What is the point of automatic headlights?

[captainc]

I'm struggling to understand what the function of the so-called 'automatic' headlights is, and wondered if I'm missing something (or mine aren't working).

As far as I can tell, the only 'automatic' bit is that they turn on and off with the key which seems to be the same in either the 0 position or dipped position. In the 0 'automatic' position they just stay on dipped beam (with the removal of full beam toggle) and don't turn to sidelights/off based on daylight as other automatic lights I've had on cars.

Is that right??

Thanks.

[M4ss4]

Personally I thought the 'automatic' nature was in terms of self leveling when towing etc.

The constant use of dipped beams is the day running light (drl) function, which can be switched off by a dealer.

Sure someone else can confirm...

[Clan]

I'm struggling to understand what the function of the so-called 'automatic' headlights is, and wondered if I'm missing something (or mine aren't working).

As far as I can tell, the only 'automatic' bit is that they turn on and off with the key which seems to be the same in either the 0 position or dipped position. In the 0 'automatic' position they just stay on dipped beam (with the removal of full beam toggle) and don't turn to sidelights/off based on daylight as other automatic lights I've had on cars.

Is that right??

Thanks.

In the AUTO position they automaticaly switch from running lights to dip headlamps when it gets dark ... and vice versa .

[MacV50]

They also come on when the rain gets heavy enough which is handy as plenty of people forget to do that.

Had them in my previous Ford and they were crap as it was too dark when they finally came on so I just did them manually. The Volvo sensitivity is much better plus there's the link with the wipers.

Now what we really need is auto fog lights that come on when they're really needed instead of during a little bit of rain ...

[captainc]

Ok, a little bit of a delay in replying :) but now it's a bit lighter I've had a chance to test my car's lights properly.

So, mine act as:
- in the '0' position, the lights are permanently on as a dipped beam; turn off with the ignition key; full-beam flashes, no toggle.
- in the 'sidelights' position, the light stay on as sidelights and also when ignition key removed.
- in the 'dipped' position, the lights are permanently on as a dipped beam; turn off with the ignition key; full-beam toggles on/off.

Does that sound about right to other owners?

My ideal would be to leave in the '0' position and that the car would automatically switch between side-lights and dipped beam depending on the available light (which I guess it detects somehow as the radio lights change). Is this even possible?

Many thanks.

[iainmd]

What you have described are not automatic headlamps. It's the standard Volvo Daytime Running Light (DRL) setup. Our cars don't have the ability to auto-sense for lighting.

If you don't have the winter pack you're as well leaving the light switch in position I. If you do have the winter pack I'd leave it at O unless you think you'll require full beam on your drive as every 5th squirt of the window washers or every 5 mins will also wash the headlamps using up washer fluid at an alarming rate.

We have 2 P1 Volvos, one with winter pack and one without. I do the above. On the V50 with no headlamp washers I see little point in the other two light switch positions.

[torroa]

You can have automatic DRL (http://accessories.volvocars.com/en-ee/V50/Accessories/Document/VCC-449628/2012) if your car is from 2011 or newer. Everyone else would have to turn the switch themselves. Not a big deal if you ask me.

It is not allowed to use the yellow position light and parking light as DRL. You would have to use your dipped beams or do as M4ss4 mentioned, remove lights in position 0 and install DRL Lights (http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=223724&highlight=lights) or aftermarked LED options.

You also have ABL-Active Bending Light and HBC-Active High Beam Control, and both those features could be called Automatic Headlight function as well.

[SouthWestWanderer]

Is there any way to set the DRL to just activate the side/tail circuit?

I am thinking of getting posh bulbs/HIDs, and would rather the dip wasn't on all the time. I was also going to go down the route of LED side bulbs, so just side & tail acting as DLR would give the modern LED running Light Look.

[iainmd]

Sadly not, no. Be careful with LED W5W sidelight bulbs. A few people have reported smoking marks on the lens above due to heat created. Just keep an eye on them over time.

[captainc]

Thanks for the additional info guys - sounds like I'll just leave in position '0'. In fact, Volvo could have saved themselves a few quid and just not bothered with a switch ;-)

[SouthWestWanderer]

Sadly not, no. Be careful with LED W5W sidelight bulbs. A few people have reported smoking marks on the lens above due to heat created. Just keep an eye on them over time.

I suppose to achieve what I want, one could get the DLR turned off, and then bridge an ignition switched feed to the switched side of the sidelight position of the lighting switch.

This would effectively mean that when the key was in, the lighting switch would 'automatically' be turned to Position 1...?

[JBONE]

Sadly not, no. Be careful with LED W5W sidelight bulbs. A few people have reported smoking marks on the lens above due to heat created. Just keep an eye on them over time.

12v LED bulbs produce very little heat compared to standard bulbs, unless they're cheap & faulty i guess. Stick to a known manufacturer such as Osram and you'll be fine.

[SouthWestWanderer]

12v LED bulbs produce very little heat compared to standard bulbs, unless they're cheap & faulty i guess. Stick to a known manufacturer such as Osram and you'll be fine.

This is partly true: in theory they do unless they are the 'CANBUS' compliant ones: The car is expecting to see a 5W draw at the bulb, whereas the LED only draws, say, 0.1w, to produce that same amount of light. This is close enough to 0 that the car shows the bulb as blown.

To fool the car, the manufacturers add a resistor to take the draw up to about 5W. This results in a heat output of, say, 4.9W.

That said: an incandescent bulb is only about 2% efficient. I.E: a 5W bulb is only producing about 0.1W of light, the rest (4.9W) is heat. The net effect is that CANBUS compliant bulbs produce about the same amount of heat for a given light output (ish). This, in theory should not be a problem.

The problem comes because the resistor is often located in the base, moving the heat source closer to the fitting and plug than the original bulb (where the heat source is the filament).

The best solutionis: For anywhere that is not CANBUS monitored (interior lighting, front sidelight), non CANBUS LEDs are better, but these are getting rarer as most cars monitor most bulbs nowadays.

(The above is all a bit theoretical, and I have made up some of the values to illustrate the point. Don't shoot me!)