Does anybody know how Skoda auto headlights really work?

[BlackSuperb]

Didn't realise that fog lights were connected to the auto function. Maybe a "Ctrl Alt Del" of the light sensing module is in order. However one may do that is a mystery tho.

I had a similar thing happen to my auto wipers. The auto function stopped working for two days then it was all good ever since. Ones and Zeros are the culprits.

[Inego]

Interesting about the fogs - they've never come on for me, so perhaps its an MFDS setting on your car? The two times I've needed the fogs in the last almost 3 years I've turned them on manually.

As for the wipers, my experience is that the sensor needs a change in state for the function to operate, or at least in some circumstances eg. if the screen is already wet, I need to switch them manually, but if it starts raining whilst driving, the auto function works.

[K1W1]

I've noticed the fogs on probably twice previously both times in the morning when I have been behind cars at the lights (stationery, wheels pointing straight ahead, no indicators). It annoys me I hate people who drive with their fog lights on when not required and I'm concerned that I'm driving with them on more than I think.
BTW: This morning when I first noticed them on (reflected in the back of a ute) I turned the lights off and then back to auto and the fogs came on again so I turned them off again.
I've noticed that VW group cars seem to be the most likely to have their lights on in the mornings as well. I suspect that whatever settings the auto sensors have they are common across the whole VW group range.

As far as using the fogs is concerned where I live I need them a lot at various times of the year front and rears. We can be down to 5-10 metres of visibility regularly here. You literally have to navigate at walking speed from one cats eye in the centre of the road to the next at times.

[BlackSuperb]

I've noticed the fogs on probably twice previously both times in the morning when I have been behind cars at the lights (stationery, wheels pointing straight ahead, no indicators)......

This might be out of left field but could it be the refraction of the car's rear panel in front of you gives you the illusion that you have two rows of lights on, ie headlights and fogs, but in reality it's only a reflected double image of just headlights?

I have noticed it before with mine.....

Have you actually seen them both on in AUTO by getting out of the car?

[dArK5HaD0w]

its physically not possible for me to 'pull' the light switch, to activate the fogs, while in "auto" position.
i need to be in "side" or "on" position.
half pull = front fogs only
full pull = front & rear fogs

with regards to cornering foglights - mine is only active when the low beams r on (either 'auto' or 'on' position), below 40km/h and is based on steering angle. i didn't like the "based on indicator" version.
oh....and also in reverse, both "cornering" fogs activate.

[K1W1]

This might be out of left field but could it be the refraction of the car's rear panel in front of you gives you the illusion that you have two rows of lights on, ie headlights and fogs, but in reality it's only a reflected double image of just headlights?

The first thing I thought of but no. It was the tailgate of a ute (my neighbour actually) and I could quite clearly see the whole of the front of my car with the headlights, LEDs and fogs. As I said in another post I have noticed the same thing a couple of other times as well. When I get home tonight I might try sitting the car in the shade with the engine (and auto lights) running and try various combinations of steering wheel movement and indicators to see if it is in any way associated with either of those. Could be a faulty sensor on the steering rack I guess or maybe some undocumented magic VW safety feature. I will also have a look through the user settings and see if there is anything there that might trigger this effect.

[Stan]

could always just turn the switch manually to what you want.....

[K1W1]

could always just turn the switch manually to what you want.....

If I'm going to pay money for a puppy I'm not going to start barking.

Sure I can turn the lights on and off just like the old days but times have changed after all this car even has a radio and windows that go up and down both of which were missing from the first car I owned.

[Mysticality]

The automatic lighting system works on ambient light sensed by the rain sensor in the mounting foot of the rear view mirror.
Automatic headlights activate the Low Beam (Halogen or HID), dim the LED DRL/Parkers, activate the rear parkers and never operate the fog lights. (Unless cornering fog lights have been activated in VCDS, but I'll get to that)

When entering a tunnel, the ambient light sensor will detect low light and immediately turn the headlights on.
When exiting the tunnel the light sensor will detect the bright light of day, wait for approximately five seconds and then turn the lights off again - just in case you're between tunnels, or there's a street lamp it thinks is daylight, etc.

The automatic headlights are also triggered by the rain sensor. If it rains enough for your wipers to be relatively active (I'm unsure of the frequency required, but its around the Intermittant setting on cars before variable intermittant wipers) the low beam headlights will come on.

LED DRL's operate as normal, at all times.

If the ambient light sensor or the rain sensor has triggered the headlights to become active, the cornering fog lights will in turn also become active - even if its bright daylight and its raining a little.

Cornering fog lights are activated when the steering wheel is at a 90^ angle from its "home" (straight in front) position.
Cornering fog lights are also activated when the indicators have been selected on either side of the vehicle, when travelling at 40km/h or less.
If you have the indicators activated on the right hand side, but the steering wheel is pointing to the left at more than a 90^ angle, you will have both fog lights on.

I don't know about anyone else, but my automatic lighting system gets stuck ON sometimes.
Example - I reverse out of my garage (dark) and into the daylight (bright) and the lights stay on. They then stay on for a further 5-10km until I park the car, turn the engine off and then restart it. Probably a bug - only happens once in a blue moon.
It has NEVER been stuck OFF... Which is always a good thing.

[K1W1]

Cornering fog lights are activated when the steering wheel is at a 90^ angle from its "home" (straight in front) position.

The cornering light function activates at nearer 5 degrees off centre for the steering wheel. You only have to turn the wheel a small amount in either direction to get the cornering lights (fogs) to illuminate.