’t have the automatic option on the interactive dash which doesn’t give me hope...currently pitch black outside so can’t get a picture, will upload one tomorrow. 

 

Thanks for all your input everyone!  

50 minutes ago, Luke_H said:

I checked and I don’t have the automatic option on the interactive dash which doesn’t give me hope...currently pitch black outside so can’t get a picture, will upload one tomorrow. 

 

Thanks for all your input everyone!  

You won't do as you don't have the switch, so the coding isn't present.

I’m guessing this needs to look like it has a dimple or two to show the sensors?

 

What’s weird is, if I turn the wiper on it will wipe every 10-15 seconds but if it’s raining it will wipe at a more consistent rate like it has a sensor...how confusing. 

1 hour ago, Luke_H said:

I’m guessing this needs to look like it has a dimple or two to show the sensors?

 

What’s weird is, if I turn the wiper on it will wipe every 10-15 seconds but if it’s raining it will wipe at a more consistent rate like it has a sensor...how confusing. 

 

Have you noticed the speed when stationary or only when moving? Intermittent appears to get faster on a few different cars to make up for the more chance of rain hitting you.

 

I have auto rain/lights (bi-xenon's) and this is what I have.

 

9 hours ago, Luke_H said:

I’m guessing this needs to look like it has a dimple or two to show the sensors?

 

What’s weird is, if I turn the wiper on it will wipe every 10-15 seconds but if it’s raining it will wipe at a more consistent rate like it has a sensor...how confusing. 

 

 

Apologies but having trouble understanding exactly what's happening here.

 

In your initial comment you say you have automatic wipers. You then say when you switch wiper to INT it will swipe every 10-15secs.   Will it still swipe every 15sec on INT setting even in it's not raining?

 

The reason I ask is (and someone may correct me) according to UK specs, I'm not sure SE has auto wipers. You can add automatic lights as an option, but I don't see where you can add auto-wipers on their own.

 

Both SE-L and Scout mention that over and above SE spec, they come with a rain sensor, so that implies to me SE does not have automatic wipers.

 

I dunno - just thinking aloud.

Edited 18 November, 20187 yr by Guest

As above, I don’t believe you can spec auto wipers on their own. Retrofitting the RLS isn’t all that hard and while you are there you can add the lowline camera for Auto High Beam. Nothing is impossible on these cars.

8 hours ago, gRoberts said:

 

Have you noticed the speed when stationary or only when moving? Intermittent appears to get faster on a few different cars to make up for the more chance of rain hitting you.

 

I have auto rain/lights (bi-xenon's) and this is what I have.

 

Thanks for your references, it is appreciated! I can see I have the slot for the sensor, there's just no sensor in there...

 

And it was raining earlier and I was stationary and I had the wiper setting up 1 notch and it was going fast to keep up with the pour and when it dried it went back to normal speeds...I don't have a sensor though so I have no idea where it's pulling the data from to wipe more.

 

11 minutes ago, Scot5 said:

 

Apologies but having trouble understanding exactly what's happening here.

 

In your initial comment you say you have automatic wipers. You then say when you switch wiper to INT it will swipe every 10-15secs.   Will it still swipe every 15sec on INT setting even in it's not raining?

 

The reason I ask is (and someone may correct me) according to UK specs, I'm not sure SE has auto wipers. You can add automatic lights as an option, but I don't see where you can add auto-wipers on their own.

 

Both SE-L and Scout mention that over and above SE spec, they come with a rain sensor, so that implies to me SE does not have automatic wipers.

 

I dunno - just thinking aloud.

 

It's definitely weird, I'm VERY new with cars and would love to start getting more of an understanding on them.

 

The wipers will run by themselves every 10-15 seconds but will go faster when it's raining, even when my car is stationary.

 

I think I've come to the conclusion I need to fit this myself...never done anything like this before but feeling confident all the same.

8 minutes ago, SashaGrace said:

As above, I don’t believe you can spec auto wipers on their own. Retrofitting the RLS isn’t all that hard and while you are there you can add the lowline camera for Auto High Beam. Nothing is impossible on these cars.

Yeah, this is the main reason why I swapped from my BMW to a Skoda...I don't have to pay out my arse just for basic features and I can do it myself.

On 13/11/2018 at 09:09, gRoberts said:

I can't be 100% certain, as I was chasing this particular issue for my SE Tech that is coming soon.

 

https://www.whatcar.com/car-leasing/deals/personal/skoda/octavia-hatchback/10-tsi-se-5dr/3267030/44325274/

 

The above suggested that my SE Tech has them, but your SE doesn't? Suppose it's wait and see time, unless someone else as an FL SE, that can confirm?

 

I've got an SE Tech Estate on order just now and it simply never crossed my mind that the car wouldn't have auto lights as standard. I honestly can't remember the last time that I had a car where this wasn't a standard feature. Obviously standard on the Yeti L & K I have just now and on the Octavia Elegance (SEL) spec car that I had before that.

 

Looking at the link above it doesn't make any mention of auto lights as such, just daylight running LED lights, which I guess will be on all the time. On this occasion the deal was so good on the SE Tech specification that upgrading to SEL just didn't make any financial sense as it was going to cost nearly a £100 more per month.