Page 1 of 2

Headlights on all the time

Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 6:57 pm
by Jaydee
Now, I know I'm probably being a muppet, but my headlights and sides are on all the time.

I've had the car 5 whole days now, but I don't remember them being on at first- or were they?

Please help!
:shrug:

Re: Headlights on all the time

Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 7:03 pm
by chrisyboyc
thats normal

Re: Headlights on all the time

Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 7:11 pm
by trix
its called day time running lights Jaydee. Cars built after Feb 2011 can not have these turned off as it is now law.

S

Re: Headlights on all the time

Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 7:13 pm
by RW1
Jaydee wrote:my headlights and sides are on all the time.
Your headlights are the DRLs on a standard "non-xenon" headlight fitment.
VW haven't used any special circuit / extra lights on the standard set-up with Halogen Headlights, so the side lights front and rear also come on.

C.

Re: Headlights on all the time

Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 8:10 pm
by Jaydee
Thank you all, I appreciate your prompt responses

Obviously I am now a confirmed muppet!!

However, I do drive a FAB car....love love love it

Re: Headlights on all the time

Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 7:43 pm
by chrisyboyc
Jaydee wrote:Thank you all, I appreciate your prompt responses

Obviously I am now a confirmed muppet!!

However, I do drive a FAB car....love love love it
your not a muppet its just a stupid idea seems we cant make up our own minds when the lights should be on or not

Re: Headlights on all the time

Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 7:53 pm
by Ryy
I think most people who look over at me from head on are thinking "why the f... has that idiot got his lights on?" - Sorry, I can't do anything about it. The lights are in the off position. I know it's like bright as hell, but....

Re: Headlights on all the time

Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 8:52 pm
by Cuprabob
They are not thinking that at all, yhey're thinking lovely car, horrible green colour :-)

Re: Headlights on all the time

Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 8:55 pm
by Ryy
Why I oughta :grumpy:

Re: Headlights on all the time

Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 9:19 pm
by Cuprabob
Glad you took it in jest as it was intended :-) It's a fine colour, just not my cup of tea

Re: Headlights on all the time

Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 10:55 pm
by Ryy
Fair game. I personally don't like the Oak Brown. Not hate at all, but eugh. Would never buy one (as for other cars, jeez, well, I love pink, but would not buy a pink car at all).

You're probably right, not just about the colour though.

Re: Headlights on all the time

Posted: Thu May 19, 2011 11:18 am
by nuroc
Does the auto light function still work with the running lights? Or do the running lights make the auto function redundant?

Can the sidelights be used as DRL's? Is it legal to change the DRL's to the sidelights on a post 02/11 car?

Re: Headlights on all the time

Posted: Thu May 19, 2011 11:29 am
by caprinolaw
I don't get why people hate DRL's so much!

I have them as a swtichable option on the MFD of my ROC and I always leave it on.

They don't look bad and if for whatever reason you hit someone whose pulled out on you at least they cant claim they didn't see you coming ...you have your lights on!

I disagree with people who say they should be able to decide when to put their lights on. I realise this doesn't apply to most people, but the amount of people that I see who forget to put them on when its necessary is ridiculous. Especially GREY cars - you are the same colour as the road and the sky in this country.

In my opinion anything that manufacturers can do to make sure we can always see the road and each other can't be a bad thing at all.

Re: Headlights on all the time

Posted: Thu May 19, 2011 11:40 am
by nuroc
I don't hate DRL's, I would just like to be able to use the Auto Lights function.

I actually like the 'Angel Eyes' DRL's on BMW's but think some of the LED's on certain other models look a bit overdone. I think the sidelights on a Scirocco, fitted with LED's, would look better than the headlights on all the time, and am wondering whether the new rules would allow this?

Re: Headlights on all the time

Posted: Fri May 20, 2011 7:35 am
by maisbitt
caprinolaw wrote: They don't look bad and if for whatever reason you hit someone whose pulled out on you at least they cant claim they didn't see you coming ...you have your lights on!
I have had many people pull out of a side junction at me. I had 2 close calls and had the opportunity to ask someone why they did it when they pulled into a petrol station I was going to anyway - they thought i'd flashed them out because they say my lights on for a very sunny day. I probably bouced over a minor pothole or dip in the road, looking like my headlights flashed. DRLs are rubbish when they are dipped beams. If they were separate systems that cannot be confused with the main lights then that is fine.

As all cars become lit during the day, I think this will make motorbikes less noticeable. A few years ago, if you saw lights on a sunny day, you assumed there was a Volvo behind you or a motorbike was about to undertake/overtake in a gap that was hardly there and you could be aware and on guard for them to do something a bit reckless (not calling all bikers, but a sizeable proportion).

Nuroc,

Nothing against the law for using VAGCOM to disable DRLs as they are, restoring the auto function and then putting sidelights on as DRLs - I am about to do this when I get the new 170TDI (hopefully) next week.

Re: Headlights on all the time

Posted: Fri May 20, 2011 11:23 am
by mjc6852
I have written to VW to aks them why they have not done a proper job re DRLs and have resorted to this silly solution I also pointed out that a highly visible "obsolesence" will follow any mod they may be making. I will tell you what they say when I get a reply.

Re: Headlights on all the time

Posted: Fri May 20, 2011 12:30 pm
by rococco
So with DRLs on all the time, does the light switch do anything other than illuminate the instrument panel?

Re: Headlights on all the time

Posted: Fri May 20, 2011 1:15 pm
by maisbitt
Rococo: Nope, it just lights up the dash and any other interior lights that are expected to come on when it gets dark (such as temp display on older Rocs dual zone settings), hardly "auto" any more.

Couldn't turn these off by stalk method on my 09 Roc, so I now drive around with sidelights switched on only (which does light up the dash), but for the new one in a week or so time, i'll be doing the VAGCOM adjustments.

Re: Headlights on all the time

Posted: Fri May 20, 2011 2:40 pm
by caprinolaw
I agree for the standard headlights this is a crap system.

At least with the Bi-Xenon's you have different DRL's to your main beams.

Re: Headlights on all the time

Posted: Fri May 20, 2011 5:38 pm
by gibbsy
Saw a storm trooper with lights on this afternoon, private plate so don't know the year, with headlights on. Yesterday saw a 11 reg black Roc which did not have any lights on. Perhaps, like Volvo, you can get the dealer to disable the day light running lights.

I've had my Volvo V50 for over 3 years now, wasn't supposed to be over 3 years but I've ordered a Roc so what did I expect. I digress, I still get people flashing me and pointing at my lights 'it's a bloody Volvo, dimwit'. What Volvo say is that it is a safety factor, not for the gloom but for when there is low sun behind you, as oncoming traffic will see your headlightgs.

Biggest problem I've had is that I have gone through 3 headlight bulbs in the over 3 years I've had the car.