Coming home, leaving home (exterior lighting settings)

[Louay]

Page 58 - 59 A3 / S3 owners manual.

(yet to try this so thought I'd ask to save some needless tampering)

Quote

The leaving home function lights up the area round the vehicle after dark when the vehicle is unlocked. To activate this function, select LIGHTS WHEN UNLOCKING > ON.

End quote

Does this mean that when I unlock the car the Led headlights will come for a period before I enter the car? If so does it have to be dark for this function to work, if yes? Can I enable this function to work when it's daytime?

Lastly, can I and how do I get the lights to come on for a period when locking the car without having the light switch in Auto Mode and in daylight?

Could someone kindly clarify.

Thanks

 

[monopole]

they work automatically with auto lights. If the car deems it needs headlights, then when you approach/leave the car, then that's when coming/leaving home works.

 

[cuke2u]

Only approaching the car isn't quite the right term as it is when locking or unlocking the car is the trigger action. Also, with cars that have them, the fog lights come on not the headlamps. LED's and S3, of course, don't have them..

 

[Louay]

So I can't activate this during the day unless I changed the activation sensitivity setting to low so on a dark day like today they would then come on?

 

[monopole]

My LED's and headlamps are used as coming/leaving home

/when I used the term approached - I was assuming people will unlock their car when they approach

 

[monopole]

they do not work during the day, unless you find a way to code with VCDS to turn on the lights when you select unlock any time of day or night, but why during the day (normal sunlight)?

 

[Louay]

Just thinking of when we lose the light during the winter and it's overcast dark and dull. Will the lights come on in these conditions? Do I need to lower the sensor settings to enable this?

 

[monopole]

"whenever the car deems it needs headlights, coming/leaving home lights will also be used." It does this via the rain/light sensor.
I have looked myself but cannot see a way to adjust sensitivity on the 8V (yet)

I personally feel the sensor is "too" sensitive and will assume a low light condition and you look ahead and think .....whut?

 

[Louay]

Page 58 would suggest otherwise mate. Sorry just put the manual away so can't quote as I'm putting the grebs to sleep!

 

[monopole]

if the answers are on p.58.....

 

[The Challinor]

Activated this on my 8P which didn't have light sensor so it came on all the time day or night. It's probably in the code somewhere.

 

[Louay]

On a plus side mono after dabbling with controls, I can now fold the mirrors when locking the car! :-D

 

[Stephen C]

Just curious, for people with Advanced Key, will the lights come on when they walk up to the car?

 

[monopole]

No.

You still have to open the car. So if you "need" the lights because it's dark, use the fob to unlock the car as you approach.

 

[Vertigo1]

While my leaving home lights work fine when unlocking the car, the coming home function is seriously screwy. Quite often it won't work at all, even when it's totally dark - the moment I lock the car, the lights all go out, whereas other times they'll stay on for a while. When they do stay on, the time period varies wildly.

My 8Ps with this feature were rock solid but the 8V is hopeless by comparison. Wonder if they've sorted this out on more recent models, guess I'll find out soon

 

[monopole]

No such issues here, works as intended!

 

[Relliott6879]

Just activated this on mine. I was starting to think it must be a 'tech pack only' thing as I'd set the MMI to exterior lights on, but only the interior light was coming on when unlocking. Reading this thread though, I realised that I didn't have the lights on auto. All working perfectly now!

Just wondering though, in response to Louay's query, to make the lights more sensitive, ie to come on when less dark, then surely the sensitivity needs to be set to high rather than low?

 

[Louay]

yeah Relliott your right, i stand corrected. so for me setting would be high for the dark months and low for the lighter spring and summer period.

 

[constvoid]

While my leaving home lights work fine when unlocking the car, the coming home function is seriously screwy. Quite often it won't work at all, even when it's totally dark - the moment I lock the car, the lights all go out, whereas other times they'll stay on for a while. When they do stay on, the time period varies wildly.

My 8Ps with this feature were rock solid but the 8V is hopeless by comparison. Wonder if they've sorted this out on more recent models, guess I'll find out soon

I have similar problems. It seems to work ok if I just get out of the car and lock the doors, but not if I get something out of the boot and then lock up. This is usually when I've put the car in the garage, so may be something to do with: stopping the car; restarting to drive into the garage; getting out of the car (at which point the lights are on); opening and closing the boot; then locking the car - at which point the lights go out straight away.

 

[mjcourtney]

I have similar problems. It seems to work ok if I just get out of the car and lock the doors, but not if I get something out of the boot and then lock up. This is usually when I've put the car in the garage, so may be something to do with: stopping the car; restarting to drive into the garage; getting out of the car (at which point the lights are on); opening and closing the boot; then locking the car - at which point the lights go out straight away.

Same issue, has always been like it. I have found that double tapping unlock on the fob will turn the lights on if it didn't do it automatically. Oddly they do often come on in broad daylight, but not at night.... Programming glitch I suspect...

 

[Tiny]

On a plus side mono after dabbling with controls, I can now fold the mirrors when locking the car! :-D

How'd you do that then ? Not sure I have that option on mine ...

 

[DonnyDriver]

I've got a problem with my "Lights after Locking" also. Had the car 2 weeks now and the "LAL" were working fine....but now they've stopped working!

They come on when I unlock. But when I lock the car now no lights come on at all? I've checked the setting in the MMI and that's still checked. Any ideas anyone please?

 

[The Ironist]

Does this only work with light and rain sensor pack?

Do you still need to spec this as an extra with LEDs?

 

[a3_phil]

they work automatically with auto lights. If the car deems it needs headlights, then when you approach/leave the car, then that's when coming/leaving home works.

Just a bit of feedback, but I'm not sure that's the case, at least on my car.

I've noticed that I will frequently pull up at work on a morning with my auto-lights on, and when I get out of the car I don't get the coming home lights.

When it's properly dark I get the coming/leaving home lights working fine, but where it's a bit more dawn / dusk they seem to operate slightly differently to the auto-lights.

 

[DonnyDriver]

Well, my morning/leaving home lights work fine. It's just the nightime Lights After Locking that have stopped working. I've tried unchecking it in the MMI and then re-checking it but no joy.

 

[DonnyDriver]

I've managed to get my "coming home"/"lights after locking" lights working again. But I'm not sure if what I've discovered is a 'feature' or a fault?

It appears that if I have the interior cabin lights set to come on when opening the doors then the "coming home" lights don't work. If I turn the cabin lights switch off then the "coming home" lights do work when I get out of the car and lock it.

Is this normal behaviour or not? It seems a bit odd. When can't you have both at the same time?

 

[jasonc]

I've managed to get my "coming home"/"lights after locking" lights working again. But I'm not sure if what I've discovered is a 'feature' or a fault?

It appears that if I have the interior cabin lights set to come on when opening the doors then the "coming home" lights don't work. If I turn the cabin lights switch off then the "coming home" lights do work when I get out of the car and lock it.

Is this normal behaviour or not? It seems a bit odd. When can't you have both at the same time?

Sounds like a fault to me.
My interior lights come on when I open the doors and my headlights / tail lights stay on when I get out and lock the car.

 

[DonnyDriver]

Ok - I'll take it in then to get it checked out. Cheers.

 

[DonnyDriver]

Took it into the dealership this morning and they took a look at it. Everything was working fine - typically. So, they took it inside and hooked it up to the diagnostics to do a check and found nothing there either.

Just have to watch how it goes .....

 

[akk_0091]

Took it into the dealership this morning and they took a look at it. Everything was working fine - typically. So, they took it inside and hooked it up to the diagnostics to do a check and found nothing there either.

Just have to watch how it goes .....

Hey mate, have you had this problem again since then? My 8v is brand new and the lights worked fine first few days and now headlights are not coming off when unlocking/locking..

 

[Rob2k68]

Hey mate, have you had this problem again since then? My 8v is brand new and the lights worked fine first few days and now headlights are not coming off when unlocking/locking..

Is your headlamp switch positioned at auto ?

 

[DonnyDriver]

Hey mate, have you had this problem again since then? My 8v is brand new and the lights worked fine first few days and now headlights are not coming off when unlocking/locking..

My lights have been fine ever since thankfully. It was just that first week after getting it that they started acting strange.

 

[akk_0091]

Is your headlamp switch positioned at auto ?

Sorry was meant to say not coming ON not off.

But yeah it's on auto, and the function is also ON in the MMI.. It worked fine first few days then stopped

 

[akk_0091]

G

My lights have been fine ever since thankfully. It was just that first week after getting it that they started acting strange.

Good for you, hopefully mine will also correct itself...

 

[simonali]

Also, with cars that have them, the fog lights come on not the headlamps. LED's and S3, of course, don't have them..

Do you reckon if the front foglights fitted box was unticked in VCDS that the headlights would come on instead? I really hate those yellow fogs coming on when I unlock my car!

 

[DJAlix]

CH/LH Lights can be set to the following via VCDS:

• DLR Only
• Fog Lights Only
• DLR and For Light together.

They can also be set to activate on either removing the key from the ignition or when the drivers door is opened. Operating time can also be changed, for up to 1min 30secs.

DLR can be configured to function / come on differently from the way in which the Auto lights work. The "lx" settings need to be changed, something which I have not had to the time play with as yet. This is how I have mine setup currently and in order for them to work the light switch must remain in Auto. As a side not, for auto wipers to work you need the light switch in auto and the wiper stalk in first position also.

(1)-Comfort illumination-Coming Home Verbaustatus automatic

(2)-Comfort illumination-Menuesteuerung Coming Home Werkseinstellung active

(3)-Comfort illumination-Menueeinstellung Cominghome 20 s

(4)-Comfort illumination-Coming Home Leuchten Low beam

(5)-Comfort illumination-Coming-home Einschaltereignis Driver door

(6)-Comfort illumination-Helligkeitsschwelle Infrarot-Messung 12 lx

(7)-Comfort illumination-Leaving-Home Verbausstatus Enabled

(8)-Comfort illumination-Menuesteuerung Leaving-home Freischaltung per BAP active

(9)-Comfort illumination-Menueeinstellung Leaving-home Zeit per BAP 60 s

(10)-Comfort illumination-Helligkeitsschwelle Forward-Messung 6400 lx

If you do not have the Exterior Lighting MMI menu:

Control Module 09 - Cent. Elec.
Security Access Code = 31347
Adaptation - 10
Channel = (2) - Tagfahrlicht-Tagfahrlicht Aktivierung lurch BAP Oder Bedienfolge Moeglish
New Value = Active

 

[Nick Sutton]

I had mine VCDS coded so if i flash full beam before getting out of the car, the coming home lights stay on for about 60 sec.

Handy.

 

[DJAlix]

I retrofitted Auto Lights (inc CH/LH) and Auto Wipers with parts from eBay and a little VCDS coding. Well worth doing if you can.

 

[v1raj]

Digging up an old thread.. Found this feature really useful on my 8P and trying to activate on my 8V. Looked at the owners manual and seeng the steps:

MENU > Control Button > Systems > Vehicle Settings > Exterior Lighting

I can get to Vehicle Settings, but from there i can only see the following options:

Steering wheel button
Central Locking
Lock when driving

Any help on getting this working would be appreciated.

Have a 2013 SLine.. No lighting pack from what i can see.

 

[DJAlix]

Digging up an old thread.. Found this feature really useful on my 8P and trying to activate on my 8V. Looked at the owners manual and seeng the steps:

MENU > Control Button > Systems > Vehicle Settings > Exterior Lighting

I can get to Vehicle Settings, but from there i can only see the following options:

Steering wheel button
Central Locking
Lock when driving

Any help on getting this working would be appreciated.

Have a 2013 SLine.. No lighting pack from what i can see.

This would suggest that your car does not have Auto Lights and Wipers. Does your light switch have an AUTO position? If not then for sure you don't have them.