Second-Hand 2018 Jazz SE -a few thoughts

[peteo48]

This morning was a case in point, little or no rain but water spilling over the windscreen from the roof. Headlights on. My concern is that people might read them coming on and off as a signal to pull out. I have been observing other new cars and my, and other people's Jazzes, have lights on when no other car does.

Did the water spilling off the roof trigger the wipers?  6 wipes in a short period brings the headlights on.

Yes. Probably because I had just waxed the car lol. Thanks for the info about the six swipes. Wasn't aware of that.

[Jocko]

Followed a car the afternoon (SEAT Ibiza) and as it drove through a patch of trees its lights came on. My first thoughts were it was brake lights, but it wasn't. It then immediately drove back into full sun and the lights stayed on. I followed it for two or three minutes, and when we parted company the lights were still on. I have never really paid much attention, but after reading this thread, earlier today, I noticed.

[Downsizer]

Followed a car the afternoon (SEAT Ibiza) and as it drove through a patch of trees its lights came on. My first thoughts were it was brake lights, but it wasn't. It then immediately drove back into full sun and the lights stayed on. I followed it for two or three minutes, and when we parted company the lights were still on. I have never really paid much attention, but after reading this thread, earlier today, I noticed.

My lights routinely come on when I drive under a bridge on a roundabout under a dual carriageway.  However, they go off within seconds of emerging into full light.

[John Ratsey]

I have the same auto-headlights annoyance with my HR-V. I think that the basic problem is that the light sensor is at the bottom of the windscreen and looks upwards so anything dark over the vehicle causes the lights to come on. I don't know why Honda didn't also use the brightness level of the forward-looking camera.  Also, I find the auto-headlights slow to come on at dusk on a clear day when the sky can still be fairly light but lights are needed if only to make the vehicle more visible to others.

However, while the headlights turn off quite quickly after going under a bridge, the linkage to the wiper action has a much longer (several minutes) time-out. I discovered this a few days after I got my Mk 3 Jazz and went through a short shower. This triggered the headlights which were still on for several minutes of bright sunshine before condescending to turn off. I often have my wipers on manual (also because the auto-wiper algorithm is much worse than on the Mk 2 Jazz) in order to reduce the likelihood of the headlights being triggered in inappropriate conditions.