Canadian head light switch

Hello,

On my '03 Golf the headlight switch is either on or off. In the
European, and I think US, models there is on, 'parking lights', and
off. Is there any reason why us Canadians don't get the option for
parking lights?

Just curious. Thanks for any info.

--
David Magda <dmagda at ee.ryerson.ca>
Because the innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under
the old conditions, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well
under the new. -- Niccolo Machiavelli, _The Prince_, Chapter VI

>
> On my '03 Golf the headlight switch is either on or off. In the
> European, and I think US, models there is on, 'parking lights', and
> off. Is there any reason why us Canadians don't get the option for
> parking lights?
>
> Just curious. Thanks for any info.
>

It may be that your headlight switch is defective. For example, on some VW
headlight switches there is a small ball bearing inside the switch that
provides a stepping action (stepping from parking lights to headlights). If
that bearing somehow comes loose, the switch will no longer be able to step
from one position to the other. Just a thought.

I like them just for their looks (agreed they don't illuminate the road
much). Of course they are also used as turn signals and I have my front side
marker lights wired so that they will act as turn signals too.

"Johann Koenig" > wrote in message
...
> On Tuesday September 6 at 09:30pm
> David Magda > wrote:
>
>> Hello,
>>
>> On my '03 Golf the headlight switch is either on or off. In the
>> European, and I think US, models there is on, 'parking lights', and
>> off. Is there any reason why us Canadians don't get the option for
>> parking lights?
>>
>> Just curious. Thanks for any info.
>
> Parking lights are useless. It really bothers me when people drive with
> them on. Especially in the rain.
>
> But in all honesty, I don't see their purpose. I wish my cars didn't
> have them. One more position on the switch to get corroded and f**k up.
> --
> -Johann Koenig

Johann Koenig wrote:

> On Tuesday September 6 at 09:30pm
> David Magda > wrote:
>
> > Hello,
> >
> > On my '03 Golf the headlight switch is either on or off. In the
> > European, and I think US, models there is on, 'parking lights', and
> > off. Is there any reason why us Canadians don't get the option for
> > parking lights?
> >
> > Just curious. Thanks for any info.
>
> Parking lights are useless. It really bothers me when people drive with
> them on. Especially in the rain.

Hardly. Parking lights allow your car to easily be seen without using
headlights when parked. They are also useful when you want your lights on
but don't want to blind somebody directly in front of you, such as when
maneuvering in a driveway or when waiting for somebody. They are highly
useful for entering military bases (or a security guard place) at night so
that the guard is not blinded by your headlights as he attempts to read
your identification stickers and make sure you are not a threat. But
you're right, PARKing lights should not be used when DRIVING.

> But in all honesty, I don't see their purpose. I wish my cars didn't
> have them. One more position on the switch to get corroded and f**k up.

Well I guess that's a feature of a VW owner. Got to worry about any and
every switch getting corroded and f**ked up as well as anything electrical
in the car. I know the feeling.

On 2005-09-07, David Magda > wrote:
> Hello,
>
> On my '03 Golf the headlight switch is either on or off. In the
> European, and I think US, models there is on, 'parking lights', and
> off. Is there any reason why us Canadians don't get the option for
> parking lights?
>
> Just curious. Thanks for any info.

US models have on and off. The on position turns on parking lights and
interior lighting. The off position turns those things off. Headlights
are always on unless you modify the switch or replace it with a switch
from the European models.

US models with fog lights have a different switch that lets you control
fog lights separately from the regular light control.

--
David Cantrell >

"David Cantrell" > wrote in message
...
> On 2005-09-07, David Magda > wrote:
>> Hello,
>>
>> On my '03 Golf the headlight switch is either on or off. In the
>> European, and I think US, models there is on, 'parking lights', and
>> off. Is there any reason why us Canadians don't get the option for
>> parking lights?
>>
>> Just curious. Thanks for any info.
>
> US models have on and off. The on position turns on parking lights and
> interior lighting. The off position turns those things off. Headlights
> are always on unless you modify the switch or replace it with a switch
> from the European models.

Ever since VWs started coming to the US with DRLs the switch has been shared
between US and Canadian models.

VW's reasoning for deleting the parking lamp position on the switch is to
satisfy slightly different regulations with one switch. The issue stems
from the difference in US vs. Canadian rules surrounding DRLs.

In the US, DRLs are supposed to be extinguished when the switch leaves the
"off" position. This means that if there was a parking lamp position, the
DRLs would need to go out and just the parking lamps would be on. (And of
course when the switch reaches the full "on" position you're dealing with
the normal headlamps.)

In Canada, DRLs are supposed to stay *on* until the normal headlamps are
turned on. So in the parking lamp position you would have your DRLs on as
well as the parking lamps.

So with one switch you can't satisfy both US and Canadian requirements, so
VW simply removed the parking lamp position altogether on DRL equipped
vehicles for the US and Canada.

On a side note, ever notice GM and Toyota cars running around (usually
rentals, where the driver isn't that familiar w/the vehicle) at night with
what appears rather dim headlamps on? This is a driver who has switched on
the parking lamps and did not switch on the regular headlamps. This is
actually an unpunished violation of US law (automakers making the switches
so that this is possible) since the DRLs need to go out when the headlamp
switch is no longer in the off position. But that's another topic...

As for parking lamps being useless or not, I think they have their purpose
such as when the vehicle is parked but yet needs to be illuminated. At
least in most cases VW accomplishes this by tying the headlamps to the
ignition (leave headlamps on but switch ignition off). But the problem is
that if you need to be sitting with the vehicle running for whatever reason,
you can't sit with just the parking lamps on in this case.

Other, although rare, uses:
**As a courtesy in bumper to bumper traffic to the car in front of me I
often turn off the headlamps and just use the parking lamps. I do this in
my Eurovan since the headlamps are higher up and would annoy the driver in
front of me by shining in his mirror.

**When someplace like a campground or drive-in movie where you arrive at
night and headlamps are distracting but you still need to have your vehicle
illuminated somehow while creeping around to find a parking spot, camping
spot, etc. Yes in a VW you can pull up the handbrake a tick...just enough
to shut off the DRLs but you still can't have just the parking lamps on in
that situation.

"David Cantrell" > wrote in message
...

> US models have on and off. The on position turns on parking lights and
> interior lighting. The off position turns those things off. Headlights
> are always on unless you modify the switch or replace it with a switch
> from the European models.
>

Does the European switch fit the harness wiring, and if so, does anyone know
the part number?

jtaylor wrote:
> "David Cantrell" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>> US models have on and off. The on position turns on parking lights
>> and interior lighting. The off position turns those things off.
>> Headlights are always on unless you modify the switch or replace it
>> with a switch from the European models.
>>
>
> Does the European switch fit the harness wiring, and if so, does
> anyone know the part number?

It does on the 2002 NB, which is what I have. It is a very simple
change out. Just plug in.

I can't say for all the other models.

I got mine from Parts4VWs on line.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

"Matt B." > writes:

> As for parking lamps being useless or not, I think they have their
> purpose such as when the vehicle is parked but yet needs to be
> illuminated. At least in most cases VW accomplishes this by tying
> the headlamps to the ignition (leave headlamps on but switch
> ignition off). But the problem is that if you need to be sitting
> with the vehicle running for whatever reason, you can't sit with
> just the parking lamps on in this case.

In most urban areas you really don't need full headlights IMHO. As you
mentioned, in Canada we have DRLs (since 1990) and I've found it
sufficient to have only them enabled on major streets and
highways. Full headlights also had a lot of glare when it rains at
night.

Using just DRLs and enabling parking lights (to turn on the tail
lights and dash) on a Toyota Camry I used to drive, I found visibility
adequate on major through fares, and I don't think that it impaired
the ability of other drivers to see me.

With the use of xenon lights it's also easy to blind other drivers as
well (espeically if they're on an SUV).

--
David Magda <dmagda at ee.ryerson.ca>
Because the innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under
the old conditions, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well
under the new. -- Niccolo Machiavelli, _The Prince_, Chapter VI

"jtaylor" > wrote in message
net.ca...
>
> "David Cantrell" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>> US models have on and off. The on position turns on parking lights and
>> interior lighting. The off position turns those things off. Headlights
>> are always on unless you modify the switch or replace it with a switch
>> from the European models.
>>
>
> Does the European switch fit the harness wiring, and if so, does anyone
> know
> the part number?

probably would help if we knew what model and year that you're talking about
for the part number but in general VW seems to be good about making the
wiring the same so it's usually plug-n-play (it was that way with my '00
Eurovan).