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Automatic front lights problem

43K views 71 replies 30 participants last post by  Medo1984 
#1 ·
Dear all,

do you know how can I disable the automatic front lights? It´s very annoying for me. The lightning sensor is very sensitive (for me BAD) when I go through a shadow and then the sun is not in the "right" position (usually is shining from the back side), my lights can´t switch off to daylight. Also when I park from the garage very often it doesn´t switch to daylights.

In my previous car Astra "J" there was a possibility to turn off the sensor by turning the button for the lights to the left. But in K it´s not.

Thanks a lot for your help
 
#3 ·
There doesn't appear to be a way to disable the automatic light function. It isn't a problem for me, although, I agree, they are very sensitive. If you have the 'Intellilux', they are, of course, LEDs (albeit very bright ones!), so they won't use a huge amount of power when they're on.

One last thing, the sun hardly ever shines from my backside these days..... ;) ;) :eek: :lol:
 
#4 ·
Thanks for your quick reply, but I was afraid it will be like you wrote.

Globally around cars and driving, I don´t like anything that is automatic and can´t be affected be me. Mostly I hate Start/Stop system. Fortunately it´s possible to turn it off in my 1.6T.

About automatic lights - I look like an idiot when somebody drives opposite to me and my lights switch on and off randomly without any serious dark. And the sun is shining like hell, everybody use daylight only I have to use normal lights because of my foolish sensor.

Only one positive thing is that the lights are Full LED so I hope they´re not so sensitive to broke.
 
#5 ·
cooldad said:
yogi83 said:
Dear all,

do you know how can I disable the automatic front lights? It´s very annoying for me. The lightning sensor is very sensitive (for me BAD) when I go through a shadow and then the sun is not in the "right" position (usually is shining from the back side), my lights can´t switch off to daylight. Also when I park from the garage very often it doesn´t switch to daylights.

In my previous car Astra "J" there was a possibility to turn off the sensor by turning the button for the lights to the left. But in K it´s not.

Thanks a lot for your help
There doesn't appear to be a way to disable the automatic light function. It isn't as problem for me, although, I agree, they are very sensitive. If you have the 'Intellilux', they are, of course, LEDs (albeit very bright ones!), so they won't use a huge amount of power when they're on.

One last thing, the sun hardly ever shines from my backside these days..... ;) ;) :eek: :lol:
the sensor is very sensitive to turn on the lights but very insensitive to turn them off :lol:

The worst situation will be during winter when around me (in the middle of Europe) the sun shines in a very small angle and my car will be shining like at midnight the whole day.. :D
 
#6 ·
better than driving with daylights in the dark like a lot of other shitty cars :)
i think the software may need some updates as mine also work strange sometimes
but overall its clever, they turn on automatically in the rain aswell
 
#7 ·
mattonecz said:
better than driving with daylights in the dark like a lot of other shitty cars :)
i think the software may need some updates as mine also work strange sometimes
but overall its clever, they turn on automatically in the rain aswell
Sure you´re right! Especially in Slovakia the biggest experts for that are drivers in Hyundai (i20, i30) without any sensors
 
#8 ·
Mattonecz is probably right, the software may need an update. I cannot think there isn't a way for the sensor to be adjusted.

As I said in my original post, I haven't really found it a problem. On a dull day, for example (and we seem to be having plenty of those in the UK just now - really crap summer so far!), the lights are quite slow to turn off when you're emerging from a tunnel.

My previous 'J' didn't have automatic lighting, so this system on my 'K' is a novelty for me. I've actually not found the tunnel detection that sensitive (and I drive through a lot). I've often noticed other cars lights turning on (Audis, for instance) when mine often don't. As for their longevity, you're right, they should be much durable than traditional incandescent bulbs. Then again, they'll be more expensive to replace!

On a slightly different note, I've also found both the wipers and start / stop appear to have a mind of their own in terms of when they work and don't work automatically!!
 
#9 ·
On my previous astra they just got better with time....I found they were very sensitive for the first year but after that they settled down.

So far on the K, I cannot complain, they seem to do what they are suppose to do... but I would just the car do its own thing to be honest, at the end of the day its only your headlights that are on
 
#10 ·
JJ-Yorks said:
On my previous astra they just got better with time....I found they were very sensitive for the first year but after that they settled down.

So far on the K, I cannot complain, they seem to do what they are suppose to do... but I would just the car do its own thing to be honest, at the end of the day its only your headlights that are on
definitely, you all are right! It´s good for the safety etc. When I was with this a few years ago (with my "J") in Opel they also told me it´s not broken, it´s set up for the safety...

but my opinion is that everything that is set as an automatic by default should be possible in some way to switch to manual mode (maybe by flashing the SW?). Thanks God there is the button to turn off that awful Start/Stop system. I can´t imagine what can happen with the engine, battery and everything around especially in traffic jams when it turns off and back on maybe for 50 times in a short period of time...
 
#12 ·
yogi83 said:
but my opinion is that everything that is set as an automatic by default should be possible in some way to switch to manual mode (maybe by flashing the SW?). Thanks God there is the button to turn off that awful Start/Stop system. I can´t imagine what can happen with the engine, battery and everything around especially in traffic jams when it turns off and back on maybe for 50 times in a short period of time...
Yes, you're right. Despite my not having as many problems with these lights as you're appearing to have, I don't like the idea of machines taking over my decisions in general! :x

I'm particularly concerned at how random my start / stop is! Frequently, it doesn't work at all, even when the engine's fully warmed up. Sometimes, it will only work when I coast up to a halt in neutral and just use my foot brake to come to a stop. Sometimes it works even when the engine is relatively cold - this is definitely not good! :eek: However, as you know, you can at least elect to turn this feature off!!
 
#13 ·
cooldad said:
yogi83 said:
but my opinion is that everything that is set as an automatic by default should be possible in some way to switch to manual mode (maybe by flashing the SW?). Thanks God there is the button to turn off that awful Start/Stop system. I can´t imagine what can happen with the engine, battery and everything around especially in traffic jams when it turns off and back on maybe for 50 times in a short period of time...
Yes, you're right. Despite my not having as many problems with these lights as you're appearing to have, I don't like the idea of machines taking over my decisions in general! :x

I'm particularly concerned at how random my start / stop is! Frequently, it doesn't work at all, even when the engine's fully warmed up. Sometimes, it will only work when I coast up to a halt in neutral and just use my foot brake to come to a stop. Sometimes it works even when the engine is relatively cold - this is definitely not good! :eek: However, as you know, you can at least elect to turn this feature off!!
Hi

Whilst I agree about the lights my start/stop has been flawless.

Cheers

Paul
 
#14 ·
I would agree that, on occasion, the auto-lights do seem to stay on longer than I would have expected, but I also see BMWs, Audis, Mercs with them on at the same time, so maybe they all use a common algorithm. The weird bit is when the lights are still on but the system returns the touchscreen to daylight mode. Maybe it's cleverer than we are.

Stop/Start - the main reason we have seen for its operation being seen as random is when the air is aimed solely at the screen - S/S won't work. Next would be low battery charge, quickly followed by having lots of stuff switched on - S/S senses that the battery drain would be too high.

i would, however, echo Paul's sentiment - I've never had reason to doubt its continued operation, even if it does sometimes do something unexpected. My normal 25 mile daily commute includes a handful of stationary moments, at which point it rarely fails to kick in. On the occasions that it hasn't, it's always been obvious why (to me, at least).
 
#16 ·
SwissTJ said:
I would agree that, on occasion, the auto-lights do seem to stay on longer than I would have expected, but I also see BMWs, Audis, Mercs with them on at the same time, so maybe they all use a common algorithm. The weird bit is when the lights are still on but the system returns the touchscreen to daylight mode. Maybe it's cleverer than we are.

Stop/Start - the main reason we have seen for its operation being seen as random is when the air is aimed solely at the screen - S/S won't work. Next would be low battery charge, quickly followed by having lots of stuff switched on - S/S senses that the battery drain would be too high.

i would, however, echo Paul's sentiment - I've never had reason to doubt its continued operation, even if it does sometimes do something unexpected. My normal 25 mile daily commute includes a handful of stationary moments, at which point it rarely fails to kick in. On the occasions that it hasn't, it's always been obvious why (to me, at least).
Sure, I saw too, when I drove via tunnel and there was an Audi in the mirror, it turned lights off almost in the same time - that´s OK.

I give you another example about my "case". Now I know I had to start this topic with it:

These days, one day, around 6:30PM, hot like hell (still over 30 degrees), sun is shining (sure not the same angle as during midday)...when I park my car for a few hours in the shadow and I first turn on the engine in the shadow, the lights turn on too! and will stay turned on maybe for next 20 km until I turn my car exactly opposite to the sun! :D then they´ll switch off.

next day, the same time, the same weather, almost the same place, only difference is that the car is parked a few hours on the sunny place, I run the engine and the lights stay off! and will stay off for the whole trip,

Maybe it´s funny but that bothers me a lot :D
 
#17 ·
Today lights didnt turn off after exiting long tunnel again, on sun. Did turn off after restarting ignition.
I dont mind it too much, they would go off eventually, sometimes takes time.
 
#19 ·
F-Man said:
I must be the only one who hasn't noticed any of these issues with the lights. Is it maybe an Intellilux problem? I only have the standard lights and they seem to turn on/off as they should.
Hi

Mine are the standard lights and seem to have a mind of their own.

Cheers

Paul
 
#20 ·
I also have standard lights.
Yesterday I noticed that they go on when u use windshield washer for a longer period :D
Than they turn off when the "rain" is over.
 
#21 ·
mattonecz said:
I also have standard lights.
Yesterday I noticed that they go on when u use windshield washer for a longer period :D
Than they turn off when the "rain" is over.
Yes, I've noticed that as well.

Although I have the 'Intellilux', I'm guessing VX / Opel would probably use the same sensor for those as they would for standard lights (after all it's only darkness / light / rain you're trying to detect), the type of lights should be immaterial.

The other day, a Merc and a BMW, both with HID / xenons, followed me in and out of a couple of tunnels and each car's lights turned on and off more or less when mine did (assuming they had automatic lights!)
 
#24 ·
But what you are discussing is not a problem, just a nuisance.

A problem would have been that they don't turn on when needed. Is it so bad to know that your headlights are working or is the small green symbol in the instrument cluster so horrible to look at?
Can't help wondering if many here at this forum try to find non existing faults in the cars to give the brand bad reputation or what is the point of this?

If you don't like a car that aims for safety and technology, buy a Dacia...
 
#25 ·
I dont mind it too much. Only thing is that when the lights dont go off in the daylight, the brightness of the displays does not adjust.

And yeah always better to have lights on. I was even asking the dealer if they can set my back lights to be turned on with daylights.
 
#26 ·
mattonecz said:
I dont mind it too much. Only thing is that when the lights dont go off in the daylight, the brightness of the displays does not adjust.

And yeah always better to have lights on. I was even asking the dealer if they can set my back lights to be turned on with daylights.
on My Navi 900 there is a possibility to set the brightness of the displays manually without any relation with daylights.

and don´t write nothing about back lights or Mr. Figgz will attack you to buy the new Megane, they got them turned on with daylights :D
 
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