Hi,

We bought a Scala, delivered a couple of months ago.

One evening recently I drove into fog for the first time in our Scala, and wasn’t sure how to turn on the fog lights.  The lighting switch has “Auto” “Parking” and “Low beam” symbols at about 1, 2 and 3 o’clock, “Front fog lights” symbol at about 10 o’clock and “Rear fog light” symbol at about 9 o’clock.  But the switch wouldn’t turn to the fog light positions, so I managed without fog lights.

Subsequently I studied the manual, which explained that I need to pull the switch out to turn on the fog lights.  It still wouldn’t turn to the fog light positions, but then I noticed that the fog lights were on anyway, with confirming indicators on the dashboard.  Can anyone explain what the meaning and purpose of the fog light symbols around the lighting switch is?

 

PS We chose the Scala wanting a modest car but with plenty of head and legroom in the back seats, and space in the boot.  So far we’ve no regrets about our choice.  What I miss most compared to other cars is that the Nissan Primera our Scala replaced, and our 2^nd car, a Honda Jazz, both had radios that could be set to vary their volume with speed, so that a setting loud enough to hear at motorway speed isn’t unpleasantly loud when stationary.

18 minutes ago, ChrisNewman said:

 

Hi,

We bought a Scala, delivered a couple of months ago.

One evening recently I drove into fog for the first time in our Scala, and wasn’t sure how to turn on the fog lights.  The lighting switch has “Auto” “Parking” and “Low beam” symbols at about 1, 2 and 3 o’clock, “Front fog lights” symbol at about 10 o’clock and “Rear fog light” symbol at about 9 o’clock.  But the switch wouldn’t turn to the fog light positions, so I managed without fog lights.

Subsequently I studied the manual, which explained that I need to pull the switch out to turn on the fog lights.  It still wouldn’t turn to the fog light positions, but then I noticed that the fog lights were on anyway, with confirming indicators on the dashboard.  Can anyone explain what the meaning and purpose of the fog light symbols around the lighting switch is?

 

 

PS We chose the Scala wanting a modest car but with plenty of head and legroom in the back seats, and space in the boot.  So far we’ve no regrets about our choice.  What I miss most compared to other cars is that the Nissan Primera our Scala replaced, and our 2^nd car, a Honda Jazz, both had radios that could be set to vary their volume with speed, so that a setting loud enough to hear at motorway speed isn’t unpleasantly loud when stationary.

You can just pull the switch outwards, it doesn't need to be turned to the positions on the bezel that marry up to the fog light indicators; it seems you've now found that out.  The symbols around the switch will be there to identify which switchgear operates the front/rear fogs on your car, similar to the symbols on your stalks. 

The switch is just showing that the switch is for those lamps shown (but some do line up) but if it was to rotate to just front fogs say you'd get collected up the chuff by a white Astramax in the fog, or by protecting your rear you'd plough into a wall in the dark.

Quote

What I miss most compared to other cars is that the Nissan Primera our Scala replaced, and our 2^nd car, a Honda Jazz, both had radios that could be set to vary their volume with speed, so that a setting loud enough to hear at motorway speed isn’t unpleasantly loud when stationary.

The sensitivity adjustment settings for this are in Settings: Menu - 🔈 - Speed dependent volume settings

@ChrisNewman - As others imply, but never say, if you actually need fog lights (visibility under 100m) turn the headlight switch to sidelights and pull it right out so both front and rear fog lights come on. the warning lights (on switch and in instrument cluster) are there so you know you've done it.

5 hours ago, NJRJ said:

The switch is just showing that the switch is for those lamps shown (but some do line up) but if it was to rotate to just front fogs say you'd get collected up the chuff by a white Astramax in the fog, or by protecting your rear you'd plough into a wall in the dark.

I was expecting that, as the rear fog light symbol is further from the “Off” position than the front fog light symbol, turning the switch past the front fog light symbol to the rear fog light symbol would put both on (which of course is what happens with the pull switch).  If the switch had operated the fog lights by turning, that would remove the choice between using fog lights with “Auto” “Parking” and “Low beam”.  But I’ve never had a car with front fog lights before, and I don’t know whether there is a recommendation for how to set the other lights.

4 hours ago, Pilotguy said:

The sensitivity adjustment settings for this are in Settings: Menu - 🔈 - Speed dependent volume settings

I couldn’t find “Speed dependent volume settings” in the Owner’s Manual or in our Bolero radio menu.  I did find “Volume adjustment” which runs from “Off” to “7”.  I tried it with the car parked, and didn’t notice any change.  Does this allow the radio volume to be varied with speed?  (I’ll try it when I next take the car out.)  I specifically raised that function with the dealer as a feature I was keen to have in whatever car we purchased, and was told it wasn’t available with the Scala.

7 minutes ago, KenONeill said:

@ChrisNewman - As others imply, but never say, if you actually need fog lights (visibility under 100m) turn the headlight switch to sidelights and pull it right out so both front and rear fog lights come on. the warning lights (on switch and in instrument cluster) are there so you know you've done it.

Should it always be sidelights (parking lights) only?  As I replied to NJRJ, I haven’t had the luxury of front fog lights before.

The use of sidelights for any other purpose than parking lights should be discouraged.

 

The days of using sidelights combined with front fog lights (the idea being using sidelights instead of dipped headlights prevents the light reflecting back off the fog and disorientating you) are as old as the Highway Code itself.

 

The light switch will allow itself to be pulled out into the front and rear fog light setting in all positions bar the 'off' or '0' position.

Skoda, and most other VAG brands used to illustrate on the switch itself the need to pull the knob out from the dash to activate the foglights, alas it was lost long ago, much like the green dipped headlight icon in the dash binnacle to tell you your headlights were on.

 

Progress apparently!

 

19 minutes ago, silver1011 said:

The use of sidelights for any other purpose than parking lights should be discouraged.

 

The days of using sidelights combined with front fog lights (the idea being using sidelights instead of dipped headlights prevents the light reflecting back off the fog and disorientating you) are as old as the Highway Code itself.

You’re confusing me; your two sentences seem to contradict each other.  Do you mean that in fog I should use dipped headlights with front fog lights (as I did on previous cars without front fog lights), or that when using front fog lights, I should use sidelights rather than dipped headlights?

48 minutes ago, ChrisNewman said:

Should it always be sidelights (parking lights) only?  As I replied to NJRJ, I haven’t had the luxury of front fog lights before.

Unless you're driving in falling snow or fill daylight fog, yes. The point of front fog lights (regardless of what some people say) is to give you light down the road and not dazzle you, not to allow you light for high speed driving (anything over about 35mph).

11 minutes ago, ChrisNewman said:

You’re confusing me; your two sentences seem to contradict each other.  Do you mean that in fog I should use dipped headlights with front fog lights (as I did on previous cars without front fog lights), or that when using front fog lights, I should use sidelights rather than dipped headlights?

 

Both sentences are discouraging the use of sidelights, when in motion.

 

A lot of the advice in the Highway Code is becoming antiquated, it still advocates the use of sidelights on roads with a 30mph limit and streetlights, which I think most of us agree would be a poor decision.

 

To be clear, I'd recommend dipped headlights in fog, only turning on either the front or rear fog lights when visibility drops below 100 metres, which thankfully is extremely rare.

 

Never use them on motorways when spray or falling snow impede visibility, all they'll do is dazzle.

56 minutes ago, silver1011 said:

Skoda, and most other VAG brands used to illustrate on the switch itself the need to pull the knob out from the dash to activate the foglights, alas it was lost long ago, much like the green dipped headlight icon in the dash binnacle to tell you your headlights were on.

 

Progress apparently!

 

If our Scala had fog light symbols like that, I’d have been able to work out how to turn on the fog lights without resorting to the manual!

36 minutes ago, silver1011 said:

To be clear, I'd recommend dipped headlights in fog, only turning on either the front or rear fog lights when visibility drops below 100 metres, which thankfully is extremely rare.

I’d only consider using front fog lights when I get too much reflection from dipped headlights, which thankfully I see far less frequently these days than I did when first driving in the low weald of Kent in the early 1970’s.  But I’m still not clear whether you agree or disagree with KenONeill that I should turn the headlights off and use sidelights instead when there’s enough fog that I need to use front fog lights.  My assumption was that the lower position of the fog lights should give less reflection than the headlights, and so I’d do best turning off the headlights and using sidelights.  But I’ve yet to try driving with front fog lights.

The reason fog lights can be turned on with the headlight switch in the sidelight position is for that exact reason, so you can avoid the backwards glare from dipped headlights off the dense fog.

 

Fog lights are set low, as you say, to help illuminate the road low and close to the car, and avoid the glare. Unfortunately this means that your speed needs to extremely low to be able to benefit from their light output, at higher speeds fog lights offer very little advantage, which is why they're largely redundant these days, I can't remember the last time I actually saw a car driving to the conditions 😂

 

The main reason being is that the latest LED headlights recognise when the driver turns on the rear fog lights and are then able to adapt themselves for driving in fog, i.e. they automatically lower the angle of the beam to prevent glare.

 

I am therefore not a fan of sidelights and front fog lights, the fog lights are of little use, so all you're doing is reducing the chances of being seen by other road users. Dipped headlights in fog for me, always. If I am suffering from glare then I am travelling too fast.

12 hours ago, ChrisNewman said:

I was expecting that, as the rear fog light symbol is further from the “Off” position than the front fog light symbol, turning the switch past the front fog light symbol to the rear fog light symbol would put both on (which of course is what happens with the pull switch).  If the switch had operated the fog lights by turning, that would remove the choice between using fog lights with “Auto” “Parking” and “Low beam”.  But I’ve never had a car with front fog lights before, and I don’t know whether there is a recommendation for how to set the other lights.

I couldn’t find “Speed dependent volume settings” in the Owner’s Manual or in our Bolero radio menu.  I did find “Volume adjustment” which runs from “Off” to “7”.  I tried it with the car parked, and didn’t notice any change.  Does this allow the radio volume to be varied with speed?  (I’ll try it when I next take the car out.)  I specifically raised that function with the dealer as a feature I was keen to have in whatever car we purchased, and was told it wasn’t available with the Scala.

I took the short extract from the Bolero section of the Scala Owners Manual. I've pasted a screenshot which may help. Looks like page 75.

17 hours ago, silver1011 said:

The main reason being is that the latest LED headlights recognise when the driver turns on the rear fog lights and are then able to adapt themselves for driving in fog, i.e. they automatically lower the angle of the beam to prevent glare.

Interesting!  Do you know whether the headlights of our Scala SE dip to a lower angle when I turn on the rear fog lights?

7 hours ago, Pilotguy said:

I took the short extract from the Bolero section of the Scala Owners Manual. I've pasted a screenshot which may help. Looks like page 75.

This is getting weird.  I’d been trying to match your suggestion with the A05_Scala_OwnersManual.pdf, and after stating “The Infotainment sound is set in the menu Menu - 🔈.” it jumps straight to “Configuration wizard”

But I see now our printed manual has the same content on pages 59-60 as you have uploaded.  However, the entries I see on the Bolero's screen are restricted to:

Announcements

Maximum switch-on volume

Volume adjustment

Bluetooth audio

Entertainment fading while parking

Entertainment fading (navigation)

I moved “Volume adjustment” up to its maximum setting of 7, but I don’t think it makes the radio relatively louder at speed.  I assume it’s what the manual refers to as “Volume adjustment of voice commands”.

Do you have a Scala, and if so, can you access a speed-dependent volume setting, and is it on a Bolero infotainment system?

56 minutes ago, ChrisNewman said:

Interesting!  Do you know whether the headlights of our Scala SE dip to a lower angle when I turn on the rear fog lights?

 

No, I doubt it on the SE.

 

Being an SE your Scala will have the 'basic' LED headlights, the 'full' LED headlights being a £975 option. The 'full' LED headlights come with the 'AFS' feature (Adaptive Front Light System) which is able to adjust the beam depending on conditions, i.e speed, whether it is raining etc. It might therefore also adjust depending on if the fog lights are operational.

 

 

2 hours ago, silver1011 said:

 

No, I doubt it on the SE.

 

Being an SE your Scala will have the 'basic' LED headlights, the 'full' LED headlights being a £975 option. The 'full' LED headlights come with the 'AFS' feature (Adaptive Front Light System) which is able to adjust the beam depending on conditions, i.e speed, whether it is raining etc. It might therefore also adjust depending on if the fog lights are operational.

 

 

Thanks for clearing that up.  No, we didn’t choose the “Full LED headlights with adaptive front light system” option.  (Advisers struggled to work out the difference between "full" and "basic" LED headlights when I asked what we should do to make the lights suitable driving on the right in France.)  So next time I’m in thick fog I’ll try the front fog lights with sidelights rather than dipped headlights.

Thank also for showing me how the fog light symbols on the switch were once helpful!

On 21/12/2019 at 16:43, ChrisNewman said:

This is getting weird.  I’d been trying to match your suggestion with the A05_Scala_OwnersManual.pdf, and after stating “The Infotainment sound is set in the menu Menu - 🔈.” it jumps straight to “Configuration wizard”

 

Do you have a Scala, and if so, can you access a speed-dependent volume setting, and is it on a Bolero infotainment system?

 

No I don't have a Scala, but I'm tempted to drop into my local Skoda dealer tomorrow and have a look at one of theirs! Might get a cup of coffee and a mince pie, at least...