New owner with a couple of questions

[DCS]

Hi all,

I recently (July) took first delivery of a '25 Leon estate (1.5eTsi Auto) and have been pretty happy with it so far. I plan to keep it, as i did my last SEAT.
I upgraded from a 2018 Leon hatch which i really took care of and passed onto a family member.

Onto the questions:

1. Lights - Now that the evenings are drawing in earlier the lights are coming on more. I drove into work today with bright, blue, sunny skies at 7am, arriving at 8.10 and the auto lights were on the whole way in. The question i have is: Is there logic in the auto lights that before a certain time in the morning / after a certain time at night according to the car systems, do the lights come on/stay on regardless of the light outside? Or is it 100% light activated regardless of time of day. I am concerned they are not working as intended. I can't turn them off, only switch between "on" and "auto". Usually it works fine, turning off and on as i go under thick tree cover or through tunnels etc. Or does it also detect "low sun" on the newest models and turn on the lights for that too? I was driving west so away from the sunrise, mainly.
2. Infotainment climate control "memory". I find the fans are set too high by default and turn them down almost every time i get in the car as it switches back after switch-off. Is there any way to "save" the setting so that the fans come on at the setting i want, rather than the default?
3. Extra braking under engine braking. When i click down on the "flappy paddle" on downhills to engine brake when there is no pedal input (without ACC and ECO trainer switched off) I can feel the engine braking but i also notice it is variable, like it's braking as well as it picks up speed despite the engine braking. Does anyone know if it physically brakes when this is activated?

Thanks all!

 

[East Yorkshire Retrofits]

1. light sensor in the windscreen, or cars without have a discreet light sensor in the light switch
2. Nope
3. I believe it's just regen braking? It'll brake when ACC is enabled

 

[DCS]

Thanks - with regards to #1 are you saying it's 100% light activated, and there is no logic to turn lights on/off at certain times of day, regardless of light levels? I have a sensor above the rear-view mirror.

 

[BoomerBoom]

On the lights then you can change the time to late or early in the settings, but it is very cautious so the lights will be on well before most people think it's getting dark.

You can set the auto option on fan to low, medium or high, it will remember that setting but the climate control system is not designed for our comfort, it appears. I'm always adjusting the damn thing, unlike my MK3 where I almost never touched it.

Hills are something the DSG brain struggles with, going up or down. I always have to manually override and, as EYR says, regen slows the car much more than the engine does.

 

[DCS]

On the lights then you can change the time to late or early in the settings, but it is very cautious so the lights will be on well before most people think it's getting dark.

You can set the auto option on fan to low, medium or high, it will remember that setting but the climate control system is not designed for our comfort, it appears. I'm always adjusting the damn thing, unlike my MK3 where I almost never touched it.

Hills are something the DSG brain struggles with, going up or down. I always have to manually override and, as EYR says, regen slows the car much more than the engine does.

Appreciate that.
With the regen braking - if it's doing it without pedal input, do we know what the car behind sees (or doesn't see) with regards to my brake lights?

 

[SRGTD]

Appreciate that.
With the regen braking - if it's doing it without pedal input, do we know what the car behind sees (or doesn't see) with regards to my brake lights?

I can’t say what a Leon hybrid does with regard to brake lights illuminating when regen braking is slowing the car down. However, with my non-VAG hybrid the brake lights are definitely illuminated during regen braking as I can see the high level rear brake light reflecting off the rear wiper arm and the trim around the rear screen in the rear view mirror when I’m driving after dark. Is that something you could check with your car?

I‘d be very surprised if there isn’t some form of statutory regulations for vehicle lighting or vehicle construction and use that all car manufacturers have to comply with with regard to the rear brake lights on hybrids and full EV’s having to illuminate under regen braking.

 

[BoomerBoom]

It's only a mild hybrid, so it's not like the regen you get in a full EV - which can be as effective as slamming on the brakes.

My brake lights don't come on during regen; you can feel it slowing the car but you're never going to catch anyone out, even if they are tailgating you.

 

[DCS]

I can’t say what a Leon hybrid does with regard to brake lights illuminating when regen braking is slowing the car down. However, with my non-VAG hybrid the brake lights are definitely illuminated during regen braking as I can see the high level rear brake light reflecting off the rear wiper arm and the trim around the rear screen in the rear view mirror when I’m driving after dark. Is that something you could check with your car?

I‘d be very surprised if there isn’t some form of statutory regulations for vehicle lighting or vehicle construction and use that all car manufacturers have to comply with with regard to the rear brake lights on hybrids and full EV’s having to illuminate under regen braking.

I'd have to get someone to follow me on on a hands free call to test it, as the high level brake light is below the back window on the leon, sadly.

I think the next reply says it doesn't show though.

Appreciate the response