Auto lights - threshold for darkness?

[AshTT6]

Hi, I have an aftermarket auto head light switch (travlin lite) on my T6, up until now when dark the lights come on with unlock, but last couple of nights the lights have not come on with unlock? Had this sometimes (randomly) with my t5 too, but ignored it, just wondered if this was a random thing with these aftermarket units or is there a setting I’ve changed inadvertently?

Thanks ash

 

[Salty Spuds]

Hi, I have an aftermarket auto head light switch (travlin lite) on my T6, up until now when dark the lights come on with unlock, but last couple of nights the lights have not come on with unlock? Had this sometimes (randomly) with my t5 too, but ignored it, just wondered if this was a random thing with these aftermarket units or is there a setting I’ve changed inadvertently?

Thanks ash

Have you been fiddling with any settings recently? Is the switch in the “Auto” position?

 

[AshTT6]

Only the other day when I needed to put the fog lights on, always sits in the auto position when parked and in normal driving.

 

[WillWillWill]

These aftermarket switches are totally independent units, and there is little interaction between them and any other module or setting on the van, with the obvious exception of the lighting circuit itself. The switch just automates your hand operating the lights having detected the ambient light level.

There are a few possibilities:

1. Ambient light level detection needs calibrating:
   1. Wait for the light level you want everything to turn on.
   2. Ignition on.
   3. Sidelights first - move the switch from auto to sidelights and back to auto. It beeps three times when successful.
   4. Repeat for headlights - switch from auto to headlights to auto. Beeps four times.
      
      
2. Coming/leaving home function has been turned off or time period needs resetting.
   1. Ignition off for this one.
   2. Move switch auto to off to auto to off to auto. One beep and the sidelight indicator starts flashing.
   3. If you move the switch back to auto in 5 seconds, it turns the coming/leaving home function off.
   4. Between 5 and 60 seconds, that is the time period that coming/leaving home works for.
   5. More than 60 seconds, function times out and you need to start again.
      
      
3. I think the coming/leaving home function is activated via logic operating with current light level, switch setting, voltage changes when ignition goes on and off, or the ambient lighting circuit is turned on or off by the BCM (i.e. when you key off or lock and unlock). I have a battery maintainer from leisure to starter and this is detected by the switch, although not to its detriment. Therefore it might be worth checking your van battery is fully charged etc. and voltages are as you would expect when the van is locked/unlocked/has sat there for a few days. If the voltage is too low, the switch may not detect that the van has been unlocked and won't activate the leaving home function.
   
   
4. Since all the power for all the lights is routed through the switch, any upgrades to bulbs etc. (or just a fault) could have blown a fuse. Not sure which ones are applicable to the lights on a T6, but others can help with fuse cards, and they are available to VIP members I believe.
   
   
5. It is broken. But hopefully not, and one of the above will help.

Let us know if all the other functions still work - coming home, auto when driving etc.

 

[Ali-G]

Ambient light level detection needs calibrating:

1. Wait for the light level you want everything to turn on.
2. Ignition on.
3. Sidelights first - move the switch from auto to sidelights and back to auto. It beeps three times when successful.
4. Repeat for headlights - switch from auto to headlights to auto. Beeps four times.

Never heard of that before, does that mean we can actually stop the headlights coming on at 2 O'clock in the afternoon in bright sunlight?

 

[dubber36]

I think in this case, the issue is with the switch. I had a similar one in the Polo. Needless to say, it's now in the bin.

 

[WillWillWill]

Never heard of that before, does that mean we can actually stop the headlights coming on at 2 O'clock in the afternoon in bright sunlight?

The light level calibration is fairly limited - I had the other problem where I wanted the lights on earlier than the switch would choose so mine is set to the other end of the spectrum. However my experience was the position of the sensor had more effect than anything I could achieve with the sensitivity, so I just moved it until I found somewhere it largely behaved as I wanted it to, re-calibrated the switch, and am pretty happy with it ever since.

It isn't always perfect, particularly in fog or rain, but I am ok with having to move my right hand and do it the old way under those circumstances. Keeps your eye in and stops you forgetting how to do it.....

 

[dubber36]

It won't work in fog or rain if the ambient light levels are high enough.

OEM Auto Lights use the same light/rain sensor as the Auto wipers, so are linked. In fog, stupid people carry on driving with DRLs because they leave the switch in Auto and expect the car to know when to turn the headlights on.

 

[Heskey18]

When the light switch is set to the far right setting (constant on) will the headlights stay on as you leave the van until you lock / unlock the van till you turn ignition on? . This feature works when set to auto . Not sure about when set as constant on . Cheers

 

[Spaghetti]

Never heard of that before, does that mean we can actually stop the headlights coming on at 2 O'clock in the afternoon in bright sunlight?

This is for an aftermarket switch, not the factory auto lights unfortunately.

 

[dubber36]

When the light switch is set to the far right setting (constant on) will the headlights stay on as you leave the van until you lock / unlock the van till you turn ignition on? . This feature works when set to auto . Not sure about when set as constant on . Cheers

The coming/leaving home function only works in the auto position with factory auto lights.

 

[WillWillWill]

The same is true with the aftermarket switch as well.

Auto gives you auto lights plus coming and leaving home functionality. This is not available in any other position.

On means sidelights plus dipped/full on with ignition, and everything off when ignition is off.

Just for completeness… switch in the side lights position means sidelights and drls when ignition is on, sidelights only with ignition off.