Honest Answers Required - Is the Mk3 better than the Mk2?

[peteo48]

I've been ranting about the Mk3's dashboard on another thread but, the other day, found another major improvement over the Mk 2. The light sensors work much better. On my Mk2 it would have to be dusk before the lights came on automatically - heavy rain and you'd have to put them on yourself. The Mk3 seems far better. Bad weather and the lights come on every time from my initial experience.

[andruec]

I've been ranting about the Mk3's dashboard on another thread but, the other day, found another major improvement over the Mk 2. The light sensors work much better. On my Mk2 it would have to be dusk before the lights came on automatically - heavy rain and you'd have to put them on yourself. The Mk3 seems far better. Bad weather and the lights come on every time from my initial experience.

Yup. They still have that weird tendency to come on on bright cold days though. It's almost like it has logic that says if bright and temperature is less than 5 degrees then put lights on :-/

[Skyrider]

Anyone who complains about their lights being on in daylight is really complaining about a little green light on the instrument cluster.

[peteo48]

I sometimes think I'm in touch with my inner Victor Meldrew

[andruec]

I sometimes think I'm in touch with my inner Victor Meldrew

VM is a hero of mine. I have a lot more of my hair left though, albeit mostly grey now

[ColinB]

... Bad weather and the lights come on every time from my initial experience.

If by “bad weather” you mean it’s raining, then be aware that the wipers actuate the lights, not necessarily the ambient light level. I think the deal is that if the auto-wipers find themselves actuating more frequently than a certain factory-set rate, the lights will come on. The lights will go out a short time after the wipers stop.

[peteo48]

... Bad weather and the lights come on every time from my initial experience.

If by “bad weather” you mean it’s raining, then be aware that the wipers actuate the lights, not necessarily the ambient light level. I think the deal is that if the auto-wipers find themselves actuating more frequently than a certain factory-set rate, the lights will come on. The lights will go out a short time after the wipers stop.

I'm now wondering if there was a fault with my Mk2. The lights never came on even if it was raining and the wipers were working. It was pretty frustrating - I always had to turn them on manually even in the heaviest downpours. Bright afternoon, blazing hot sun, they were on in a flash and I had to turn them off because I kept getting flashed by other motorists.

I just thought they were crap because other drivers had reported similar issues. Maybe should have gone to the dealers.

[andruec]

... Bad weather and the lights come on every time from my initial experience.

If by “bad weather” you mean it’s raining, then be aware that the wipers actuate the lights, not necessarily the ambient light level. I think the deal is that if the auto-wipers find themselves actuating more frequently than a certain factory-set rate, the lights will come on. The lights will go out a short time after the wipers stop.

I'm now wondering if there was a fault with my Mk2. The lights never came on even if it was raining and the wipers were working.

Pretty sure mine didn't either. I think that's a new feature of the Mk3. I seem to recall the subject coming up for discussion here shortly after I joined.

[peteo48]

It's probably in the manual! I don't remember checking it embarrassingly enough thinking it was a light sensor pure and simple.

If it was in the Mk2 manual then mine were faulty and should have been sorted under the warranty.

[Skyrider]

... Bad weather and the lights come on every time from my initial experience.

If by “bad weather” you mean it’s raining, then be aware that the wipers actuate the lights, not necessarily the ambient light level. I think the deal is that if the auto-wipers find themselves actuating more frequently than a certain factory-set rate, the lights will come on. The lights will go out a short time after the wipers stop.

I kept getting flashed by other motorists.

I don't get flashed, do you drive on main beam?

[culzean]

... Bad weather and the lights come on every time from my initial experience.

If by “bad weather” you mean it’s raining, then be aware that the wipers actuate the lights, not necessarily the ambient light level. I think the deal is that if the auto-wipers find themselves actuating more frequently than a certain factory-set rate, the lights will come on. The lights will go out a short time after the wipers stop.

I kept getting flashed by other motorists.

I don't get flashed, do you drive on main beam?

I thought the same,  I often drive on dip beam these days in anything other than clear conditions and never get flashed.

[peteo48]

[reference to deleted post removed by Admin]

I'll repeat my "complaints" again. The automatic light sensor my Mk 2 did not switch the lights on when required but did switch them on in bright sunshine - usually later in the day. I think this feature is poorly executed in the Jazz and in many other cars to be fair. It's no biggie in the great scheme of things. I just used the lights manually all the time and never put them in auto mode. Dull conditions, dipped headlights. And yes I did get flashed when my lights came on in bright sunshine and no they were not on full beam.

Wipers? To be fair these worked well on my Mk2 and work well on the Mk3. Happy with auto mode for these.

It's all about opinions and, IMHO, the auto light feature on the Jazz is rubbish as it is on many other cars even allowing for the fact that my MK2 was faulty because it did not turn on the lights in gloomy wet conditions - wipers or no wipers.

[culzean]

[Reference to deleted post removed by Admin]

I'll repeat my "complaints" again. The automatic light sensor my Mk 2 did not switch the lights on when required but did switch them on in bright sunshine - usually later in the day. I think this feature is poorly executed in the Jazz and in many other cars to be fair. It's no biggie in the great scheme of things. I just used the lights manually all the time and never put them in auto mode. Dull conditions, dipped headlights. And yes I did get flashed when my lights came on in bright sunshine and no they were not on full beam.

Wipers? To be fair these worked well on my Mk2 and work well on the Mk3. Happy with auto mode for these.

It's all about opinions and, IMHO, the auto light feature on the Jazz is rubbish as it is on many other cars even allowing for the fact that my MK2 was faulty because it did not turn on the lights in gloomy wet conditions - wipers or no wipers.

+1

Maybe we underestimate humans, but only when they pay attention and know / obey the rules.  If car makers cannot even get Auto lights and wiper system to work properly / reliably, what chance for truly autonomous vehicles.

[andruec]

If there was no little green ligts on indicator the "Oh the horror of having my lights on" brigade would have to find something else to complain about. Maybe a load of the auto wipers are rubbish posts.  :-)

I think I've just found something else to complain about: people who interpret legitimate comments as "complaints" when they're not really, and then think it's OK to deride the people making those comments.

Deeps doesn't like anyone to say anything bad. Mind you I'm surprised he hasn't yet chimed in to chide us all for comparing the different versions of the Jazz   

[andruec]

I'll repeat my "complaints" again. The automatic light sensor my Mk 2 did not switch the lights on when required but did switch them on in bright sunshine - usually later in the day.

Ah, that definitely sounds like a fault then. My Mk2 switched them on when it should but also (as does the Mk3) on cold, very sunny days. It just didn't seem to trigger them just because the wipers were running.