Puddle lights

[simboc2004]

Only when you press the remote fob's "lights on" button

[Tatsfield]

Thanks for that info. I'd never noticed them because they are so dim that I thought the button on the key fob only lit the side lights etc. I'll look at fitting bright LEDs. The handbook advises how they work under "Home Safe Lights" and the duration of automatic lighting is adjustable in My Car Settings.

I've only owned the thing for 7 years!

[Tatsfield]

Investigated the options for the puddle lights. The only thing you can do is alter the time for which they are on once you trigger them from the key fob. I don't find this installation particularly clever. If they had a trigger when you opened the door when its dark and then turned themselves off either when you shut the door or after a prearranged period that would be useful, but to have to fumble with the key fob to turn them on is not user friendly. They are so dim that they do bugger all anyway. Good thing I didn't discover them for 7 years because I've saved myself 7 years of being irritated by them.

[graphnic]

Originally Posted by simboc2004

Here are some photos of the puddle lights working. My sidelight bulbs are LEDs too - and brighter than standard...

Those are impressively bright! Are they a like-for-like swap out or do they require LED drivers etc to be rigged?

[simboc2004]

Like for like LED bulbs. I only buy quality ones from known auto suppliers like Ring or Osram. there's no need for a balance resistor as those lights aren't on the CANBUS bulb testing circuit. the bulbs I have used there - and in the interior lighting are:Ring LED Bulb - TWIN PACK - 12V W5W 4000K Cool White Light (RW5014LED). I prefer whiter lighting than standard, but not blue white, so 4000K suits me. they chuck out so much more light.

I have used these all last winter and, because I park in an unlit car park, I have learned to use the remote button with ease - it's so much better than the darkness I coped with before learning to use it - and swapping to LEDs makes it even better. I agree that they should come on with the lock/unlock, buy they don't....