My Auto Lights coming on in bright sunshine

[CAPTAIN BRITAIN]

Has anyone had problems with the Auto lights feature on their GTI?
Mine come on randomly in bright conditions and don't go of untill i swith it off manually.
Where is the sensor for the Auto lights?

[stealthwolf]

This is a deliberate feature. Think it was discussed about a year ago.

clicky

from what i remember reading the auto lights should have the functions

- auto on when unlocking in low light
- follow you home when locking the car in low light
- auto on for a period of time spend over 90mph but will switch off when
you stay under 10mph (not sure but i think its 10mph) for 5 minutes
- auto on in dazzle conditions, ie bright sunlight
- auto on in low light

this is with the switch into the auto postition btw

they should also auto level from ignition with a minimum of 2 movements
 

edit: is your windshield clean? the sensor lives on the reverse of your rear view mirror facing out behind the glass, as you look into your car from the front its the dark square patch in the middle at the top

[CAPTAIN BRITAIN]

I bought the car this summer, and the lights never came on in bright sunlight,
My windscreen is dirty, gonna clean it tomorror, i hope thats the thing causing it

By the way this happened the very same day i had the car re-mapped, Could the new software affect the Auto lights by any cahnce?
Or just coincidence?

[Russ_leeds]

also i find that with the bright sunshine comes shade off the buildings and this makes mine come on

[boxxer1973]

Is there anyway of changing the sensitivity with vcds?

[dmac1969]

Would it not be easier just to move the switch to 'Off' and put the lights on yourself when you need them? I never use auto lights.

[keith]

Is there not something whereby the car reaches a certain speed the lights are activated? or am i thinking of another car?

[stealthwolf]

If you read reply #1 keith, where I quote Mr Cherry, you'll see that I've already mentioned they come on above 90mph or so.

[ub7rm]

I bought the car this summer, and the lights never came on in bright sunlight,
My windscreen is dirty, gonna clean it tomorror, i hope thats the thing causing it

By the way this happened the very same day i had the car re-mapped, Could the new software affect the Auto lights by any cahnce?
Or just coincidence?

They come on in the winter a lot more becuase the sun is lower in the sky.  IIRC the system compares the light from the light sensor on the windscreen and from the rear (via the auto dip mirror sensor) and compares the two, it uses this to determine if its a 'dazzle' condition.

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Is there not something whereby the car reaches a certain speed the lights are activated?

Yes, but not exactly as the quoted text from Very Cherry.  The Auto lights will activate dipped headlamps when the speed rises above 120 km/h (about 80mph) for more than 2 minutes, and then will go off when the speed goes below 100 km/h (62 mph) for more than 5 minutes.

The settings can be adjusted in VCDS - but is rather tricky and confusing to explain.

THE biggest cause of incorrect auto lights (and auto wipers) is the fitment of non-OEM windscreens.  If you've ever had AutoGlass, or any of the other screen companies supplied by AutoGlass - then you are highly likely to have a very poor quality screen - optically not pure, and with no consistency of tint.  The variances of tint in non genuine screens give the wrong 'readings' to the light/rain sensor.  This is not unique to VWs - it is an industry wide issue which affects all automakers.

[RedRobin]

Would it not be easier just to move the switch to 'Off' and put the lights on yourself when you need them? I never use auto lights.

....Exactly! I very rarely use auto lights as my LED DRL's always ensure I can be seen by other motorists (if they're awake). And if they ain't awake I blast 'em with my Italian airhorns!