My dash lights seem permanently on - is this normal?

[rgb8888]

Hi

On my previous VW and Audis the dash lights only come on when I turn headlamps on.

I have just purchased a 2002 Audi S3 and they seem to be on all the time.

If used to the old system there is a potential danger therefore that you could think the lights were on when there were not.

I asked my dealer this week and they suggested this was normal.

Any thoughts?

Rob

 

[god_thats_quick]

Your in the wrong forum... but yes on the S3 they are on all the time, however the rest of the car only lights up when the lights are turned on!

 

[jdp1962]

Also, the road ahead only lights up when the lights are turned on. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[mikep]

Mine are on 'Auto', they make their own mind up, I never know!

 

[god_thats_quick]

ah yes... but Mike you have a new A3... that's a whole new ball game! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[RobB]

I had a 1997 A3 1.8T Sport and the lights for the dials were always on so if you went into a tunnel you could still see your speed etc. However, in daylight the digits etc looked white yet glowed red in the dark.

The lights on indicator only showed when they were switched on though.

 

[h5djr]

Mike P - look at your rev counter. If there is a little green 'lights' symbol there on. If not, there off.

We shall all be driving with headlights on all the time soon so it won't make much difference !

 

[Eeef]

unless you've got a 2005 A3, in which case they removed it, which is a bit annoying.

 

[S3Steve]

I was suprised about this when i got my 02 S3 having changed from an earlier A4. Ive actually grown to quite like it.

And yes we are stil on the wrong forum.

 

[mikep]

[ QUOTE ]
Mike P - look at your rev counter. If there is a little green 'lights' symbol there on. If not, there off.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nope, just been out to check, no little green light, but the lights were on.

Must be because its a 2006 model?

 

[gizze]

I thought that when you went into a tunnel or somewhere dark the dials actually went out, this is so you don't think your lights are on when you are in the dark when they are actually not.

 

[god_thats_quick]

[ QUOTE ]
I thought that when you went into a tunnel or somewhere dark the dials actually went out, this is so you don't think your lights are on when you are in the dark when they are actually not.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nope not on the 8L series cars anyway... you wouldn't be able to see what speed you were going (the whole reason for the dash being lit up in the first place.

 

[h5djr]

Perhaps Audi have removed the green 'light' symbol from the rev counter because a lot of countries in Europe are recommending or making it a legal requirement to drive with headlights on at all times, in which case it would be rather superfluous.

I understand it will a requirement in all EU countries by 2010 at the latest, including of course, the UK

 

[imported_Skywalker]

On 8P cars if you look closely near the 160mph (or whatever the speedo goes up to) you will see a small black circle. This is a light sensor and dims the dash-pod lights when it gets dark so that you realise your lights aren't on. Oddly enough, I have auto lights and it dips quite a while before the headlights come on.

 

[rgb8888]

Cheers for the replies - it seems that it is normal - sorry I posted to wrong forum it was a long day in the office!

 

[RobB]

Cheers Booster - always wondered what it is for.

Asked a few times at the dealers and they didn't know. For some bizarre reason I thought it might be an indicator that you have hit the 250kph / 155mph or so limiter given its closeness to the 160mph on the dial. When I tried in Germany though, it didn't come on, unsurprisingly.

 

[johnmv55]

[ QUOTE ]
Mike P - look at your rev counter. If there is a little green 'lights' symbol there on. If not, there off.

We shall all be driving with headlights on all the time soon so it won't make much difference !

[/ QUOTE ]

My early 8P A3 had the "little green lights on" symbol, my later (05) one does'nt have that anymore, and with auto lights they just do their own thing and I believe not always in tune with the headlamps either /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/noidea.gif

(I've just read Boosters post..........sounds good to me!)

 

[miketweed]

How confusing can lights be?

If you go into a tunnel in daylight, you see the dash lights suddenly dim to off - they do this quicker than than 2 second-ish delay for the auto lights to turn them back on again!

On 05 onwards models they moved the green 'lights on' indicator from the dash to the bezel round the main light switch to 'de-clutter the dash' apparantly.

So with auto-lights you can see the 'green' lamp when they are auto-on or yellow when they are auto-off.

If you force them to ON then all the lights round the switch go red (v confusing) Not sure what you get if you don't have auto lights.