When do the puddle lights switch on?

[DennisB]

At first, when I opened my car in the garage when it was dark, I thought there were no puddle lights on a Taycan. I was a little dissapointed because walking up to your car when it is dark it's a real convenience having your car lit up.

Then on further inspection I noticed the lights beneath my mirror and they even lit up several times. I was glad the car has these lights, but they only work now and then.

What's up with that? Is it a setting, does it has to be really dark or what's the deal here?

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[atebit]

I haven’t driven enough at night to know for sure yet. But I did drive it last night after dark, and I do not recall being dazzled by any lighting (ground effect or otherwise) until I opened the door. I’m still going through the manual & PCM screens to learn all the nerd knobs.

 

[DennisB]

I haven’t driven enough at night to know for sure yet. But I did drive it last night after dark, and I do not recall being dazzled by any lighting (ground effect or otherwise) until I opened the door. I’m still going through the manual & PCM screens to learn all the nerd knobs.

Normally it should work when you unlock the car or open the door. That was the case with my bmw.

 

[atebit]

IMHO it would be nice if the puddle & interior lights illuminated on approach. Or at least make it a configurable option.

 

[Genau]

IMHO it would be nice if the puddle & interior lights illuminated on approach. Or at least make it a configurable option.

The puddle lamps project from the bottoms of the front doors, so they cannot work when the doors are closed.
EDIT: @W1NGE educated me below that the projector lamps are in addition to the door mirror puddle lamps. Sorry for the misinformation! Up until now I thought my disembarking passengers might fall into a dark chasm without the PORSCHE logo to guide them to safety, saving them kind of like the Bat Signal.

 

[W1NGE]

Puddle lamps are built into the underside of the door mirrors. The lights in the bottom of the doors are optional led projectors

When the car is unlocked the lights come on (possibly only when ambient light is low) and are also operational when 360 / 3D panoramic parking is active.

 

[atebit]

When the car is unlocked the lights come on (possibly only when ambient light is low)

Is that a bug or a feature? If the latter, any idea why the intensity level is a factor? If anything I would expect them to come on if set to anything but low.

 

[W1NGE]

Is that a bug or a feature? If the latter, any idea why the intensity level is a factor? If anything I would expect them to come on if set to anything but low.

It's by design i.e. this is how they are meant to work.

 

[DennisB]

This weekend when approaching my car late at night when it was dark none of the lights went on.
I have comfort access. The doors opened, but no lights. I tried pushing the button on the key, also nothing happened.

It's not that it doesn't work. Sometimes it will illuminate and other times it stays dark around the car.

 

[DennisB]

Can anyone tell what the trigger is that switches on your normal lights and the lights beneath the mirrors?

Yesterday in total dark I approached my car and none of the lights on the car went on. Maybe someone can do a test?

Thank you.

 

[Njsimons13]

Can anyone tell what the trigger is that your normal lights and the lights beneath the mirrors switch on?

Yesterday in total dark I approached my car and no lights on the car went on. Maybe someone can do a test.

Thank you.

Not even your daytime running lights? Even if you don’t have auto setting on you should see daytime running lights come on assuming you have them turned on during the day. I have lights set to auto once I unlock car headlights and puddle lights come on.

 

[W1NGE]

Can anyone tell what the trigger is that your normal lights and the lights beneath the mirrors switch on?

Yesterday in total dark I approached my car and no lights on the car went on. Maybe someone can do a test.

Thank you.

Read the expected behaviour(s) in the Porsche Good To Know App (PGTKA)

If no lights (as you state) - tail, running, puddle, interior then check your settings in the car (and cross refer to PGTKA). Not all can be switched off or are optional so it sounds like you have a fault of some kind.

Do your main headlights automatically activate at dusk / rain / tunnels (set on instrument binnacle

Puddles activate on unlocking and if 360 / 3D Panoramic parking is engaged (to illuminate the view beneath the door mirrors. You have no control of this.

Tail and daytime activitate on unlock.

By default you shouldn't have to fiddle with these settings other than determine how long you want your interior lights to stay on for, your Welcome Home lighting, interior brightness etc.

Like I suggest, PGTKA should guide you through most if not all of this.

 

[DennisB]

Not even your daytime running lights? Even if you don’t have auto setting on you should see daytime running lights come on assuming you have them turned on during the day. I have lights set to auto once I unlock car headlights and puddle lights come on.

Correct, not even the drl's went on. I assume with approaching the car your lights in the front, rear and mirrors switch on, or am I mistaken?

You do mention having your lights in auto mode, so this got me thinking. Because I like the look of the red bar in the back most of the time I drive around with my lights on. This means every time I get in the car I switch from auto mode to lights on. I don't think this has something to do with it, but maybe I'm wrong.

 

[Njsimons13]

Correct, not even the drl's went on. I assume with approaching the car your lights in the front, rear and mirrors switch on, or am I mistaken?

You do mention having your lights in auto mode, so this got me thinking. Because I like the look of the red bar in the back most of the time I drive around with my lights on. This means every time I get in the car I switch from auto mode to lights on. I don't think this has something to do with it, but maybe I'm wrong.

So i checked without the car lights in auto the door unlocks but no lights turn on. With auto mode engaged puddle lights come with headlights when unlocked with key fob or when you approach the car.

 

[atebit]

Maybe the puddle features should be uncoupled from “Exterior Lighting” and fall under a new category “Approach Illumination” or something like that?

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