2 hours ago, StoneFist85 said:

I've spoken to my local skoda dealer and they basically told me they know nothing about it and if that's how they work it must be right. Fair enough I was chatting with women on reception and then she was forwarding it to their technicians (as if they couldn't come to speak with me directly). I'll have to go there soon when I book my car for recall and try to speak with someone more educated. 

I just love the way main dealers always claim no knowledge of any negative concern, even well documented ones - and if you push it their go to response is ‘a characteristic of the vehicle, sir’.

As for the option to speak to a so called ‘technician’, that option disappeared some 3 decades ago - can’t have anyone in customer facing situation - all face to face contact with disgruntled owners has to be carefully controlled / contained.

@Berisford   Not all Main / Franchised dealerships that have Skoda / SEAT and workshops are the same as far as Service Desk Staff, Service or Workshop managers.

There are actually places where a Master Technician might come explain things to a customer.   But then that requires there to be a Master Technician. 

Hello, I have a superb mk3 too, and I found out when I drive on the highway the left headlight turns off highbeam when the matrix is on, it’s related to this situation or it’s something different? My car is LHD (I drive on the right). Thanks

1 minute ago, Francisco_gomes said:

Hello, I have a superb mk3 too, and I found out when I drive on the highway the left headlight turns off highbeam when the matrix is on, it’s related to this situation or it’s something different? My car is LHD (I drive on the right). Thanks

So your car is doing it correctly, dipping left lamp not to blind oncoming traffic but keeping side of the road fully lit. In UK it should be the opposite with right lamp dipping and left staying on. Year on and I'm still not any wiser as to how to fix that issue. No help from my local Skoda dealer. 

10 hours ago, StoneFist85 said:

So your car is doing it correctly, dipping left lamp not to blind oncoming traffic but keeping side of the road fully lit. In UK it should be the opposite with right lamp dipping and left staying on. Year on and I'm still not any wiser as to how to fix that issue. No help from my local Skoda dealer. 

I wonder if its something that can be changed using VCDS; it tends to be in the long-coding there are all sorts of options you tell the car and the software reacts. For example, I disabled my heated steering wheel as there were 4 options to tick, I must have changed it not knowing there was an implication to it (it didn't seem obvious at the time) but from that point the heated steering wheel button never worked (as if it had been disconnected). Dealer tech said he'd looked at everything and fund the system was effectively registering the wheel as hot already and not having it on. Long story short, I wonder if the car isn't turning off the headlight as it has an incorrect setting. Do you have VCDS or know someone who does?

1 hour ago, travs said:

I wonder if its something that can be changed using VCDS; it tends to be in the long-coding there are all sorts of options you tell the car and the software reacts. For example, I disabled my heated steering wheel as there were 4 options to tick, I must have changed it not knowing there was an implication to it (it didn't seem obvious at the time) but from that point the heated steering wheel button never worked (as if it had been disconnected). Dealer tech said he'd looked at everything and fund the system was effectively registering the wheel as hot already and not having it on. Long story short, I wonder if the car isn't turning off the headlight as it has an incorrect setting. Do you have VCDS or know someone who does?

Yes, I have vcds and yes I'm guessing that coding module is required to tell car to dip right instead left lamp, just a problem as to where it is.

I would go through Central electrics, long coding, then as you flick through every pair of numbers you might stumble across it. I'll have a look when I get a mo too to see if I can find anything

I would love an answer to this one too.. 

Bugs me every time I get on a motorway yet the minute you hit the off ramp it defaults back to normal. 

Not that we have a lot of motorways.. 😆

 

8 minutes ago, FionnG said:

I would love an answer to this one too.. 

Bugs me every time I get on a motorway yet the minute you hit the off ramp it defaults back to normal. 

Not that we have a lot of motorways.. 😆

 

Yeah but that works for each dual carriageway as per GPS. It is annoying and to counter some people from previous posts that tried to make us look like worse evil - I'm annoyed because I can't use it without blinding other people and that's what I want to avoid 

On 04/02/2024 at 11:55, StoneFist85 said:

sounding like someone frustrated who complains as he would like to have them lighs but can't so just keeps complaining about others having them.

 

Thank you for your valued clinical analysis.

13 minutes ago, J.R. said:

 

Thank you for your valued clinical analysis.

It's not any analysis, I'm just telling how I feel getting attacked for something that's not my intention. Them light are there for a reason, they aren't working as they should so I'm looking to get them fixed and asking for solution not for someone's opinion, especially when they talk nonsense. 

Thank you once again for your observations.

We're all Skoda brothers and sisters. Worse things in life than this sort of thing - let's try and focus on getting the lights sorted chaps 👍

I'm in Skoda Dealer next week to fix my gearbox in emergency mode ( mechatronic module 1 to be replaced... 💶😬) and major service including software update. I already mentioned problem with matrix headlights on motorway and will insist to look into this again.. They seem to have no clue, so as you guys mentioned the only option is to find where in vcds to fix it 👌

I'm sure the matrix mapping is wrong for UK motorways and dual carriageways;

It blocks out the left hand side (shown in purple) rather then the right hand side - which I would expect it to do, so that even if car light are obscured by the central barrier, they would not get blinded...

Edited 31 March, 20251 yr by MARViN2003

32 minutes ago, MARViN2003 said:

I'm sure the matrix mapping is wrong for UK motorways and dual carriageways;

It blocks out the left hand side (shown in purple) rather then the right hand side - which I would expect it to do, so that even if car light are obscured by the central barrier, they would not get blinded...

That's exactly what's happening yet nor one person in skoda is acknowledging that issue

FL 2023, RHD, left side of road here.

I have coded my HBA to be on as set when the car was switched off, so on most of the time even when driving on UK motorways. I never get flashed at by oncoming traffic on the right. The car is set to RHD in the menu.

In STG 4B there is a setting for "motorway light" which has always been set to active. Another setting "Highway light" cannot be set. If you do you just get errors.

When we went into France I set the light to right hand traffic, driving on right. On motorways even when there is no discernible barrier in the middle and I can see the lights of oncoming traffic I frequently get flashed by the traffic on the left of me and turn the auto HBA off. I have not really tried to drive in France with the car set to left hand traffic thinking that the settings have to be correct. Next time I might try keeping the lights set to left hand traffic. Unfortunately I cannot change this when driving. The car has to stationary to do the change.

Mine went to the Skoda dealer but they couldn't find anything wrong.

Interestingly, my GPS stopped working for a few days, and when going on the motorway or dual carriageway, the matrix LEDs just carried on working as they do on a normal road, so it's linked to the car knowing it's on a dual carriageway / motorway from the GPS mapped data rather then just the camera.

When we were driving on the french motorway the sat nav was working o.k. On french N-roads / country roads the matrix lights shade the oncoming traffic though.

I am sure Skoda programming simply does not cut the beam to the left when on motorways and the camera might not see the oncoming lights because of the central barrier.

I wonder how a LHD car with matrix LED lights and HBA on behaves on UK motorways.

Edited 8 May8 May by 26DIPP

Ok, I possibly have a solution for the problem but can't code it myself because I'm using Car Scanner and acces is blocked by Skod. It could work on Obd11 if anyone wish to try. I'm looking for someone with Obd11 to try myself.

If your left-side illumination is completely dead or dropping low as soon as you hit the slip road—even before you accelerate past 68 mph—this points to a different system interaction.

On the Škoda Superb Mk3 FL, your headlights continuously talk to the front camera (Module A5) and the factory navigation system. The moment the GPS detects you are merging onto a motorway slip road, it preemptively commands the Matrix modules to shift from City/Country Light profiles into Motorway Prep Mode, instantly dropping or masking the left side to avoid blinding truck drivers or high-up road signs.

If your dashboard says "Left-Hand Traffic" but the car cuts the left side on the slip road, the car’s GPS tracking module is processing the road geometry backward. It fundamentally believes you are merging onto a Continental European motorway (Right-Hand Traffic) and is trying to protect what it thinks is an opposing lane on your left.

The root cause can be fixed with specific byte configurations.

The Fix: Invert the LHD/RHD Navigation Logic

When using Car Scanner Pro, you must force the Front Sensor Camera (A5) and Multifunction Headlight Gateway (4B) to stop letting the navigation map invert your traffic orientation.

Step 1: Fix Module A5 (Front Sensor / Driver Assist Camera)

This camera handles the actual lane classification and reads slip road geometry.

◦ Open Coding & Service → Front Sensors (A5) → Long Coding (Raw).Go to Byte 0 (the very first pair of numbers).If your app shows bits, look for the option labeled Country_variant or System_Selection.If it is currently set to hexadecimal 01 (Europe / Left-Hand Drive), change it to 02 (UK / Right-Hand Drive).Note: If it is already on 02, the navigation link is corrupted. Check Bit 4 or 5 inside this byte for a toggle named Navigation_Adaptive_Light_Assist and turn it Off.

Step 2: Fix Module 4B (Multifunction Module)

The headlight master needs to stop responding to the navigation-based road classification.

1. Open Coding & Service → Multifunction Module (4B) → Long Coding (Raw).Navigate to Byte 5.Look for the individual bit labeled Navigation_Light_Functions or Intersection_Light_via_GPS.Uncheck this bit (change its value from 1 to 0).Why this works: Disabling this stops the navigation system from overriding your headlights based on GPS coordinates. The car will rely purely on what the physical camera sees in front of you on the slip road, preventing it from incorrectly dimming the left curb.

───

Step 3: Hard Reset to Lock in the Left-Hand Beam

After applying these raw changes, you must clear the memory buffers:

Turn the ignition off, lock the car, and wait 2 full minutes for the CAN-bus modules to enter sleep mode.Turn the car back on, go to the infotainment screen, and navigate to Vehicle → Settings → Lights.Toggle the traffic setting to Right-Hand Traffic, wait 5 seconds, and then flip it firmly back to Left-Hand Traffic.Press and hold your infotainment power button for 10 seconds until the screen reboots.This severs the incorrect GPS calculation, forcing the Matrix headlights to project a wide, full beam down the left slip road and curb exactly as required for UK motorways

Because it's Skoda fault I decided to raise a complain and hopefully they will respond.

There is draft of the letter I will send recorded delivery tomorrow.

[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Phone Number]
[Your Email Address]
Date: 23 June 2026
To:
The Head of Product Engineering & Executive Customer Relations
Škoda Auto UK
Customer Service Centre, PO Box 9004
Leeds, LS1 9WA
FORMAL COMPLAINT: Systemic Matrix LED Headlight Software Logic Defect – Škoda Superb Mk3 Facelift (2019 Onwards)
Vehicle Registration: [Your Car Reg]
VIN (Vehicle Identification Number): [Your 17-digit VIN number]
Model: Škoda Superb Estate/Hatchback Mk3 Facelift (FL)
Dear Executive Relations Team and Technical Directors,
I am writing to file a formal complaint regarding a significant, systemic software logic error affecting the Full LED Matrix headlight system on my Škoda Superb Facelift. This is not an isolated component malfunction or a localized physical hardware failure. Rather, it is an underlying factory programming defect embedded within the Volkswagen Group MQB platform architecture, specifically impacting right-hand drive (RHD) vehicles operating within the United Kingdom. [1]
The Nature of the Glitch:
When operating the vehicle with the headlight switch in the 'AUTO' position and the Dynamic Light Assist stalk activated, the Matrix LED system performs perfectly on standard A and B roads. However, the moment the vehicle enters a multi-lane dual carriageway or a motorway slip road, the left-hand traffic illumination profile instantly collapses.
The software logic incorrectly commands the left-side matrix array to cut out its illumination completely, while simultaneously lifting the right-side lens array excessively high into the path of oncoming traffic.
The Root Engineering Cause:
This issue is caused by a communication conflict between the factory satellite navigation data tracking loop, the Front Driver Assistance Camera (Module A5), and the Central Electronics gateway (Module 09). The vehicle's GPS recognizes that it is entering a highway network but processes the lane geometry backward. The system defaults to a Left-Hand Drive (LHD) Continental European motorway matrix map. Consequently, it forces a beam pattern designed to look far down a right-hand curb, inadvertently blinding oncoming UK drivers across the central barrier while plunging the left-hand slip road gutter into darkness.
Local Dealership Limitations:
I have attempted to engage with local Škoda technicians regarding this matter. Unfortunately, dealership service departments are entirely dependent on looking for active Digital Diagnostic Fault Codes (DTCs). Because the headlight modules are electronically healthy and functioning precisely as they were programmed, the diagnostic computers show "No Fault Found." Technicians are currently unequipped to address underlying factory coding parameters without direct oversight from factory engineers.
Safety Implications and Requested Actions:
This issue is widely documented and heavily discussed within the global Škoda owner community (such as Briskoda forums), where countless owners of 2019+ Facelift models experience the exact same motorway masking behavior. Having the left-hand side of the road go completely dark on a high-speed motorway slip road is a severe safety hazard. Furthermore, blinding oncoming drivers across a central highway reservation violates UK road traffic safety expectations.
As a dedicated Škoda owner, I am requesting that this matter be escalated directly to your Technical Support, Product Engineering, and Software Quality Assurance Teams at factory level. I am requesting that Škoda investigate this RHD navigation-override bug and issue a software correction or Field Campaign update to properly align the LHD/RHD orientation profiles inside Modules 09, A5, and 4B.
I expect an official acknowledgment of this complaint within 14 business days, outlining the steps Škoda UK will take to escalate this to the product development team.
Yours sincerely,
[Your Signature]
[Your Printed Name]

@Rafal78 - This is great info thanks, but what about the right hand side? That is illuminated when it should be dipped for the central reservation - would this also be fixed using the GPS sever fix?

Also to add to this, it is caused by the GPS info, because my GPS hasn't been working (water into the sharkfin seal) and while it wasn't working, the matrix headlights worked as normal on the Motorway (but still could use with the right side being dipped)

Edited 24 June24 Jun by MARViN2003

Yes, I believe it would also dipped right beam but as I said it's not tested. I think with back up and making a note of parameters before any changes it will be safe to try.

The figh continues...

Skoda responded:

Thank you for contacting Škoda UK on 23 June 2026 regarding your concerns about the operation of the Full LED Matrix headlight system on your Škoda Superb. 

First and foremost, I would like to apologise for the delay in my response. Your correspondence was received via our Head Office, and it has recently been referred to our department for review.

I am sorry to learn of the concerns you have experienced and appreciate the time you have taken to provide such a detailed explanation of the behaviour you have observed. Having reviewed your correspondence, I understand that you believe the Matrix LED headlights are operating incorrectly on dual carriageways and motorway slip roads, and that you are concerned this may be the result of a software-related issue affecting right-hand drive vehicles.

Škoda UK takes all product-related concerns seriously, particularly where customers believe there may be a safety implication. While we appreciate the technical information you have provided, Škoda UK Customer Services is unable to independently verify the root cause of a vehicle concern or confirm the existence of a systemic software defect without a technical assessment being completed through our authorised retailer network and technical support channels.

As diagnostics, software levels, and vehicle operating data can only be assessed using Škoda diagnostic equipment, we would recommend that the vehicle is inspected by an authorised Škoda Retailer. Should the retailer identify any concern requiring further investigation, they are able to raise a technical support request directly with the manufacturer using the established escalation process.

Please be assured that any information you have provided as part of your complaint will be recorded on your case. If your vehicle has already been inspected by a Škoda Retailer, please provide the retailer's name, the dates of inspection, and any supporting documentation, including correspondence from the retailer you may have received, so that we can review the matter further.

Once we receive this information, we will be happy to consider whether any additional investigation is appropriate.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Kind regards
 

 

Zulpha Casker Customer Relations Advisor

T: 03330 037 504 E: [email protected]   Škoda UK Yeomans Drive Blakelands Milton Keynes MK14 5AN www.skoda.co.uk

So they want to ignore me.... And pay for diagnostic that will not bring anything in the case..

My response:

Dear Zulpha Casker,

Thank you for your response regarding the Matrix LED headlight software logic concern on my Škoda Superb (AK69 JXF). I appreciate Škoda UK’s assurance that product-related safety concerns are taken seriously.

I fully understand that Škoda UK Customer Services requires an official technical assessment through your authorised retailer network before this matter can be escalated to factory engineers.

To cooperate fully with your request, I will arranged to book my vehicle into my local authorised service centre: Faintree SEAT & CUPRA Shrewsbury (Vanguard Way). As part of the multi-brand Faintree network with an established Škoda partnership since 1986, their workshop utilizes the standard factory ODIS infrastructure needed for this investigation.

Because this is a safety investigation into a systemic factory-level software logic conflict between the Satellite Navigation tracking map, the Front Driver Assistance Camera (Module A5), and the Central Electronics gateway (Module 09)—and not a localized hardware malfunction—the onboard diagnostic system will show zero Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs).

As this diagnostic assessment is being conducted at the direct request of the Škoda UK Executive Office to gather data on a widespread manufacturing code defect, I kindly request that Škoda UK issues a direct billing authorization to Faintree Shrewsbury to waive the upfront diagnostic fee. I should not be held financially responsible for the labor costs required to extract software logs for a factory engineering review.

Please ensure the following technical directives, along with your fee authorization, are appended to my active case file and transmitted to the Faintree workshop team ahead of my vehicle's arrival:

1. Factory Escalation: Request the master technician to bypass standard localized fault-code reading and immediately open a DISS / Technical Support Ticket directly with Škoda’s central factory product engineering team.

2. Data Logging Constraint: Request that the workshop logs a diagnostic session while analyzing the "Motorway Light / Predictive GPS Highway" parameters, paying specific attention to the RHD/LHD country orientation flags in Module A5 (Byte 0) and Module 4B (Byte 5).

I will update you with the final confirmed booking date as soon as the service desk schedules the master diagnostic slot.

Thank you for your ongoing assistance and for arranging the diagnostic fee coverage with the retailer.

Kind regards,