New Fiesta External Lights

[vwlowen]

Hi all,

I recently took delivery of a new 1.1L (85BHP) Fiesta (2018/Mk8) and I'm trying to get my head around how the exterior lights work. I understand that, with AutoLamps on, the headlights and the rear lights come on if the wipers are switched on (even in the intermittent position) or if it's dark enough. But I've noticed that the nearside front spot light also comes on. Both spot lights come on if the spot lights are turned on with their own push switch.  Also, there only seems to be one rear fog light (on the offside).

The manual isn't much help as it seems to use the terms running lights and side lights interchangeably yet, to my mind, "side lights" has always included the rear lights but it seems the only time the rear lights come on is when the headlights are on.

I should say that I'd hung onto my last car for 17 years so the technological advances/changes have been a bit intimidating but does the behaviour of the lighting seem right to you experienced guys? :)

 

[isetta]

many cars only have own rear fog light. law only requires one which must be in middle or towards right . my 2015 fiesta has a lens on left but no light fitting behind it - cheapskates. 

when you have one fog light at front coming on, is this because you have the steering turned. some modern cars have the right front fog light come on when you turn right and similar when you turn left. they reckon it helps you see round corners. i find it annoying when there is a car travelling behind me and I keep seeing their front fog lights go on and off on corners. they normally go on and off gradually , not suddenly on off

in the dark i often see cars with no rear lights on.  this is because many cars have front daytime running lights on which also causes the speedo to illuminate so they don't realise they have not switched the lights on (to activate tail lights).  On old cars at night if you could not read the speedo it was like a remimnder to put your lights on if you forgot.

I know what you mean about the tech advances. what happens one day if your lights don't work. you can't simply trace where the wires go from switch to lights. The switches all link to the computer in the dashboard and the computer decides what lights are going to work or not. Nightmare when it does not work. Not much chance of improvising or a temp fix at the roadside

 

 

[vwlowen]

Thanks for the reply.  The steering looked fairly straight when I tested the lights but I'm sure you're correct.

It looks as though my rear fog lights are similar to yours. Just a plain reflector on the nearside but an identical-looking light on the offside.

You make a good point about the dashboard lights coming on with the running lights giving a false impression that the rear lights are also on. The running lights are also bright enough to reflect off the car in front (if you're stopped in traffic) - also giving the impression that all your lights are on.

I'm not keen on the idea of the headlights coming on when the car chooses (wipers or dark, for example).  When I had to switch them manually, I sometimes held back a few seconds if I thought someone waiting to cross my path might mistake the lights coming on as an invitation to go.

All new stuff to get used to, I guess :)

[Tiexen]

Auto lights are optional - you can turn them off and manually select lights if you want - they don't work in Fog for example.

[vwlowen]

You can but they always default to auto and you have to switch through 'on' to turn the lights off. It sort of defeats the object of preventing the lights coming on automatically at an inappropriate moment if you only remember to turn auto off at that time. 

I agree I'm splitting hairs but it seems to me that AutoLamps may help drivers who forget to turn their lights on but, in doing so, it creates other drivers who assume the lights will have come on when they haven't. 

[alexp999]

I have thought for a while it might be better for lights to default to Auto. The amount of people driving on a dark morning, hammering with rain and no lights on in a dark car is ridiculous.

Seems most drivers can't even be trusted to turn their lights on now, so the manufacturers have to do it for them.

[vwlowen]

But is that because it's getting difficult to know what is automated and what isn't?  

The same idiot drivers who forget to put their lights on are likely to be the same idiot drivers who assume Auto will have done it for them.

Pretty much every heading in my Fiesta manual begins with "this automatic feature doesn't absolve the driver from the responsibility"...  So, if the driver has to check anyway, isn't it easier just to let the driver do whatever it is in the first place so the responsibility is solely theirs?

[Jonro2009]

As said above the fog lights behave as 'cornering lights' and they illuminate when certain criteria is met. I believe that a directional fog light will illuminate when one or all of the following occur, in these examples assume your dipped beam is illuminated wether by driver action or the auto on function.

The car is travelling at under approx 25mph

The steering wheels are turned in either direction away from dead on straight

A directional indicator is selected either when stationary or under 25mph

 

You may or may not have noticed that BOTH fog lights will come on when your dipped beam are illuminated and you select reverse, this is to illuminate low walls and the like when you 'swing' the front round when reversing.

 

When you say the lights default back to auto after a journey, what do you mean? Is there no dial on the panel above the drivers r knee with the dial on it?

 

 

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[alexp999]

Just now, Jonro2009 said:

As said above the fog lights behave as 'cornering lights' and they illuminate when certain criteria is met. I believe that a directional headlight will illuminate when one or all of the following occur, in these examples assume your dipped beam is illuminated wether by driver action or the auto on function.
The car is travelling at under approx 25mph
The steering wheels are turned in either direction away from dead on straight
A directional indicator is selected either when stationary or under 35mph

You may or may not have noticed that BOTH fog lights will come on when your dipped beam are illuminated and you select reverse, this is to illuminate low walls and the like when you 'swing' the front round when reversing.

When you say the lights default back to auto after a journey, what do you mean? Is there no dial on the panel above the drivers r knee with the dial on it?


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The dial on newer Fords has been made electronic, with lights. It's not a manually positioned switch any more. So you can't leave it in a position.

[Jonro2009]

That's what it sounded like but thought I best not be so ignorant as to assume. Thank you. I look forward to getting in one, I recently helped my friend order a 140ps st line so we collect it together soon


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