Poor visibility, no lights

[Neil Ives]

I drove to London on Saturday on the M40. It rained heavily during the trip; visibility at times was very poor. During this I brought my speed down and stayed in the slow lane; meanwhile, cars, many in a grey/silver, (same colour as a rainstorm)  were pelting along through the storm, driving much too close to the car in front.
The thing that shocked me was how many cars had no rear lights showing. When I started checking, many modern cars had front driving lights on only. This situation seems highly dangerous. I'm pretty sure that most drivers had no idea they had no rearlight when the little telltale in the dashboard is lit.

[Kremmen]

There seems to be some brain dead drivers who use their lights to see and not to be seen.

They seem unaware of the danger they are putting themselves and others in.

If I consider it dark enough I often give approaching vehicles some main beam to make a point unless my main beam would affect someone else.

[Jocko]

I have seen many cars driving, in town, with only front DLRs on. The driver sees a brightish light to the front and with many modern cars the instrument panel lights up as soon as you turn the ignition on (is the new Jazz like that?) and off they go, oblivious to the fact they are all dark to the rear.

[Kenneve]

With the Mk4 there is no choice, the auto headlight system will put the headlights on, and you can't override the system.
Best be safe than sorry!

I very often see older cars driving about with no lights at all and you say with colours that blend in with the tarmac. Absolute idiots!!

[Neil Ives]

In the MK4 Jazz, if you set 'Simple' view on the display you can see what lights are on.

[ColinB]

With the Mk4 there is no choice, the auto headlight system will put the headlights on, and you can't override the system.

That belief is part of the problem, because it's not correct. Can't comment on the Mk4, but on the Mk3 the auto system only puts the lights on if the light level is low or if the wipers are working. In mist or fog, the light level is often high enough NOT to trigger the auto system, you have to actually switch both your brain and the lights on (two clicks to get the dipped headlights, not just one click which only operates the sidelights).

[Kremmen]

He's right, the 4 has mandatory front lights.

There is an off position but it's spring loaded and as soon as you start to move the dipped or DRL come on.

[Neil Ives]

He's right, the 4 has mandatory front lights.

There is an off position but it's spring loaded and as soon as you start to move the dipped or DRL come on.

On the MK4, do the driving lights always include the rear lights?

[Kremmen]

Yes, if dipped beam is auto selected instead of DRL then the rears come on.

[ColinB]

He's right, the 4 has mandatory front lights.

There is an off position but it's spring loaded and as soon as you start to move the dipped or DRL come on.

Are you saying the Mk4 Jazz headlights are always on when the car is moving? That's definitely different to the Mk3, which has lights controlled by a sensor. I'm sure I've seen Mk4s with DRLs only. Mk3 lighting modes:
Car moving in daylight: front DRLs on, no rear lights. Can manually select sidelights or headlights if required in poor visibility which overrides DRLs and turns on rear lights.
Car moving in rain: dipped headlights and rear lights come on.
Car moving at night: front headlights on (dipped or full beam depending on auto high beam system), rear lights on. Can't turn lights off, spring-loaded switch always returns to auto position.
So the Mk4 is different and is always in night-time mode?

[Neil Ives]

Double checking: On the MK4 Jazz, is it possible to be driving in poor visibility conditions with only the Daytime Driving, (front) Lights on?

[Kenneve]

Double checking: On the MK4 Jazz, is it possible to be driving in poor visibility conditions with only the Daytime Driving, (front) Lights on?

No, headlights will always be On And cannot be overridden (On/Off switch is spring loaded to On.)
The sensor can put the lights On, even in sunlight in the right circumstances ,(ie shadows etc )

[ColinB]

Double checking: On the MK4 Jazz, is it possible to be driving in poor visibility conditions with only the Daytime Driving, (front) Lights on?

No, headlights will always be On And cannot be overridden (On/Off switch is spring loaded to On.)
The sensor can put the lights On, even in sunlight in the right circumstances ,(ie shadows etc )

Just to be clear and hopefully avoid even more confusion, I think you mean the switch is always in the auto position ... but that doesn't mean the headlights are actually on, it just means the auto system is enabled so it will turn the lights on if it so decides. The DRLs will always be on if you're driving, but that doesn't mean the headlights and taillights are on. Just like the Mk3, they will come on if the computer decides so. And in mist or fog it may not be sufficiently dark so the driver then needs to switch them manually. A belief that "the computer will always do it" is probably why you see so many cars where the drivers haven't bothered.

P.191 of the online manual seems to describe this:
https://www.honda.co.uk/cars/owners/manuals-and-guides/honda-owners-manuals/_jcr_content/par1/textcolumnwithimagem_1653971839/textColumn/richtextdownload_e3c/file.res/23%20JAZZ%20HEV%20SSS%20(KE%20KG)-32TZA6210_01_web_compressed.pdf
"The lights will turn on automatically depending on the ambient brightness"

[Kenneve]

Double checking: On the MK4 Jazz, is it possible to be driving in poor visibility conditions with only the Daytime Driving, (front) Lights on?

No, headlights will always be On And cannot be overridden (On/Off switch is spring loaded to On.)
The sensor can put the lights On, even in sunlight in the right circumstances ,(ie shadows etc )

P.191 of the online manual seems to describe this:
https://www.honda.co.uk/cars/owners/manuals-and-guides/honda-owners-manuals/_jcr_content/par1/textcolumnwithimagem_1653971839/textColumn/richtextdownload_e3c/file.res/23%20JAZZ%20HEV%20SSS%20(KE%20KG)-32TZA6210_01_web_compressed.pdf
"The lights will turn on automatically depending on the ambient brightness"

My previous answer refers to the question re ‘poor visibility driving conditions’ and I believe is correct.
In fact the system generally activates, in conditions others may find too bright, as stated.
And of course if the headlights are On, the rear lights are also On.

[Kremmen]

He's right, the 4 has mandatory front lights.

There is an off position but it's spring loaded and as soon as you start to move the dipped or DRL come on.

Are you saying the Mk4 Jazz headlights are always on when the car is moving? That's definitely different to the Mk3, which has lights controlled by a sensor. I'm sure I've seen Mk4s with DRLs only. Mk3 lighting modes:
Car moving in daylight: front DRLs on, no rear lights. Can manually select sidelights or headlights if required in poor visibility which overrides DRLs and turns on rear lights.
Car moving in rain: dipped headlights and rear lights come on.
Car moving at night: front headlights on (dipped or full beam depending on auto high beam system), rear lights on. Can't turn lights off, spring-loaded switch always returns to auto position.
So the Mk4 is different and is always in night-time mode?

Yes. When I climb in mine, in daylight hours, but in the darker garage, as soon as I powerup the dipped beam and tail lights come on due to the dash top sensor deciding I need front and rear lights.

I can then use the spring loaded twist switch to turn them fully off. But, as soon as I select drive they come on again.

Scenario 2 is the dipped lights come on as before but I don't turn them off and electrically open the garage door. As soon as the brighter light is detected the dipped beam changes to DRL.

Hope that makes sense.