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Are the tail lights on?

22K views 33 replies 14 participants last post by  Clubchamp98 
#1 ·
I think its a flaw when modern cars have daytime running lights in the front and no lights at the rear. With rear LEDs it makes even less sense to save only a watt or two. Its common to see cars in rain or fog driving with only the DRLs with the danger of being rear ended in these low visibility conditions. My former Audi had DRLs front and rear. VW say they are not able to activate the rear LEDs for DRL use on the T-ROC. What to do?

In AUTO the headlights come on front and rear with the light sensor, but only if it gets dark enough. I use the "early" setting and "on in rain" setting. Still, in some bright foggy conditions they will not come on.
And how can I tell if they are on? In other cars with automatic headlights, a little green light comes on i the dashboard. Nothing on the T-ROC. (Analog dash)

So I leave the switch in ON. Headlights on while driving. I do not need to remember to switch the light off as it is automatic.

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Any good thoughts?
 

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#2 ·
I'm still waiting for my T-Roc so can't comment directly. However, I currently have a Golf and previously a Jetta with automatic headlights. When the light switch was in the AUTO position, the AUTO symbol on the switch was illuminated in orange and when the headlights switched on in darkness or low light, the side-light symbol on the switch was also illuminated in green. I would expect the T-Roc to be the same.

There is also a difference between front and rear fog lamp warning lights. If I remember correctly, the front fog light is shown by illuminating the appropriate symbol on the light switch, while the rear fog light uses a warning light in the main dash. I assume any analog dash warning lights are replicated on the digital dash, but again I don't have my T-Roc yet to be sure.
 
#3 ·
Impala said:
I'm still waiting for my T-Roc so can't comment directly. However, I currently have a Golf and previously a Jetta with automatic headlights. When the light switch was in the AUTO position, the AUTO symbol on the switch was illuminated in orange and when the headlights switched on in darkness or low light, the side-light symbol on the switch was also illuminated in green. I would expect the T-Roc to be the same.

There is also a difference between front and rear fog lamp warning lights. If I remember correctly, the front fog light is shown by illuminating the appropriate symbol on the light switch, while the rear fog light uses a warning light in the main dash. I assume any analog dash warning lights are replicated on the digital dash, but again I don't have my T-Roc yet to be sure.
You are correct.Auto lights up orange and when the Auto lights come on the side light lights up green.
 
#4 ·
muf said:
I think its a flaw when modern cars have daytime running lights in the front and no lights at the rear. With rear LEDs it makes even less sense to save only a watt or two. Its common to see cars in rain or fog driving with only the DRLs with the danger of being rear ended in these low visibility conditions. My former Audi had DRLs front and rear. VW say they are not able to activate the rear LEDs for DRL use on the T-ROC. What to do?

In AUTO the headlights come on front and rear with the light sensor, but only if it gets dark enough. I use the "early" setting and "on in rain" setting. Still, in some bright foggy conditions they will not come on.
And how can I tell if they are on? In other cars with automatic headlights, a little green light comes on i the dashboard. Nothing on the T-ROC. (Analog dash)

So I leave the switch in ON. Headlights on while driving. I do not need to remember to switch the light off as it is automatic.

DSC02384.JPG

Any good thoughts?
Auto lights up orange while turned on.If your lights come on when its dark the side light logs turns green.I always leave mine on Auto.
 
#5 ·
Noticed this by accident a few days ago. Lights left on auto, have navigation switched to drivers display so it comes up between the two dials, navigation set at auto for lighting. This way when auto lights are off the background to the map is bright, when the lights are on the background goes dark ( grey). Still I'm with you a simple light on the dashboard is all that's required.
 
#6 ·
Steve said:
muf said:
I think its a flaw when modern cars have daytime running lights in the front and no lights at the rear. With rear LEDs it makes even less sense to save only a watt or two. Its common to see cars in rain or fog driving with only the DRLs with the danger of being rear ended in these low visibility conditions. My former Audi had DRLs front and rear. VW say they are not able to activate the rear LEDs for DRL use on the T-ROC. What to do?

In AUTO the headlights come on front and rear with the light sensor, but only if it gets dark enough. I use the "early" setting and "on in rain" setting. Still, in some bright foggy conditions they will not come on.
And how can I tell if they are on? In other cars with automatic headlights, a little green light comes on i the dashboard. Nothing on the T-ROC. (Analog dash)

So I leave the switch in ON. Headlights on while driving. I do not need to remember to switch the light off as it is automatic.

DSC02384.JPG

Any good thoughts?
Auto lights up orange while turned on.If your lights come on when its dark the side light logs turns green.I always leave mine on Auto.
Why does the side light logo turn green when the head lights come on.should the head light logo not light up?
 
#7 ·
My arona did have all round drl's, which I think is termed as Scandinavian drl, this is available to vw but they have chosen not to activate them. If you have anyone near to you who specialises in vw can code them they can be turned on.
 
#8 ·
@ Impala Yes. Having the position lights symbol turn green is sufficient as an indicator. It would be more logical to have the headlight symbol turn green, but VW have chosen to save the cost of a LED, I guess.

@ Steve Leaving the switch in Auto at all times is dangerous as the manual will warn you about.

@ Dolphinfriedly1012 Funny. My VW dealer told my it was impossible to code the rear
LEDs to DRLs. But as you say. Go find a private specialist.
 
#10 ·
muf said:
@ Impala Yes. Having the position lights symbol turn green is sufficient as an indicator. It would be more logical to have the headlight symbol turn green, but VW have chosen to save the cost of a LED, I guess.

@ Steve Leaving the switch in Auto at all times is dangerous as the manual will warn you about.

@ Dolphinfriedly1012 Funny. My VW dealer told my it was impossible to code the rear
LEDs to DRLs. But as you say. Go find a private specialist.
It is? Why is that
 
#11 ·
@steve

In fog together with daylight, there will be no lights at all in the rear in Auto

Same in heavy rain spray, unless you tick the relevant box on the infotainment screen
 
#12 ·
@ Steve Leaving the switch in Auto at all times is dangerous as the manual will warn you about.

I don't understand why or how it dangerous to leave it on AUTO. After all, it is MORE dangerous to turn it off, as when you get in the car and it is night time in well-lit streets you may be unaware that you have only got the DLRs on and no rear lights or headlights on.
It seems totally daft to me not to have the AUTO function ON at ALL times, or where is the point in having AUTO?
 
#13 ·
I totally agree. Just leave the setting on auto all the time and you never have to think about it. I have flashed at a number of cars recently at night showing no lights as they have forgotten to put them on.
The same applies to the parking brake, just leave it on auto as well.
 
#14 ·
mvk said:
@ Steve Leaving the switch in Auto at all times is dangerous as the manual will warn you about.

I don't understand why or how it dangerous to leave it on AUTO. After all, it is MORE dangerous to turn it off, as when you get in the car and it is night time in well-lit streets you may be unaware that you have only got the DLRs on and no rear lights or headlights on.
It seems totally daft to me not to have the AUTO function ON at ALL times, or where is the point in having AUTO?
I'll make my point again. Leaving the switch in AUTO at all times will not cover certain conditions. In daylight fog, you will have front DRLs and nothing rear. Same with water spray. Is that safe? The light sensor will not trigger!
I drive with the switch in AUTO. In darkness the headlights do indeed come on automatically. In bad weather I now check the green symbol on the switch to come on, otherwise I turn the swith to ON manually. And the fog lights if needed, I never have the switch in "0" off.

I would still prefer rear DRLs on
 
#15 ·
Steve- Why does the side light logo turn green when the head lights come on.should the head light logo not light up?

The green sidelight shows dipped beam is on, the headlight bulb shows high beam is on
 
#16 ·
muf-I would still prefer rear DRLs on

If you put the light switch in the green sidelight position I think you get DRLs at the front and rear lights, however you would have to switch the dipped lights on when it gets darker
 
#17 ·
I have driven a couple of VW cars now, Golf Match and now my T-Roc.
Both have Auto Lights and Auto Rain Sensing.

I leave both in Auto.

When it rains, wipers come on automatically and after a few wipes, the headlights/rear lights come on as well.
If I find that the rain is very heavy, I pull out the light switch and front fogs on, 2nd pull out and rear fogs on.

I also have found that when in auto with just the front drl's on, pull out the light switch and all lights including fog lights come on.

Where I encounter mist/fog in the day time, I know that the light sensor does not detect fog.
I always double check the light switch, if no green light on, I pull out the light switch to put all lights on including the fogs.
 
#18 ·
muf said:
@steve

In fog together with daylight, there will be no lights at all in the rear in Auto

Same in heavy rain spray, unless you tick the relevant box on the infotainment screen
I would then turn them on manually at the same time turning my fog lights on.I have them set to turn on in rain.
 
#19 ·
mvk said:
@ Steve Leaving the switch in Auto at all times is dangerous as the manual will warn you about.

I don't understand why or how it dangerous to leave it on AUTO. After all, it is MORE dangerous to turn it off, as when you get in the car and it is night time in well-lit streets you may be unaware that you have only got the DLRs on and no rear lights or headlights on.
It seems totally daft to me not to have the AUTO function ON at ALL times, or where is the point in having AUTO?
You took the words out of my mouth MVK .The dealer advised me to leave them on Auto.
 
#21 ·
Just another thing automation has taken from actually driving the car yourself.
I leave my lights on auto , if the weather changes for whatever reason I use the switch to set the lights to the situation.
I thought DRLs were just a warning you are approaching not that you have been?
 
#22 ·
Clubchamp98 said:
Just another thing automation has taken from actually driving the car yourself.
I leave my lights on auto , if the weather changes for whatever reason I use the switch to set the lights to the situation.
I thought DRLs were just a warning you are approaching not that you have been?
They're also useful to help indicate that you're stopped in traffic and not just parked in-lane like a twat. We get a lot of that where I live.
 
#24 ·
vernerbongo2 said:
davetom said:
Had mine coded so that the inner rear led lights are on with DRL - looks goodT-Roc Photo.jpg
I like that idea :p

I just put my side lights on when I want the rears on with the front DRL'S :)
You've got Carista right? It's an option on that (Scandinavian DRLs). They've reduced the 1 week pass to 99p. I haven't activated my free trial yet but gonna try it out soon.
 
G
#25 ·
twist said:
You've got Carista right? It's an option on that (Scandinavian DRLs). They've reduced the 1 week pass to 99p. I haven't activated my free trial yet but gonna try it out soon.
No I've got obdeleven which has very little in the way of app's as they call it (automatic coding) carista would be better from that aspect.
I have to do the adaptations/coding myself but the obdeleven is more versatile.

Not sure about permanent rear DRL'S yet but if I was I might go down the route of the inner lights on by themselves or the outer by themselves? ;)

Sure you're worried about your warranty?
I bit the bullet a long time ago, I've done 139 changes in total, including reverting back to original settings & cock ups :shock:
 
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