Pooling our Collective Knowledge

[vanDub]

After reading RWK’s “5 months wait has come to an end” thread, I realize that there are several common issues that some of us have. As this forum is ideal for pooling our collective (or in my case lack of) knowledge. I pose the following issues for all of you to see if anyone can help solve them.

1. Mirror Dip. I know it is now only provided as part of the electric seats with memory option but it was previously standard on all Passats. Is there a simple fix (eg such as fit control unit ABC) that would make this function available to those who want to get it retrospectively?

2. Down lights in exterior mirrors as part of the coming home / leaving home function. RWK has it on his heavily optioned car, but I don’t or can’t get it to work. Is this also part of an option package that I don’t have (I can’t believe VW would knobble the coming / leaving home function just so that it is ‘better’ with an option). Can the down lights be activated and what needs to be done to get them to work.

3. Footwell lighting. I have the red light covers in all 4 doors but RWK and I can’t get them to work. Does anyone’s work? The MFD setup menu item to turn them on / vary intensity as described in manual 3.1 page 26 just doesn’t exist in my case. Can this function be activated and what needs to be done to get it to work?

4. MFD Settings / Lights & Vision / Comfort Indic menu. It is set either On or Off. Does anyone know what this is or does, as this menu item is not described in the manual? I have tried both On and Off and can’t see any difference.

Thanks for your input and maybe there are other issues that you may want to pose.

[drbass]

Interesting post, vanDub.

These are exactly the same things I came up with after looking at RWKs post.

I will raise all these with the dealer when getting the first service done - all the infrastructure seems to be there so it must simply be a matter of activating the features via VAGcom, or so I naively assume.

Looking forward to the input from the more knowledgeable members of the forum.

Seeya,
Michael

[Lance B]

After reading RWK’s “5 months wait has come to an end” thread, I realize that there are several common issues that some of us have. As this forum is ideal for pooling our collective (or in my case lack of) knowledge. I pose the following issues for all of you to see if anyone can help solve them.

1. Mirror Dip. I know it is now only provided as part of the electric seats with memory option but it was previously standard on all Passats. Is there a simple fix (eg such as fit control unit ABC) that would make this function available to those who want to get it retrospectively?

2. Down lights in exterior mirrors as part of the coming home / leaving home function. RWK has it on his heavily optioned car, but I don’t or can’t get it to work. Is this also part of an option package that I don’t have (I can’t believe VW would knobble the coming / leaving home function just so that it is ‘better’ with an option). Can the down lights be activated and what needs to be done to get them to work.

3. Footwell lighting. I have the red light covers in all 4 doors but RWK and I can’t get them to work. Does anyone’s work? The MFD setup menu item to turn them on / vary intensity as described in manual 3.1 page 26 just doesn’t exist in my case. Can this function be activated and what needs to be done to get it to work?

4. MFD Settings / Lights & Vision / Comfort Indic menu. It is set either On or Off. Does anyone know what this is or does, as this menu item is not described in the manual? I have tried both On and Off and can’t see any difference.

Thanks for your input and maybe there are other issues that you may want to pose.

1) Mirror Dip.
This would be great as a retrospective fit. I would do it if the cost was not too great.

Can't help with the other things as I haven't even looked at these other functions yet.

[drbass]

Hi vanDub,

Didn't click the first time I saw your post.

The Comfort Indicator (your Point 4) works as follows:
You briefly move the indicator stalk in the direction you want to go, and the indicators flash three times. I believe this can be adjusted to 6 times (by the dealer). It does not behave any differently when used in the normal ("locked") indicator position.

Hope this helps.

Seeya,
Michael

[vanDub]

The Comfort Indicator (your Point 4) works as follows:
You briefly move the indicator stalk in the direction you want to go, and the indicators flash three times. I believe this can be adjusted to 6 times (by the dealer). It does not behave any differently when used in the normal ("locked") indicator position.

Worked it out this morning when my lane change function (as you pointed out) didn't work.

It seems that "Lane change flash" in manual 3.1 page 26 somehow got changed to "Comfort indic" in the translation from German to English in the MFD Settings menu. No wonder turning it On or Off didn't change my "comfort" at all.

[RWK]

Hi vanDub,

Didn't click the first time I saw your post.

The Comfort Indicator (your Point 4) works as follows:
You briefly move the indicator stalk in the direction you want to go, and the indicators flash three times. I believe this can be adjusted to 6 times (by the dealer). It does not behave any differently when used in the normal ("locked") indicator position.

Hope this helps.

Seeya,
Michael

I am pretty sure this can be adjusted on Jetta but not on my Passat.

[RWK]

3. Footwell lighting. I have the red light covers in all 4 doors but RWK and I can’t get them to work. Does anyone’s work? The MFD setup menu item to turn them on / vary intensity as described in manual 3.1 page 26 just doesn’t exist in my case. Can this function be activated and what needs to be done to get it to work?

Just spoke to my dealer yesterday that the footwell lights fitted on our Passat are actually reflectors not light if you have a closer look to it. It does look like a light to me as well but apparently they are not.

[OilBurna]

correct re the footwell lights yes, if you go the the vwvortex forum (ie cars, VW then Passat B6) I beleive some people have fitted and enabled them, re the mirrors or puddle lights I think you would need to replace the whole mirror assembly with those fitted.

[R36 Dreamer]

[QUOTE=vanDub;174658]

2. Down lights in exterior mirrors as part of the coming home / leaving home function. RWK has it on his heavily optioned car, but I don’t or can’t get it to work. Is this also part of an option package that I don’t have (I can’t believe VW would knobble the coming / leaving home function just so that it is ‘better’ with an option). Can the down lights be activated and what needs to be done to get them to work.

3. Footwell lighting. I have the red light covers in all 4 doors but RWK and I can’t get them to work. Does anyone’s work? The MFD setup menu item to turn them on / vary intensity as described in manual 3.1 page 26 just doesn’t exist in my case. Can this function be activated and what needs to be done to get it to work?

In respect of (2) my cars puddle lights stay on as part of coming home leaving home function - but I think they are linked to the interior lights, and not the headlights - maybe that is the issue - have you checked which circuit it is linked to?

In respect of (3) I have the lights, as the MFD has a setting to change their brightness (though what a pointless thing to allocate a setting to - I have never gotten into a car and thought hmm nice car but the footwells are a bit bright/dull!!)

Hope this helps.

[vanDub]

In respect of (2) my cars puddle lights stay on as part of coming home leaving home function - but I think they are linked to the interior lights, and not the headlights - maybe that is the issue - have you checked which circuit it is linked to?

In respect of (3) I have the lights, as the MFD has a setting to change their brightness (though what a pointless thing to allocate a setting to - I have never gotten into a car and thought hmm nice car but the footwells are a bit bright/dull!!)

Hope this helps.

With my car at the basic end of the scale where neither works, and yours at the top end where everything works and RWK's fully optioned where (2) works but (3) doesn't, I suspect that these features are progressively fed into the mix as you go up the scale.

I am betting that the mirror down lights are linked to the electric seat with memory option (as is the dipping mirror) and that only the R36 has footwell lights that work as standard.

Can anyone show that they have these features without meeting these requirements?