auto lights-staying on

[vectorskink]

Hi guys

Noticed today that the lights were on with the selector in the "auto" position in broad daylight!?
Stopped at my destination and when I left, the lights were off. Went some where else, and the lights were on again. Never done this before.

Where is the light sensor for the headlights? Is it possible to be dirty?

cheers!
Tim

[Maverick]

Hi guys

Noticed today that the lights were on with the selector in the "auto" position in broad daylight!?
Stopped at my destination and when I left, the lights were off. Went some where else, and the lights were on again. Never done this before.

Where is the light sensor for the headlights? Is it possible to be dirty?

Wash your windows and the sensor is cleaned, it's at the top of the windscreen behind the mirror.

It may have been dull enough to trigger the sensor to turn the lights on.

[vectorskink]

I'm pretty obsessive with clean windscreens and the windscreen wiper wipes over the rain/light sensor. Yep, it's absolutely spotless...

[gregozedobe]

I presume you have tried switching it to off, manual on and auto a few times in case it is a temporary glitch. If that doesn't work then it is off to the dealer for warranty work (or waiting till the next service is due and telling them then).

[POW]

the auto light is a funny thing. it does whatever its feel like it. my car is the same too, on the bright daylight for no reaseon

[bazzle]

the auto light is a funny thing. it does whatever its feel like it. my car is the same too, on the bright daylight for no reaseon

Sometimes the angle of the sun or the freq of the light waves, trips it out. I wouldnt let it worry you.
If it does just turn sw to manual mode... there fixed for ya

Bazzle

[vectorskink]

Thanks guys. Now I know I'm not doing something wrong, I will get it checked out.
It's been perfect up until a few days ago.

[tunzy]

there has been reports of faulty sensors and you can get it replaced at the next service... but the hassle of switching to manual mode definitely outweighs the cost of a new sensor (if replaced without warranty)

i've also encountered the same problem before, a trick i found if it does play up during broad day light... switch it off and wait until you get into a dark area (eg carpark) and then switch it back over to auto mode. This solution has worked for me and my guess would be the computer & sensor "resets" themselves...

[vectorskink]

there has been reports of faulty sensors and you can get it replaced at the next service... but the hassle of switching to manual mode definitely outweighs the cost of a new sensor (if replaced without warranty)

I've leased my Jetta for 5 years and it's under warranty for the next 5 years so all faults are covered!

Kept a very close eye on it yesterday. did 250kms of driving yesterday and it didn't miss a beat....

[anthony]

Thats a Jetta thing...
Occasionally I notice my lights have turned themselves on,and occasionally I get a wipe from the wipers...
But still love it to bits.

[whoistheg]

Our EOS has started to do this as well..

As i park in a car park when i leave they turn on but once outside they
are still on.

Ill give it a clean i not ill get it fixed next service

[Maverick]

Our EOS has started to do this as well..

As i park in a car park when i leave they turn on but once outside they
are still on.

Ill give it a clean i not ill get it fixed next service

That's normal operation. Do you want the lights turning on and off non stop?

Let's assume 0 is complete darkness and 100 is bright daylight.

The lights turn on at a certain point (let's say 40) but they won't turn off until the light goes above another points (let's say 50) plus there is a delay built in to allow you to pass through a brightly lit street for example and to avoid rapid cycling of the bulbs which leads to greatly reduced life.

(values have been made up to give an example)

Lights also turn on when the car has been above 140kph for more than 10 seconds or if the wipers have been on high speed for more than 5 seconds. The lights do not turn off immediately after this but will remain on for a period of time.

[vectorskink]

That's normal operation. Do you want the lights turning on and off non stop?

That's normal operation until about five seconds after he's out. If it's still on in daylight then that's not normal.

When I start the jetta in our garage, our lights come on, naturally. About 5secs after we've reversed out in daylight they turn off, normally.

[tunzy]

That's normal operation. Do you want the lights turning on and off non stop?

Let's assume 0 is complete darkness and 100 is bright daylight.

The lights turn on at a certain point (let's say 40) but they won't turn off until the light goes above another points (let's say 50) plus there is a delay built in to allow you to pass through a brightly lit street for example and to avoid rapid cycling of the bulbs which leads to greatly reduced life.

(values have been made up to give an example)

I always laugh when i see Toyotas or Fords with their lights flickering on and off constantly as they go under overpasses in broad day light

[Maverick]

That's normal operation until about five seconds after he's out. If it's still on in daylight then that's not normal.

When I start the jetta in our garage, our lights come on, naturally. About 5secs after we've reversed out in daylight they turn off, normally.

The time for switching off varies. After you've been doing 140kph it takes between 10 minutes and 30 minutes to switch off. Same if you've been in an underground car park that takes a while to get out of, they might stay on for 3-4 minutes. If I start my car before the garage door is fully open (during the day) the lights come on until I get to the top of the driveway but if I go a bit further and the sensor is under shade of a tree before it switches it will stay on for longer (maybe a minute out in the clear).