Can I make my lights turn off with the key left in the ignition

I just ordered a Vag-Com. I was in the habit of leaving my keys in the ignition when coming home; until I bought the Jetta. The lights (DRL's?) currently stay on forever and don't turn off by themselves. Can I change a setting with the Vag-Com so the lights turn off when the key is turn off but left in the ignition? I do not want to disable the DRL though.

Currently I remove the key and put it right back in, but I sometimes forget to do this and the lights stay on.

On my 2005.5 with a 5SP, the DRL turn on when I release (drop) the handbrake.

Do you use the handbrake when you park?

When I park, I keep it in gear and put on the hand break.

dae06 said:

When I park, I keep it in gear and put on the hand break.

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You might need to release the hand brake. If you do, made sure it will not roll.

I really don't like to park without the break being applied.

dae06 said:

I really don't like to park without the break being applied.

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Neither do I, but I don't leave my key in the ignition when I am not in the car.

The only time I do is when it's in my locked garage. The bad part is I usually don't notice that the lights are on until morning.

There is a real simple solution. Take your key out of the ignition...is it really that hard? Sorry, I'm not trying to be a jerk, but it seems like a pretty simple solution to me, that doesn't require you messing with the programming...

It is kind of a big deal to me or I wouldn't be asking. Like I said, I have forgotten my keys in the ignition a couple of times and was asking if there is a way to program the car so it acts like most other cars. I want the lights to turn off when I turn the engine off.

Why do something (remove the keys) 365+ times a year if there is a solution that will eliminate the need to do this. This seems like a much better option if there is one.

I'm confused. Are you saying that the headlamps remain on when you turn the ignition off? Or just the parking lamps? Are you leaving the ignition switched on all the time?

-Jason

I have my light switch to auto headlights. When I park in the garage and turn my key to off, the lights (DRL's I believe) stay on and don't time out.

Take the key out of the ignition, then stick it back in again...

-J

That's the whole point to my question. I don't what to have to do that every day for the next 5 years.

I could turn my auto lights to manual too, but I don't want to do that either.

I could take my keys out every night to, but I like to have them in the car when I'm needed for fire and rescue calls at all hours of the day.

I was hoping someone experienced with Vag-Com would have an answer to my question.

Well you need to do that. If you don't a lot of control modules in the car will never go to sleep and it will run down the battery.

I suppose that if you really didn't want to remove and replace the key you could take the steering column apart and re-wire the S contact line so that instead of being on with the key in the ignition it is on with the key in run. I've never seen a Mk5 ignition switch so I don't know how much work that would be.

This is not a change you'll be able to make in vag-com.

-Jason

Hey, you're trying to use the car in a way it wasn't designed to be used. You won't wear the ignition switch out using as it was intended. My 99 has probably had the key inserted and removed 7,500 times over the years, still working great!

-J

I say leave the car running & install an exhaust fan in your garage. That way the car is ready to go at any time & you won't even have to turn the key.

I have a similar issue as the O.P. I have always left the keys in the ignition of the vehicle when parking in my garage. It was a habit that was taught to me by my father (firefighter) and the idea was if the car starts on fire and there is a chance to get it out of the garage the keys are there and ready.

So the habit is to pull in, shut the car down and remove the keys about halfway. I find that if I do this, the radio will shut off temporarily but I have come back several times and it is playing away. With the key half out in the off position... Is there a fix to this?

I have been getting better of just removing the key and putting it in the cup holder but sometimes old muscle memory kicks in and I leave it there.

(I too am a firefighter and before anyone criticizes, I do realize the stars must be in perfect alignment for the car to start on fire, and you get to it in time to pull it out, however the habit has already been formed)

robs411 said:

So the habit is to pull in, shut the car down and remove the keys about halfway. I find that if I do this, the radio will shut off temporarily but I have come back several times and it is playing away. With the key half out in the off position... Is there a fix to this?

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Yes, remove the key completely & reinsert.
I'm no firefighter, but I can assure you that if my house is on fire the last thing I'm worrying about is the car.

Windjammer said:

I say leave the car running & install an exhaust fan in your garage. That way the car is ready to go at any time & you won't even have to turn the key.

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No trickle charger needed and the car will be at operating temp 24/7, saving wear on the exhaust and internals with the lack of condensation. Not to mention no oil starved starts or shutdowns on the turbo or pressurized oil bearing parts. Just kidding :0)

robs411 said:

I have a similar issue as the O.P. I have always left the keys in the ignition of the vehicle when parking in my garage. It was a habit that was taught to me by my father (firefighter) and the idea was if the car starts on fire and there is a chance to get it out of the garage the keys are there and ready...(I too am a firefighter and before anyone criticizes, I do realize the stars must be in perfect alignment for the car to start on fire, and you get to it in time to pull it out, however the habit has already been formed)

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A buddy of mine's dad is cop and his dad says two things about cars,

1) if you don't like getting your car stolen buy a Dodge,

and,

2) if you don't like Dodge cars, don't leave your keys in the car.

Must....resist...snark!!

I..must..resist..snark!!

("Doctah, doctah, it hoits when I do dis!" "Don't do dat!!")

Sorry, I couldn't.

P.

The MFD has the option to turn off "coming home", which should (?) turn the lights off when you stop the car. The negative thing is that when you park in a dark parking lot, your lights aren't on for a few seconds, which might mean you might trip and fall or get mugged or something.

What I'd do if I really had to leave the keys in the car for some reason is put them in the cupholder or something. Or, more logically, on a hook near the garage door opener in the house.

Your answer to the question is yes, if you access the DRL and disable them, if you have the early 05.5 like mine, you can leave the lights in the auto position, and when you turn off the key, the lights will go to timer and stay on the prealloted time, then power off, by themselves. Now with the 06 its a little different..

But that's still going to prevent the modules from going into sleep mode. Either remove the key (good solution) or re-wire the ignition switch (tedious solution)

-J

It's good to finally hear some good suggestions. Like I stated earlier, removing the keys and putting them back in is not a hard thing to do, but I sometimes forget.

I did think about disabling the DRL's, (not a popular choice of mine), but since it doesn't put the modules to sleep, I may just keep things the way they are.

I was hoping there was a way to program in to shut everything down when the engine is turned off. An option for a delay would be better yet. But, if I can't do it, I'll have to live with it.

dae06 said:

It's good to finally hear some good suggestions.

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Thanks

Windjammer said:

I say leave the car running & install an exhaust fan in your garage. That way the car is ready to go at any time & you won't even have to turn the key.

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Yea right