(Solved) Exterior lights on one side does not switch off

[diamond_dog]

Hi. I'm having an issue on my '16 Multivan where the LEFT (drivers side) front headlight and rear light does not switch off even when the car is locked over time. Any help would be highly appreciated!
Thanks in advance!

 

[Mike23864]

You haven’t got your left indicator on have you?

 

[diamond_dog]

You haven’t got your left indicator on have you?

You were spot on Mike, bu what the flying f... is the purpose of that function?

 

[rod_vw]

You were spot on Mike, bu what the flying f... is the purpose of that function?

Good old fashioned parking lights.

But you should have had a warning bleeper when left like that and opened the driver's door to warn you of what you had done.

By the way if it's a RHD van the driver's side is the right side. All vehicle L & R are defined as when looking at the rear of the vehicle.

 

[diamond_dog]

Good old fashioned parking lights.

But you should have had a warning bleeper when left like that and opened the driver's door to warn you of what you had done.

I sure did get the alarm, but I've somehow never seen that before. But what is the purpose of those parking lights?

Yup, left, included driver's side in case that made a difference to the "problem"

 

[rod_vw]

But what is the purpose of those parking lights?

When parking it was (and maybe still in some countries) normal to park in urban areas with the outer (not kerb) side of the vehicle illuminated with one red & one white rear & front respectively. I guess more so when street lights were extinguished during the middle of the night, they are still in many European towns.

 

[diamond_dog]

When parking it was (and maybe still in some countries) normal to park in urban areas with the outer (not kerb) side of the vehicle illuminated with one red & one white rear & front respectively. I guess more so when street lights were extinguished during the middle of the night, they are still in many European towns.

Thanks for the info! Kind of weird to still have this function as other vehicles might mistake it for a bike. And all other vehicles have lights nowadays

 

[Jimmmmy]

I used to have this on a Mk 3 Cortina many years ago, was great when we went to a pub that was in the forest and had to park down a narrow unlit road

 

[moomin-j]

@diamond_dog & @rod_vw - It's a law that's still in the Highway Code:



I know a stretch of road when driving through Disley heading towards Stockport that every now and then the line of parked cars gets a ticket when not showing parking lights.

 

[Bav]

...other vehicles might mistake it for a bike.

Better than mistaking your van for an empty piece of road.

 

[rod_vw]

Thanks @moomin-j I couldn't remember if it was still written into our laws. Do you understand that a single side illuminated is sufficient for the law or should it be both?

 

[moomin-j]

Thanks @moomin-j I couldn't remember if it was still written into our laws. Do you understand that a single side illuminated is sufficient for the law or should it be both?

From that road I drive along, it seems that it's just the off side that needs to be lit up, that then keeps Mr Plod / Mr Traffic Warden happy.
When parked, you must face the same way as the traffic is driving.
Rule only applies between sunset to sunrise

 

[rod_vw]

From that road I drive along, it seems that it's just the off side that needs to be lit up, that then keeps Mr Plod / Mr Traffic Warden happy.
When parked, you must face the same way as the traffic is driving.
Rule only applies between sunset to sunrise

Ha Ha the police can't be bothered in our area, there are more parked the wrong way than those correctly down my estate and in Telford generally. Yes it is a pet hate of mine having been booked for doing it way back in the 1970s in Aberystwyth. I talked my way out of that by the way, the ticket was dry and it had been raining all night so proving that the officer booked me after sunrise! The local nick squashed the 'ticket'.

 

[Pete C]

This feature has been on VWs for years. My mum’s Mk1 Golf did it.

Pete

 

[Pauly]

I think every car I've had does this (and vans !)