My wife reported that the lights on the speedo and rev counter just went out earlier this week and she recorded it...see attachment. An ignition off>on saw the lights restored..anyone seen this before?

It’s your Kodiaq kindly telling  you it’s dark and you haven’t got your headlights on. If you leave the light switch on auto you don’t get this problem.

From the owners manual....

 

Edited 17 January, 20197 yr by Kenny R

1 hour ago, Kenny R said:

It’s your Kodiaq kindly telling  you it’s dark and you haven’t got your headlights on. If you leave the light switch on auto you don’t get this problem.

From the owners manual....

 

Thanks...the only thing is the light switch is always left on Auto...which is what puzzled here...ingition off>on saw the lights come back on...she even made the point that the headlights were on ...although in the video its hard to be sure. I'll monitor it and see what happens...its either headlight switch not on auto or some electrical issue about to show its head I guess.

 

I've noticed this.

 

I quite often drive during daylight hours with the headlight switch set to sidelights (DRL's on, headlight eyelashes on, rear tail lights and number plate lights on).

 

When the light begins to fade the Kodiaq does a great job of reminding the driver it is time to turn on dipped headlights - you can no longer see the dials.

 

The needles illuminate but the lack of background lighting behind the dials is a clear and obvious reminder.

 

If it is dark, the headlight switch is set to dipped headlights, or Auto and the dials aren't lit then you have a problem.

 

I'd be tempted to be 100% sure the wife understands the functionality of the headlights.

 

It's a shame other manufacturers can't adopt the same system. Permanently lit dials is the reason so many people drive around in the dark with only their daytime running lights (DRL's) on, and no rear lights.

It sounds like the common VW logic problem that I reported to VW UK years ago. They agree its there, but can't do anything about it until VW Germany accept its a problem!

 

I have my Golf SV set to the Auto light setting, so that the headlights turn on as you enter tunnels, or it gets dark. But I can also drive under trees and see the instrument lights go out as a reminder to turn my lights on! Apparently there are two sensors to detect the surrounding light levels and they don't compare notes. So the instrument panel sensor sees it getting darker and turns the instrument panel lights down or off, while the headlight sensor is saying it's not dark enough to need headlights so doesn't turn the lights on automatically for me!

If they talked to each other, then I wouldn't find the panel lights disappearing as I drive down shady lanes, telling me to override the auto headlight feature. (One way to fool them is to just drive on sidelights all the time, but then I lose the Auto Headlight function :(

 

Chris

On my previous Yeti the ambient light sensor for the instrument lights was in the bottom half of the Rev counter, I haven’t checked were the Kodiaq’s is but suspect it will be similar. So anything near, will fool sensor into thinking it’s dark.

I love the current set up.

 

A good reminder to get your lights on when it matters. I do sometimes use side lights for certain conditions all year round. 

 

I don’t use AUTO at all as it makes too many mistakes and I don’t want See Me Home or Here I Come.

 

As it’s winter my light switch just lives in the ON position these days. 

 

I had had the pleasure of following a prat without lights on the motorway out of Glasgow yesterday afternoon in the gloom. Took the driver about 10 miles to switch his lights on. I wasn’t right behind him so didn’t get to enjoy lighting him up with the LEDs 

Guys, thanks for all the replies...interesting...I need to get a few more details from my wife next. 

I have never experienced this behaviour with the instrument cluster lights with the auto lights enabled at night. This does not seem normal to me. Personally I have never used anything but auto lights since I purchased the car and they have never failed to operate appropriately.

Edited 18 January, 20197 yr by jasoncmiles
why?