Where is the light sensor located?

BongoShaftsbury · 09-03-2011,02:51 PM

I'd like to over-ride it (i.e gaffer tape it) so I can leave the light switch on auto and the lights will always come on/off with the ignition. The auto function based on light levels doesn't work well enough for me.

Can anyone foresee a problem with this? Wat else does the sensor affect? I know it can be used to dim the satnav but thats all I know.

Thanks

Getaway_Driver · 09-03-2011,03:21 PM

I might be wrong, but I think the Light Sensor and Rain Sensor are in the same unit in the rear view mirror connected to the windscreen - so I dont think you'll be able to "gaffer tape it", otherwise the auto wipers wont work.

There is an option in MMI to turn DRL on (daytime running lights).

I think if you want dipped beam headlights on all the time then you need to code that with VCDS - there was talk of it being possible by changing the country code.

**a6c63lq** · 09-03-2011,04:32 PM

wouldn't advise using main lights all the time as lamp replacement is a nightmare! Check out thread 'Lamp Replacment'

Getaway_Driver · 09-03-2011,05:07 PM

Originally Posted by a6c63lq

wouldn't advise using main lights all the time as lamp replacement is a nightmare! Check out thread 'Lamp Replacment'

But there is benefits of having them on all the time, such as the below taken from the Osram website http://www.osram.com/osram_com/Tools...ex.html#answ67:
"Question

Why should I drive with dipped beam at day, too?
Answer

If you drive with your lights on at day, you will increase your own safety and you will lower your risk of accidents considerably. 50% of all people involved in car accidents (even 80% of those who had an accident at a crossroad) state that they did not see the other vehicle at all or that they did not see it in time. Those who use daytime running light are definitely seen better. According to an EU-study, more than one million insurance accidents a year could be avoided across Europe by driving with daytime running lights. That would mean 155,000 fewer people injured and 5,500 fewer road deaths"

**a6c63lq** · 10-03-2011,09:31 AM

I agree 'day time running lights are a safety facility and I do use them on my A6 C6. However, using your dipped lights during the day has the disadvantage of increasing the chance of them failing when you need them the most.
If your car does not have day time running lights then I would recommend retro fitting some form of additional lighting that you can use during the day thus preserving dipped lights for night time driving.
As an ex Volvo S80 driver I would also steer people away from orange day time marker lights as I had several near misses with other drivers assuming that I was indicating for a turn.
Any way as a Getaway Driver I would have thought you would not want to stand out in a croud.

**Guest 2** · 10-03-2011,09:52 AM

If you enable the running lights through VCDS, it's actually the main/full beam bulbs that illuminate during the day and when night comes, the main beam bulbs turn off and the ordinary dipped beams come on.

**a6c63lq** · 10-03-2011,10:00 AM

Originally Posted by A6_Chris

If you enable the running lights through VCDS, it's actually the main/full beam bulbs that illuminate during the day and when night comes, the main beam bulbs turn off and the ordinary dipped beams come on.

Would this not cause the blinding of oncoming trafic, as main beam is reflected higher and mare to the middle of the road. (which model is this on?)

**Guest 2** · 10-03-2011,10:38 AM

Im not sure but on the older pre facelift cars (late 2008 backwards) the running lights were activated on any car with Xenon headlights and also the newer facelift cars have these type of running lights present if they do not have the Xenon headlights. Whereas, if they did have Xenon lights, the running lights would be the strip of LEDs.

Pic of facelift car with halogen headlights:

**AxeMurderer** · 10-03-2011,11:00 AM

Back on topic... if you want your lights on whenever the engine is running, could you not leave them switched fully on? I'm fairly sure that they will actually turn off when you lock and leave the car (after any welcome home period).

I haven't tried this though.

**Guest 2** · 10-03-2011,11:04 AM

If you leave them 'on' ie, out of Auto and switch the car off, the main headlight goes off but the sidelight stays on. Not sure if they go off with the coming home/welcome timer though. Gonna try it tonight and see