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View Full Version : Dont leave keys in IGN with lights in Auto



logger
24-08-2009, 05:20 PM
This is for VW Newbies like me...
I know in this day and age leaving keys in IGN for extended periods with IGN off is uncommon. However I have cause to do so at a particular location and I can imagine others doing so in a lockup garage. The manual even recommends against doing this for extended periods because eventually it will flatten the battery. But another trap I have noticed with my MkVI is that the Auto headlight setting will activate parking lights at dark even with the keys in and IGN off. So battery will of course flatten much quicker in this state. Turning headlights from Auto to Off fixes this, if one must leave keys in and IGN Off. Still it is a trap for young players like me and I thought is might be useful info to other VW newbies like me. My Toyota Auto lights are only active with IGN on.

mtj007
24-08-2009, 05:30 PM
Turning off the coming home feature in the MFD might resolve this issue - pretty sure my Mk V's parkers went off with the ignition when I had "Coming Home" set to off. Can I ask why you would leave the keys in the ignition anyway?

logger
24-08-2009, 06:59 PM
Nah it doesnt. First thing I tried was turning off the coming home feature in MFD and no change to the behavior I described. Lets just say it is the accepted protocol at a particular location since year dot. Quite a common practice if you spend a bit of time in the bush. Not that it is necessarily a smart thing to do.

gregozedobe
24-08-2009, 07:28 PM
Lets just say it is the accepted protocol at a particular location since year dot. Quite a common practice if you spend a bit of time in the bush. Not that it is necessarily a smart thing to do.

I'd need some pretty good convincing on the security front before I'd be leaving my keys in the ignition, and I'd lay money your comprehensive insurance provider would be even more sceptical than me :(

Probably a good move to not tell us where all these cars are sitting around with the keys in the ignition, just ready to go !

logger
24-08-2009, 08:19 PM
Can't argue with that. I am not for a minute questioning the wisdom of doing such. Just that my experience has allowed me see something that most people were probably not aware of and I am passing it on.

blutopless2
25-08-2009, 08:17 AM
what you need to do is remove the key from the ignition and then put it back in.
because you have had the car running it will leave the lights/elec windows/mirrors etc all functioning even with the ignition off... think the windows and mirrors will deactivate after a period of time or if you open the drivers door, but the lights will remain on in auto mode.
removing the key and reinserting it will deactivate the lights.

STV4SYT
25-08-2009, 08:37 AM
Yes, i leave my keys in occasionally when i am doing a lot of running around (lock up garage) and for me now its 2nd nature when i stop the car i just take keys out and back in and it turns off the auto lights feature and more importantly for me was that it kills the radio too without having to turn it off manually.

brad
25-08-2009, 08:54 AM
I'd need some pretty good convincing on the security front before I'd be leaving my keys in the ignition, and I'd lay money your comprehensive insurance provider would be even more sceptical than me :(

Probably a good move to not tell us where all these cars are sitting around with the keys in the ignition, just ready to go !

Sometimes you have no choice.
I was doing some subcontract work in the Sydney Water Bathurst St office in 2007 & needed a carspace (boot full of tools) and the only way i was allowed to park was if I left the keys in the car - they "buddy park" 3 deep. Bugger of a place to keep your car & chips & scrapes guaranteed. I hated the idea of some stranger moving my car.:(

gregozedobe
25-08-2009, 09:33 AM
Sometimes you have no choice.
I was doing some subcontract work in the Sydney Water Bathurst St office in 2007 & needed a carspace (boot full of tools) and the only way i was allowed to park was if I left the keys in the car - they "buddy park" 3 deep. Bugger of a place to keep your car & chips & scrapes guaranteed. I hated the idea of some stranger moving my car.:(

So how do you think you'd go if your car was stolen from there ? I can't see either the police or your insurance company being very understanding. I don't even like leaving my car for servicing (and I check the Kms before and after).

brad
25-08-2009, 09:59 AM
So how do you think you'd go if your car was stolen from there ? I can't see either the police or your insurance company being very understanding. I don't even like leaving my car for servicing (and I check the Kms before and after).

Dunno.
They had a couple of sleepy security guards & security cameras everywhere. Both entrances had automatic roller shutters & swipe card or security guard activated ingress/egress. They also had the mandatory "Park at your own risk" signs.

i think most insurance policies says something like "take all reasonable steps to secure the car", so you'd probably be alright as you are only abiding by the rules of the establishment you are in.

I was early start/late finish so my method of security was to get the first spot & be parked in by 2 other cars.

logger
25-08-2009, 10:05 AM
what you need to do is remove the key from the ignition and then put it back in.
because you have had the car running it will leave the lights/elec windows/mirrors etc all functioning even with the ignition off... think the windows and mirrors will deactivate after a period of time or if you open the drivers door, but the lights will remain on in auto mode.
removing the key and reinserting it will deactivate the lights.


Yes, i leave my keys in occasionally when i am doing a lot of running around (lock up garage) and for me now its 2nd nature when i stop the car i just take keys out and back in and it turns off the auto lights feature and more importantly for me was that it kills the radio too without having to turn it off manually.

Thanks Fellas. Great tip. Will put it to use from now on. These forums are great.

Guest
25-08-2009, 04:59 PM
Is it really that hard to use the light switch? instead of it being on Auto all the time?

The_Hawk
25-08-2009, 05:13 PM
I understand that you might need to leave your keys in the car in certain circumstances, the buddy park being the one that our offices use. I will note that the practice in our car park is to put the keys either on the dash or on the log book on the passenger seat and not leave them in the ignition.

I'm not a fan of doing it, but when you have to you have to, on the upside I keep a clean car so there nothing to steal other than the car itself and a space saver spare :P

blutopless2
26-08-2009, 07:39 AM
Is it really that hard to use the light switch? instead of it being on Auto all the time?

there are other items that remain powered also... so switching lights to off position will not completely solve the power drain issue.

might sound lazy i know... but i leave mine on auto all the time also... i figure i paid for the technology so might as well use it. wipers and dimming mirror also stay on auto.

Lima
26-08-2009, 10:58 AM
[pet hate rant mode]

I'd say a fair percentage of drivers on Australian roads have NFI when they should put their lights on. So unless we get mandatory DRL legislation I wish all cars came with an Auto lights function.

That way, the boneheads who are unable to make a simple judgment call as to when lights should be used won't have to bother.

Still, makes you wonder doesn't it, if people can't work out when their lights should be on, what else are these goons incapable of while on the roads?

[/pet hate rant mode]

STV4SYT
26-08-2009, 11:14 AM
I drive with all my lights on all the time there are just too many boneheads on the roads here.

I use the philosophy that if i give other road users the best possible opportunity to see me coming then they are less likely to either hold me up or pull out in front of me. I have proven this in real life situations, one day i thought that there was an unusually large number of said boneheads on the road as i got pulled out in front of and people were not pulling left on the freeway when i came up behind them, then i realised that the car had been in the garage where they turned the lights off, as soon as i put them back it on it was business as usual.

Lights are a dual purpose device, they are used to see and also to be seen.

On the golf its very handy as i just leave the light switch on, with the fog lights on, and the auto off turns them off anyway.

blutopless2
26-08-2009, 11:47 AM
[pet hate rant mode]

I'd say a fair percentage of drivers on Australian roads have NFI when they should put their lights on. So unless we get mandatory DRL legislation I wish all cars came with an Auto lights function.

That way, the boneheads who are unable to make a simple judgment call as to when lights should be used won't have to bother.

Still, makes you wonder doesn't it, if people can't work out when their lights should be on, what else are these goons incapable of while on the roads?

[/pet hate rant mode]

not sure how i'm meant to take this comment.... am i a bonehead coz i use the auto function or a goon???

Swallowtail
26-08-2009, 11:54 AM
not sure how i'm meant to take this comment.... am i a bonehead coz i use the auto function or a goon???

He's talking about people who don't use their lights at all, or at least not until they realise they can't see the speedo any more. At least that's how I read it. I don't think he's having a go at those of us who us Auto - the auto function on my Passat is quite conservative - it turns the lights on pretty early, which is good in my view.

Having said that, I don't know you - maybe you are a goon AND a bonehead! :P

STV4SYT
26-08-2009, 12:41 PM
He's talking about people who don't use their lights at all, or at least not until they realise they can't see the speedo any more. At least that's how I read it. I don't think he's having a go at those of us who us Auto - the auto function on my Passat is quite conservative - it turns the lights on pretty early, which is good in my view.

Having said that, I don't know you - maybe you are a goon AND a bonehead! :P

Thats how i read it too, there is no such thing as too early, IMO if the light is not 100% then lights should go on.

logger
26-08-2009, 03:36 PM
I drive with all my lights on all the time....

So do all other MK6 drivers unless they have implicitly overridden the system and I will explain why.

Bit of confusion creeping in here I think. PLS correct me if I am wrong. Might not be the case with other models but assuming I have read the manual correctly - with the MK6 there are two systems at play. There is the above mentioned Auto headlight system that will turn your headlights on when it gets dark. This sytem is there for convenience. There is also a second system that will activate Daylight Running Lights or whatever VW calls them whenever the car is being driven. This sytem is there for Safety. Have not got the manual in front of me so I cant recall if it is IGN activated but I think so. In any case the point is it is not really necessary to turn your headlight switch on for daylight driving as they will be on anyway regardless of switch position. Unless of course you over ride the system by using the combination of indicator lever strokes, which is also clearly explained in the manual. This Daylight visibilty/safety system is not active when the IGN is off so will not flatten the battery like the Auto light system will.
Just found this UK discussion on the Daylight Running LIghts (http://uk-mkivs.net/forums/t/290640.aspx)

blutopless2
26-08-2009, 03:49 PM
He's talking about people who don't use their lights at all, or at least not until they realise they can't see the speedo any more. At least that's how I read it. I don't think he's having a go at those of us who us Auto - the auto function on my Passat is quite conservative - it turns the lights on pretty early, which is good in my view.

Having said that, I don't know you - maybe you are a goon AND a bonehead! :P


its ok.. my dislexia kicking in early.... wasn't offended in any case but my bad for misreading it.
and yes you are probably right.. i might be a goon AND and a bonehead... people mostly call me other names... :)

Lima
26-08-2009, 05:10 PM
Thats how i read it too, there is no such thing as too early, IMO if the light is not 100% then lights should go on.

Zing! :bowdown:

When I had the Mk4 GTI, which was black, I ran the low beam headlights at all times. Better to make yourself as visible as you can to the goons and boneheads we share the roads with, haha.

blutopless2, IMO, having the lights on Auto is good.

Oh, in reference to logger's comment, the S3 has LED DRLs (http://27772.smugmug.com/photos/620997785_YGYNc-L.jpg) which are kind of cool!

STV4SYT
27-08-2009, 11:42 AM
So do all other MK6 drivers unless they have implicitly overridden the system and I will explain why.

Bit of confusion creeping in here I think. PLS correct me if I am wrong. Might not be the case with other models but assuming I have read the manual correctly - with the MK6 there are two systems at play. There is the above mentioned Auto headlight system that will turn your headlights on when it gets dark. This sytem is there for convenience. There is also a second system that will activate Daylight Running Lights or whatever VW calls them whenever the car is being driven. This sytem is there for Safety. Have not got the manual in front of me so I cant recall if it is IGN activated but I think so. In any case the point is it is not really necessary to turn your headlight switch on for daylight driving as they will be on anyway regardless of switch position. Unless of course you over ride the system by using the combination of indicator lever strokes, which is also clearly explained in the manual. This Daylight visibilty/safety system is not active when the IGN is off so will not flatten the battery like the Auto light system will.
Just found this UK discussion on the Daylight Running LIghts (http://uk-mkivs.net/forums/t/290640.aspx)


Now that you mention it, i have noticed a lot of mk6's with their lights on.

Guest
27-08-2009, 01:10 PM
Now that you mention it, i have noticed a lot of mk6's with their lights on. thats something totally different those lights are daytime driving lights they dont go of unless you turn them off via MFD or the manual way with the indicator