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JustCallMeMac

Member Since: 02 Jan 2023
Location: Southampton
Posts: 25

Auto lights - switching off when they shouldn't?

I've just watched my wife pull off to work and whilst daylight, it's pretty misty / foggy outside and front and rear lights are certainly required for the benefit of other road users, if not herself. (It's not bad enough for fog lights though)

Her lights are set to AUTO and came on upon start up but, as she drove off down the road, the rears, (and I presume the fronts, except the DRLs), went off, which was daft considering the conditions. I called her to ask if she had her lights on AUTO, which she did, but then she noticed that her IDD had gone dim, indicating that the lights had gone off. Setting to dipped beam headlights sorted that out but it seems that relying on AUTO to react correctly to low ambient light, which might be affected by mist and fog, can't be taken for granted.

It's not a biggy but with all of our previous vehicles we've always set the lights to AUTO, and it's been a 'fire and forget mode' because it's just worked as expected. My concern is that had I, or my wife, not spotted it, she would have driven down the narrow and twisty country lanes in these parts, not properly illuminated, unless the lights intermittantly came back on.

Has anyone else noticed this?

Cheers.

21st Sep 2023 7:18am

Moo

Member Since: 01 Oct 2021
Location: UK
Posts: 1432

Yes, I've noticed this. When it happens I just switch to dip beam.

One of my bug bears is cars with just DRLs on in low light or bad weather, which means rear lights aren't on when they really need them. I really don't think people understand DRLs or auto lighting. Eiger Grey MY23 D250 SE with bits. Known as Noddy.

21st Sep 2023 8:28am

LR Nuts

Member Since: 10 Aug 2022
Location: UK
Posts: 1202

On my previous Land Rover I did connect the rear tail lamps up to the same feed as DRLs, with a relay to switch over when Dip Beam is required.

I shall do this now my vehicle is out of LR Warranty, for what that was worth ????

I also think Europe / UK should have the same law as the US, with regard to 'side markers'. Amber at the front and red to the rear, as seen in the plastic wheel arches of NAS vehicles. I had those NAS bumper lights on my Disco 300, 18yrs ago.

21st Sep 2023 10:50am

Hairy Dan

Member Since: 25 Apr 2013
Location: NW Durham
Posts: 1426

1998 Defender 90 V8 Petrol 50th Auto Chawton White

On the D4 you used to be able to change the CCF to Scandinavian (I think) which would put the front DRL's and rear tail lamps on permanently, I'll have to have a look at my IID tool and see if it can be changed

Cheers Ian
--------------------
22MY Defender 110 D200 SE, Fuji White.
Kielder 4x4 Safari
Instagram @defender_v8

21st Sep 2023 2:13pm

LR Nuts

Member Since: 10 Aug 2022
Location: UK
Posts: 1202

On the Freelander 2 you needed to drill out the blanks in the rear lamp cluster and insert a bulb holder to get rear DRLs working. These were wiring to an ignition switch live fuse circuit.

I have a spare pair of the LED rear lamps for the L663, they are more difficult as everything is enclosed and sealed. It might be easier to drill the rear DRLs in the fog lamp cluster, although these are lower level lamps than I would like. I have a spare set of those also. Time to go in the workshop and play

Last edited by LR Nuts on 21st Sep 2023 2:35pm. Edited 1 time in total

21st Sep 2023 2:30pm

Defendit..

Member Since: 09 Aug 2020
Location: 's-Hertogenbosch
Posts: 434

@hairydan

If you could look at it, please.

Asked this for over 2.5 years ago to have the rear tailgate lights on with DRL
A bloke from Sweden replied that it was unfortunately the same there.... very strange No Mud flaps for my 90.!
-----------------------------------------
P300s MY21 Keswick Green on air, adv.+ offroad pack, DRL+fog, Dinamica Suedecloth + Ebony headliner/Cross Beam- Many Mods..

21st Sep 2023 2:30pm

LR Nuts

Member Since: 10 Aug 2022
Location: UK
Posts: 1202

I think you may need Japan setting in the CCF ?

21st Sep 2023 2:38pm

whiterdesign

Member Since: 10 Jun 2021
Location: Preston
Posts: 270

Or just buy a Volvo 🤣. They have both front and rears on all the time. Dont understand why all cars don't do it as a safety reason. 110 XS 250 MY 23 Gondwana Stone, Cold climate pack and towbar

21st Sep 2023 5:12pm

LR Nuts

Member Since: 10 Aug 2022
Location: UK
Posts: 1202

yes, you are correct, I remember a friend having a Volvo 245, with DLRs ....... in the late 70's !!!

21st Sep 2023 6:11pm

lightning

Member Since: 23 Apr 2009
Location: High Peak, Derbyshire
Posts: 2921

Yes it's strange there's no "sidelight" position without the headlights coming on.

21st Sep 2023 6:27pm

Nuclear Nick

Member Since: 21 Aug 2021
Location: Southwest
Posts: 288

LR Nuts wrote:
yes, you are correct, I remember a friend having a Volvo 245, with DLRs ....... in the late 70's !!!

Yes, my Saab 99 Turbo did as well back then, front and rear. Seemed obvious to me at the time….

22nd Sep 2023 8:15am

Dicky1961

Member Since: 25 Mar 2022
Location: South Yorkshire
Posts: 145

I took my 90 back to the dealership when I first got it and told them I don’t have sidelights as an option on my car and the technicians that looked at it said they had never seen anything like it. When they approached LR about it they said there was nothing that could be done to change it. That was the design. I tow a caravan, my old D4 used to put the sidelights on as soon as the engine was started when the van was connected. I have to drive with the headlights on with the Defender if I want the van lights on. Very frustrating

24th Sep 2023 8:07pm

Cheshire110

Member Since: 26 Jul 2013
Location: Cheshire/London
Posts: 2767

lightning wrote:
Yes it's strange there's no "sidelight" position without the headlights coming on.

There IS a side light position on the stalk if you need it. Only issue is that the car will default back to auto after a while. Cheers, David
Land Rovers of all shapes S3 onwards… Daily is a 110 V8.

24th Sep 2023 8:41pm

Dicky1961

Member Since: 25 Mar 2022
Location: South Yorkshire
Posts: 145

Yes that’s right, there is a sidelights position on the stalk, if you select sidelights and then pull away in the car, when you reach about 10pm they will go out and revert to front drl’s only. If you select sidelights whilst already driving they will stop on for a while until the car decides to revert back to drl’s only or until you stop and then pull away again then the car reverts to drl’s only. So by default there is not an option for sidelights.

24th Sep 2023 8:53pm

Dicky1961

Member Since: 25 Mar 2022
Location: South Yorkshire
Posts: 145

I think they call sidelights “parking lights “.

24th Sep 2023 8:54pm

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