Dont leave keys in IGN with lights in Auto

[logger]

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]

Is it really that hard to use the light switch? instead of it being on Auto all the time?

[The_Hawk]

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

[blutopless2]

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]

[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]

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]

[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]

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!

[STV4SYT]

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!

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]

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