[ChrisJ]

I have a 2013 SE nav and when it came it most definitely had DLR
(Daytime Running Lights) or front sidelights. One week old and I pulled
up infront of a shop window and noticed that they weren't working. Now,
unless you checked them or saw them you wouldn't know would you. I
checked the dedicated fuse and it was fine. The lights work on the main
lighting switch. Frankly I am not looking for a fix, I really cant see
the point, but I have noticed a fair few new Antaras knocking about with
theirs not working either. I have looked back and cant' see anything on
here relating to this.But you can't trawl every post. I spoke to Bristol Street Motors here in Chesterfield who were about as interested as I am in collecting vacuum cleaner brochures. A brand new car, lights not working. Good job it's nothing serious then.

Worth popping out to see if yours are working. if not then well done, you don't look like you are driving round with your lights still on in the day.

 

[wilma08]

When on auto they work but not just the daytime lights but big light to but I don't mind because it makes you more visible

 

[♠ChumBucket♠]

I have a 2013 SE nav and when it came it most definitely had DLR
(Daytime Running Lights) or front sidelights. One week old and I pulled
up infront of a shop window and noticed that they weren't working. Now,
unless you checked them or saw them you wouldn't know would you. I
checked the dedicated fuse and it was fine. The lights work on the main
lighting switch. Frankly I am not looking for a fix, I really cant see
the point, but I have noticed a fair few new Antaras knocking about with
theirs not working either. I have looked back and cant' see anything on
here relating to this.But you can't trawl every post. I spoke to Bristol Street Motors here in Chesterfield who were about as interested as I am in collecting vacuum cleaner brochures. A brand new car, lights not working. Good job it's nothing serious then.

Worth popping out to see if yours are working. if not then well done, you don't look like you are driving round with your lights still on in the day.

Your DRL's are your main xenon headlights, there are no other DRL's fitted to your car.


These will be on all the time if you select "auto" on the light switch.

 

[ChrisJ]

Yes but auto is just your normal headlights in lazy mode. Mine work in auto. It's the DLR that doesn't work. I guess DLR is partly to guard against the idots who don't realise it's night and they have no lights on

Driving a white SUV makes you visible enough. I really do detest these LED running lights. So when the Antara came and I found that they were just the sidelights, I was pleased. When they packed up I was reaching for the champagne.

 

[ChrisJ]

No the DRLs are your sidelights. This has nothing to do with auto. The earlier Antaras didn't have these I understand. You had to switch you lights one. The latest like mine has these sidelights on with the ignition. There is even a separate fuse for them. Not the headlights.

Surey if you select auto, they only come on when it's dark don't they? If I put it in auto during the day, I don't get headlights unless I go through a tunnel. Are you sure?

 

[♠ChumBucket♠]

Yes but auto is just your normal headlights in lazy mode. Mine work in auto. It's the DLR that doesn't work. I guess DLR is partly to guard against the idots who don't realise it's night and they have no lights on

Driving a white SUV makes you visible enough. I really do detest these LED running lights. So when the Antara came and I found that they were just the sidelights, I was pleased. When they packed up I was reaching for the champagne.

As far as I'm aware, our auto is the main headlight, not in any lazy mode. Can't say I've noticed if the sidelights come on also. I'll check later.

 

[ChrisJ]

Just been out in the rain. Starting to question my own sanity. Not for the first time I might add. OK directly from the handbook page 103. Ahem...

DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS
Daytime running lights increase visibility of the vehicle during daylight. The lights operate automatically when the ignition is switched on.

Under Auto Light Control on the previous page it says ... Low beam switches on automatically depending on the outside light conditions. It also says that the tail lights and side lights operate together. Which of course the DRL don't.

So headlights and DRL are not the same. I know that they aren't because they worked when I got it!

But here's a thing I missed folk. With the lights in auto, if you operate the wipers for 8 cycles or more, your headlights come on! Who thought that one up?

 

[ChrisJ]

Sorry CB not with you there. Auto is lights off until it's dark enough for them to come on automatically. Like I say, it's lazy mode. Never forget to put them on again in the dark. There is a sensor on top of the instrument panel. I don't know what happens to your sidelights in this mode. it doesn't actually say in the handbook, but I'd have assumed that they are off too. Sides and dipped will come on together if it goes dark. Iread about the earlier models that didn't have DRL and people felt it was a swizz because what VX told them to do was switch their sidelights on instead. Part of the article said that this had now been addressed.

Right, going outside with my super bright torch. Ha ha

 

[♠ChumBucket♠]

Sorry CB not with you there. Auto is lights off until it's dark enough for them to come on automatically. Like I say, it's lazy mode. Never forget to put them on again in the dark. There is a sensor on top of the instrument panel. I don't know what happens to your sidelights in this mode. it doesn't actually say in the handbook, but I'd have assumed that they are off too. Sides and dipped will come on together if it goes dark. Iread about the earlier models that didn't have DRL and people felt it was a swizz because what VX told them to do was switch their sidelights on instead. Part of the article said that this had now been addressed.

Right, going outside with my super bright torch. Ha ha

Our auto is main headlights on all time, regardless of whether it's light or dark!!

The dash lights in this mode operate on light conditions but not the headlights. 2013 se nav.


It's these that are our DRL.

 

[ChrisJ]

Really? That can't be normal. Why would they have the manual selector if that was correct function. Something not right there but why am I not surprised. So all that technology just to switch your dash lights on an off?

My torch wont fool it. I think it's the wrong sort of lght

 

[Grumps]

Probably the fuse in the interior fuse box. Next to your left leg.

Check your manual for the correct position. Either that or both bulbs managed to blow as the same time.

 

[ChrisJ]

Hi Grumps, checked the fuse in the first post, it's fine. The bulbs work because they come on with the rotary switch with the rear lights.

Front side lights used to come on with ignition with rotary switch 'off' like the handbook says.

Now they don't. That's what I call broken. Sounds like a lash up that's failed, to me

 

[vexorg]

.
Edited by: vexorg

 

[antara184]

ChrisJ what are you talking about?

The Antara does not have DRL's as every other car manufacturer knows them.

Light switch in the off position.... no lights, no DRL's NOTHING!

light switch in auto position... All lights on, headlights, and sidelights front and rear when the engine starts. Dashboard lights only dim in the dark, tunnel ETC.

light switch in sidelight position... Sidelights on front and rear when the engine starts. Parking lights if turned to this position from off when the engine/ignition is off.

light switch in on position... All lights on, headlights, and sidelights front and rear when the engine starts. Dash board lights dimmed all the time.

Vauxhall call these lights DRL's because in the auto or on position, when you start the engine the lights come on. Other than those, you do not have DLR's. What you do have are two 'on' positions on the light switch. And driving with sidelights on during the day in the UK is illegal.

 

[♠ChumBucket♠]

ChrisJ what are you talking about?

The Antara does not have DRL's as every other car manufacturer knows them.

Light switch in the off position.... no lights, no DRL's NOTHING!

light switch in auto position... All lights on, headlights, and sidelights front and rear when the engine starts. Dashboard lights only dim in the dark, tunnel ETC.

light switch in sidelight position... Sidelights on front and rear when the engine starts. Parking lights if turned to this position from off when the engine/ignition is off.

light switch in on position... All lights on, headlights, and sidelights front and rear when the engine starts. Dash board lights dimmed all the time.

Vauxhall call these lights DRL's because in the auto or on position, when you start the engine the lights come on. Other than those, you do not have DLR's. What you do have are two 'on' positions on the light switch. And driving with sidelights on during the day in the UK is illegal.

Ours in auto = main headlights (not highbeam obviously) on all time, rear lights only when dark & dash lights only when dark. This is what our DRLs are.

(can't remember if sidelights come on too, I think they might)

Edited by: ♠ChumBucket♠

 

[wilma08]

How is it illegal to drive with side lights on in the uk when cars like Volvo etc have lights on all the time and now it is mandatory for car manufacturers to have drls on cars that are produced, I know vauxhall have cheap sacped this through the auto being on and all lights except main beam are on and they call it drl .
Since getting my car SENAV in may 2013 I have driven it with the auto on and seen the coppers several times on my journeys and have not been stopped, my husband has the sister car Captiva but he has actual DRL madness

 

[vexorg]

.
Edited by: vexorg

 

[Drivingmad]

I don't want DRL's. At 1200 candela they blind you and are pretty bad at obscuring cyclists and crossing pedestrians. See http://www.dadrl.org.uk/index.htmlfor their accident causing potential. They make you look away from traffic when you should be looking straight at them.

 

[HoneyMonster]

To avoid confusion DRLs must be on all new type approved cars. The antara was type approved before this legislation came in. A face lift does not change the type approval just when a completely new model is released. So this is how certain new cars still dont have DRLs.

My December 2012 SE had the lights on pernament when selected to Auto, until i got dealer to change with computer. So that they now come on when auto selected in the dark or tunnel, or when raining after so many wipes, which is how i expect them to work.

 

[ChrisJ]

So do I actually need to scan my handbook to show you the section headed Daytime Running Lights? Would you like a picture of the dedicated fuse in the panel that says DRL? Am I so stupid that I actually imagined that my sidelights used to come on at the front only when I bought it? Why would they print 'the DRLs come on with the ignition' if there weren't any fitted to this vehicle? Did they just have some spare in that needed using up?

The handbook again very clearly says in words that I can read - in the auto setting the lights come on automatically in response to external lighting conditions. That's what AUTO means. If not then you simply have a dial that you can go clockwise or anti clockwise to put your lights on. This isn't a new function. My last three cars have had this and all come on if it's dark or you go through a tunnel. It's for idiots who don't know how to operate their cars in the dark. They should have a function that doesn't allow you to put your driving lights on unless it's hazardous conditions or you are at least 50 years old. Ha Ha.

Honestly guys, just telling me that my vehicle doesn't have any isn't convincing me. I tried today to see what the sensor thing did. With the ign on and the light dial in auto, there were NO lights on. None. That is to say that no filaments in glass envelopes or any other device was illuminated by electricity. Including HID. I put a MacDonald's bag ( I am sure Burger King would have worked too) over the sensor on the dash and hey presto my headlights came on. Seriously I did not imagine this. So as Honey Monster says, auto is to do with external conditions. And the dash lights did the same btw. Does anyone have a late model Antara that with the dial in OFF have front side lights on only? We only need one to prove the reality here.

Interesting stuff about the type approval. I did not know that.