Right, time to settle this debate because the ladies in the office have got me questioning my own sanity. I said that on all the cars I have ever had, if I leave the switch in the headlight position and turn the engine off and get out, the sidelights stay on and I get the warning chime to that effect.

2 of the ladies in the office brought this subject up after a tannoy went out for someone who had left their lights on. The 2 ladies in question then proudly declared that they have never had such a problem on their cars because all lights go out when the engine is off no matter what position the light switch is in. I explained that on my car, even with auto lights, you can still put the sidelights or headlights on manually and then if you bail out, the sidelights stay on.

This was met with a resounding NO! Not on their cars!

Any thoughts? LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

On my Skoda Octavia, (not auto lights) If you leave the dipped beam turned on when you switch off, leave and lock the car, the lights turn totally off, no side lights, nothing. My Renault Van from work does the same aswell.
I think, my last ford focus (2008 model) chimed if you left the lights on...

They need to change their cars. You can of course leave your side lights on with the ignition off and the keys out as you're required to by the highway code when parking on an unlit carriageway.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/regulation/24/made

My Golf reverts to sidelights if you leave it in headlights position with engine off. Their current cars are Punto and Micra.

These bloody women! Of course, whatever the facts are, they are right and I am wrong. Sighs...  LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

Some cars extinguish all lights on turning off the ignition and removing the key, you then have to select side lights if required, the Micra on some models has no key  my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.

Her Micra is keyless like my Fiesta was but that would leave the sidelights on after switching the engine off. I did ask what they would do if they needed to leave the sidelights on but they said it can't be done  LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

I've come across two different solutions to 'park' lighting where all lights go off with the ignition:

1. Separate switch for park lights. On my Subarus there was a separate switch on top of the steering column which turned on the side lights independently of the ignition.

2. Can't remember what it was on, but one car used the indicator stalk - leave the stalk in the indicate-left position and the left-hand side lights would remain on, leave it in indicate-right and the right-hand lights would remain on. I don't think there was an option to leave all side lights on.

V dubs did that as well as early BeeM's and and I mean early like 1970 whether they continued, I never drove or parked one in the dark since the 70's The Micra keyless you need to select side after switching off, OH has a CC version. my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.

Last edited by Dartman the one on 8th Aug 2016 5:04 pm. Edited 1 time in total

The indicator stalk system was standard on German cars. I believe at one time it was a legal requirement in Germany. I don't think they do it any more, but have you noticed the bizarre way Mercedes turn one foglight on when steering round corners? Cheap form of "adaptive" lighting. Their trucks do it too.
On the original point, I can't imagine a car being sold without a parking light facility. As said above, it's a legal requirement in some circumstances. Ex AA Series III LWB Safari - Gone
300TDi Disco (bought new - terrible car) sent back after 18 months
Freelander 1 Estate - leased, given back at end of lease
200TDi Disco (bought from a mate with 100,000 on the clock) - Gone
Disco 2 TD5 - sold and exported to France
FR2 TD4 GS - Gone
FR2 SD4 HSE - Now changed for a DS
New model ex-demo Evoque S 180 in white
Unable to order a new DS, so gave up. Now have a Volvo S90 Recharge.

SWMBO's 08 Pugeot 207 behaves like my FL2, lights left on when ignition turned off results in sidelights and warning chime. My works Citroen Berlingo just turns off the lights. If I want parking lights I have to reselect the required lighting level.

Pretty sure that the side lights stayed on when ignition turned off on my old Passat. Manually turned off all lights but activate the indicators and the offside or nearside lights would come on as a night time parking aid. MY 09 GS manual in Lago Grey, Wood Co arm rest and side bumper strips - now sold.

MY 15 SD4 SE Auto Orkney Grey with colour coded Bumper Door Mouldings