Anyone elses Auto lights coming on at odd times when its bright sun?

[jedi-knight83]

Driving home from Central london today between 2:30-4pm. Plenty of light.. went under a long bridge / very short tunnel and the lights came on then back in the daylight would not turn themselves back off... Turned them off manually for a while then turned them onto auto again maybe 15 mins later and they stayed off then on the m11 they decide to come on again and stay on all the way home.

It did it the other day too at about 4pm when it was plenty light enough.

Spoke to a friend with a GTI and he said his also come on at odd times?

Common fault with the light sensor? Or just a weird set up that is VERY sensitive to shadow?

[Dannyboy88]

I think they auto come on when you go over 80mph for a long period because thats what they do on my jetta dunno if its a safety feature so when your at highspeed you get seen by others. I might not be right but thats my outlook on it

[rich83]

They come on when your doing about 90ish

[jedi-knight83]

haha whoops. and now you know how fast i was going...

[ub7rm]

Also in winter sun, sunset / sunrise they will behave a bit oddly because it compares the light reading from the front sensor and the rear sensor and decides if the lights need to be on.  Hence why sometimes when the sun is low in the sky and you're driving towards it (and thus have plenty if not too much light) the lights are on (for the benefit of oncoming traffic I presume).

[paul896]

Mine are doing the exact same and was just about to make a post about this.

Drove to Stuttgart and back yesterday (about a 500mile round trip) and when i started at 7am the lights came on, grand cos it was dark! but they stayed on the whole way. even tho it was 27 degrees and very sunny. Im not sure the speed thing is right tho, because same story today only driving around town, never went more then 70kph (about 45mph) and the lights we on all the time. was going to get it checked by the dealer...

Is there a sensor in the rear? i thought it was just the front, by the mirror?

[stealthwolf]

As above, if 80mph and above, they'll come on. If you drop your speed, they'll stay on for a few mins. There's also an anti-dazzle thing - they'll come on when the sun is very bright.

[Black9]

Mines do the same, I thought it's possibly to do with the weather changing and having darker mornings and darker early evening as well.

[Richn83]

with the speed switch they come on over a certain speed and will remain on until you stay at under a certain speed for a period of time, so once triggered on they will remian on untill under 45kph (or similar) for 5-10 minutes, manually switch the lights off wont clear the light sensor programe so once you switch them back on to auto they will be in the same state as before.

The rear sensor isnt on the rear of the car its on the rear of the mirror (same one used to dim the rear view mirror when followed at night) and the lights on in bright low level light is as said to help with visability in dazzling conditions, same as when the wipers get going they switch on for rain its all part of the program to help you be seen.