I recently bought a 73 plate Monte Carlo and love it so far. Does anyone know if it's possible to add the following features below or know if the hardware is fitted but the software is off?

• Auto Wipers
• lights turn on when wipers start
• High Beam assist

Thanks.

Hello, welcome to the forum.

Is item number two actually a possible option you've seen? - I've never heard of it.

Apparently according to the manual:

 

Switching low beam on automatically in rain

The light switch is in the position Auto

The function is activated.

The windscreen wipers have been switched on for longer than 30 seconds.

 I've always thought the lights, when switched to 'auto' position, turned on in wet conditions because of the low light levels present.

Are you sure the features you want aren't already fitted? I thought the Monte Carlo was a fairly high spec model.

Check - headlight switch has Auto position. AFAIK auto headlights are compulsory in some countries.

Check for RLHS sensor mounted behind rear view mirror.

 

16 hours ago, apfm141 said:

I recently bought a 73 plate Monte Carlo and love it so far. Does anyone know if it's possible to add the following features below or know if the hardware is fitted but the software is off?

• Auto Wipers
• lights turn on when wipers start
• High Beam assist

Thanks.

 

Our 24 plate has the auto lights but the wipers aren't automatic I don't think, so the lights just go by ambient light level. I don't think it would take much to activate providing the hardware is present for it to work.

 

High beam assist isn't fitted/activated either but it's pretty useless on the roads here so I would be deactivating it anyway.

I don't think that the wipers are auto. The less that the Fabia mc does itself the less there is to go wrong.  Mine has changed the virtual cockpit display all by itself twice this week.  I spent ages trying to get the wing mirrors to fold in and out when parking but it doesn't have that option.  I'd leave it alone.  The rear camera and parking sensors are pretty good though.

@apfm141 I looked up the 2023 spec for the Monte Carlo - it says that the light & view pack is standard - this pack includes - High Beam control and Rain sensors (used to operate the automatic wipers)

When it starts raining I have to turn on the wipers. Unfortunately, fiddling around in menus when driving is "Simply dangerous" so the mantra "Simply clever" is in no way apt.  I did wonder soon after getting the car if voice commands might transform the Fabia mc experience but can imagine the conversations that would ensue.

"Sorry, I do not recognise that command."

Just an impression but the Skoda group seem to lack the expertise to iron out the electronics and software issues.

Some of the wilful behaviour displayed by my mc brings to mind Basil Fawlty lashing his 

BMC 1100 with a branch.

My Fabia's Owner's Manual includes a section headed "Automatic activation of lights" and this feature's functionality is described as shown below

 

 

 

My understanding is that (if a Fabia Mk 4 has this feature) it is brought into play by moving the lighting switch to its AUTO position and moving the windscreen wipers switch to its INT position. (I've not experimented...)

 

Skoda belongs to the Volkswagen Group that - where cars are concerned - includes the Volkswagen, Audi, Seat, Cupra, Lamborghini, Bentley and Porsche brands. Skoda tends to be at the back of the queue where development and innovation are concerned, which may or may not be a bad thing. What it does mean though is that if difficult-to-use controls or glitchy electronics appear in Volkswagen-branded models, these will eventually get ported to  Skoda cars. So there's no point blaming Skoda - it's Volkswagen that is the culprit.

When I read the reviews to decide which car to buy the Skoda Fabia came out well ahead of the VW Polo and Seat Ibiza.  This reminds me historically of BMC's failed badge engineering.  Maybe if VW pooled the best talent from the various marks and marketed the cars under a single brand for each of the different sized cars it might help. The VW group may yet be forced into a shakeup just to survive.

@apfm141 Your infotainment setup will probably be quite a bit different to Mk3 but check in 'Vehicle settings' - scroll to 'Mirrors & wipers' - is there a check box for 'Automatic wipe in rain' ? 

Thanks all, might take it to the Skoda dealer to take a look, as i can't see any options on the infotainment system regarding auto wipers and it does look like it has the sensor on the windscreen so must be a fault.