Daylight running lights

[step2534]

My question is , I run permanently with Daylight Running lights switched on. Even on bright sunny days the car shows dipped beam.

According to handbook it should only show dipped in reduced lighting conditions, what does yours show?

Its not a problem,just seems odd.

XC40 Hybrid MY22

[Trickster]

What symbol are you expecting? The only lighting symbols are for the position lights - the green side light symbol. Which dipped beam symbol are you seeing?

[Felindre]

Do you have the switch on headlights or auto? If headlights, obviously they'll always be on. In auto they should normally be off in normal daylight.

[Stable-Mabel]

My question is , I run permanently with Daylight Running lights switched on. Even on bright sunny days the car shows dipped beam.

According to handbook it should only show dipped in reduced lighting conditions, what does yours show?

Its not a problem,just seems odd.

XC40 Hybrid MY22

The symbol in my display never changes. It just shows that my lights are ‘on’. So on a normal bright day with the switch in auto mode it shows when only the DRL’s are on. Then in the early evening and night time the symbol looks exactly the same but the main (dip) headlights are on. The only time it changes is when high beam switches on automatically in the dark, the symbol shows blue.
So, unless I have this wrong you can never actually tell if your main headlamps are on or off whilst auto mode is selected. I’m sure I’ve read this elsewhere on this forum but happy to be proved wrong as I’d like to know if the main headlights are on or not.

[jamie307]

There is no symbol for the DRLs - these will be on regardless of what the headlight switch position is set to, or what symbols are showing in the display.

The green light symbol shows when the headlight switch is set to any position other than off. It doesn't differentiate between sidelights, dipped beam or auto, so it can even be displayed when auto decides to have the lights off and only DRLs are showing.

There is no way of telling whether the dipped beams are on other than from the switch position being set to 0 or 1. If auto is selected you just have to guess.

[step2534]

Thanks for reply's,
1) The switch is set to auto.

2) Im not going by the symbol in the display.

3) I park facing my garage door so I can see the reflection, so I know its the headlights that are on.

Same as I said its not a problem I just find it odd.

[jamie307]

When you say "Even on bright sunny days the car shows dipped beam" do you mean the car shows the dipped beam symbol on the display, or that the dipped beams are actually on?

If the latter, perhaps the light sensor is obscured or faulty?

[step2534]

No same as Ive just said, I can see the lights are on because Im parked in front of the garage doors, I arent going by the symbol.

[Stable-Mabel]

Ok, then maybe as you’re parked in front of your garage the sensor has detected that the light is not sufficient and correctly turned the main dip beam headlights on. Just a thought?

[m@rk]

The thing is, it is a problem

In conditions such as daytime fog and rain, auto headlamps do not always work. This why you see so many idiots with no lights on in fog because they just assume their lights have come on.

But as an XC40 driver, you have no way of knowing in such conditions if your auto lights have automatically come on or not because the dashboard light stays the same. This just compounds the problem of people driving around with no lights on (and yes I see many XC40s driving with no lights on in exactly these conditions)

Personally I already manually turn my lights on in such conditions to be sure but it is clear that many many owners just assume their lights have come on when perhaps they have not.

I would go as far as to say this is borderline dangerous and find it odd that in a Volvo of all things, I have no way of knowing if my lights are on (or not). On previous cars (also with DRLs and auto lights), the little green light would only come on if the main headlights are on (but dipped).