Headlight switch position

[Vann77]

So, when driving during daytime..in what position do you leave your headlight switch in? I always left mine in auto and seemed that most if not all the time, the headlights were switched on during the day. Is this what VW call DRL? or will this just shorten the lifespans of my headlights?

[Ryy]

Mine is always on AUTO, and mine too are always on. Maybe it's the OBC that is telling the car to leave them on no matter what due to the time of year (in some countries is law to have lights on in winter months) - so it may be a generic thing for safety across the board.

I do like if you turn the lights to "off", even at night they come on (just in case someone forgets I guess!)

[ayeaye]

The DRLs (non-Xenon - dipped headlights; Xenon - dedicated DRLs) are on all the time if you have the switch in Off or Auto. It's more noticeable with the Xenon units as the DRL is a separate pair of bulbs, so headlights don't come on until the sensor decides its dark enough or you move the switch into the headlight position. With non-Xenon as DRL is using dipped headlights anyway, you probably don't notice a difference between DRL activating them and the sensor activating them.

[paul t]

As DRLs are becoming mandatory on new cars,i have asked VW if they are fitted ti the scirocco.I have received an e-mail reply from them stating the scirocco is fitted with DRLs.

[trix]

my recent synopsis post of the light switch functions & how drl's affect it just to clarify..

On the light switch you have..
*Off - all lights would be off if it wasn't for day time running light setting being on, meaning on cars with xenons the drl is the inner light in the headlamp cluster, non xenon cars use dipped beam as drl
*Auto - dipped beam would only be on if was deemed dark enough by the dusk sensor if it wasn't for the day time running light setting being on which removes the autoness about the setting so lights are on all the time (unless drls have been disabled) I assume it is the inner light as above on (dont have xenons so not 100% sure)
*Sidelights - only sidelights are on
*Dipped beam - self explanatory

so if you haven't turned them off yourself/had someone tinker with them for you you lose the off & auto settings. now for the legislation that is bringing all this drl nonsense into force..

Legal Directive
In September 2008 the European Commission adopted a proposal for a Directive that will introduce dedicated daytime running light (DRL) on all new types of passenger cars and small delivery vans from February 2011 onwards. Trucks and buses will follow from August 2012 onwards.

There will be no requirement to retro-fit daytime running lights to existing cars and no Europe-wide requirement for drivers of cars without dedicated daytime running lights to drive with headlights on during the day.

Where fitted, dedicated daytime running lights will switch on automatically when the engine is started.

(http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/sa ... ights.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

What this means is all cars manufactured from Feb 2011 must have daytime running lights turned on, & as I understand it not having them on will become an MOT fail (note underlined: VW et all have been including the drl function [turned on] for however long now in preparation so for those cars built before feb 2011 my personal opinion is these ones won't fail if they are not turned on)

potentially the bulbs may not last as long Vann but that is a consequence of using the dipped beam as the drl, for information I have found a website that argues the following..

Using normal headlamps for DRL is an incorrect application. Headlamps are designed for seeing with. To allow a vehicle to be seen, dedicated non-glaring long life lamps such as Light Emitting Diodes (LED) should have been used.

(http://www.dadrl.org.uk/lawcompensation.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)
a la Audi LED 'wavey lines'

[Kev]

For the most part I leave it on auto but if it's a bright day I tend to flick it over one click which turns the main lights off and just leaves the little ones on by the indicators.

[Shaun]

Mine dont come on, just the DRL's, i have xenon's though

[chrisyboyc]

For the most part I leave it on auto but if it's a bright day I tend to flick it over one click which turns the main lights off and just leaves the little ones on by the indicators.

I do that as well

[SeventySix]

The bananas thing for me is that in Auto and Off, the rear lights and number plate lights are on in broad daylight too. For non-Xenon cars, this relegates the Auto light function to instrument lighting only. Nuts IMO.

[ZephyR]

I turned my DRLs off and just leave the lights switched to Auto. Good enough for most of the time. As ever I can always switch my lights on to dipped beam manually if driving conditions are poor.

[ayeaye]

The bananas thing for me is that in Auto and Off, the rear lights and number plate lights are on in broad daylight too. For non-Xenon cars, this relegates the Auto light function to instrument lighting only. Nuts IMO.

One of the reasons I initially specced Xenons, it seems like VW went for a quick 'n' dirty implementation for the non-Xenon Sciroccos.

I turned my DRLs off and just leave the lights switched to Auto. Good enough for most of the time. As ever I can always switch my lights on to dipped beam manually if driving conditions are poor.

Not everyone can turn them off, especially on post September 2009 cars as the indicator stalk method doesn't work so would need someone with VCDS to turn them off.

[Shaun]

Thinking about it does it really matter ?, whats the real issue ?, i cant think a downside to it at all ?

[RW1]

Is this what VW call DRL? or will this just shorten the lifespans of my headlights?

VW fit two different headlight bulbs to compensate for this in the halogen headlight units.

The outer which will be on longer during useage, so are long life headlight bulbs. The inner main beam bulbs are standard life bulbs.

C.

[Vann77]

Thanks for everybody's replies. Regarding the act of putting the switch into sidelights, will the dipped beam be automatically turned on when it is dark enough outside? i mean, without manually turning the switch.

Is this what VW call DRL? or will this just shorten the lifespans of my headlights?

VW fit two different headlight bulbs to compensate for this in the halogen headlight units.

The outer which will be on longer during useage, so are long life headlight bulbs. The inner main beam bulbs are standard life bulbs.

C.

I see. So the car knows which bulb to use at a particular time? Only in Off and Auto mode i presume?

[skyblues11]

and then you cannot switch the fog light on when in auto. so imagine this, i am going along under "auto" setting at night. i see a heavy fog patch and want to out the front fog light on. i have to switch from "auto" to "on" before i can pull the foglight switch on, thus momenterily go completely dark...

why all German cars have this switch? why don;t they have a seperate button for foglights on the dash?

[Billc]

Not everyone can turn them off, especially on post September 2009 cars as the indicator stalk method doesn't work

Mines a Feb 10 and I was able to turn off my DRLs with the indicator stalk method.

[Vann77]

ok,how do u turn on d foglight? D switch doesnt wanna go there.

[Kev]

ok,how do u turn on d foglight? D switch doesnt wanna go there.

Two clicks to the right (ie manual headlights) then pull it out one click for fronts and 2 clicks for rears.
You can turn it one click for sidies and pull it too for just the little side lights and the front fogs. Not sure why you'd want that. If it's bad enough for fog lights on I'd want too the visibility i could.

Regarding the act of putting the switch into sidelights, will the dipped beam be automatically turned on when it is dark enough outside? i mean, without manually turning the switch.

No

[Vann77]

You have to pull the switch out? Didnt say so in the manual. Thanks!

[skyblues11]

like i said Vann77, this rotational switch is a typical german car thing. all VAG cars uses it.

you can by accident pulled it out too much and switch on the rear foglights. if you push back in too much you will be back to stage one.