T6.1 interior lighting - am I missing something?

[Victor_Tango_]

We have just taken delivery of a new Starlight Blue Ocean with the sport pack via Jamie at Breeze Poole who has been excellent (pics to follow)

All is fantastic except for three things: the well-documented insanity of the dashboard storage situation, the fact I have 03S bellows, and the overcomplicated lighting.

I've read a few threads and I've got most of it figured out. My remaining questions are:

• Is there any way to have only the cab lights come on when you unlock or open a door? For discretion I don't always want the living area lights to come on. You can force them on from the switches under the camping panel, but I can't see a way to force them off? (From the adjacent switch you can force the cab lights off). I know I can use camping mode for this but it's not permanent...
• My kids love to switch on lights over the door or kitchen in the back when I'm driving. Often we only notice this once everyone is out and we've locked the van. But then you can't turn it off by just opening the door and hitting the switch, oh no. You have to unlock, get in, then either switch on the ignition, or lock yourself in with the fob to get all the interior lights to go off (or wait an age for them to go off by themselves). Only then can you switch off the offending light. However demented the engineers at VW have become over the last few years... this can't be right? Can it??!

Grateful for any insight!

 

[BigJohn]

Hi, if it's the same as our MY23 van, then 1. This is what camping mode is for, it stays selected until you switch on the ignition
2. This is annoying but you can switch them all off at once from the overhead camping control panel - lights menu, no need for ignition or locking yourself in

 

[Justinitus1972]

Hi, if it's the same as our MY23 van, then 1. This is what camping mode is for, it stays selected until you switch on the ignition
2. This is annoying but you can switch them all off at once from the overhead camping control panel - lights menu, no need for ignition or locking yourself in

Thanks - helped me there too!

 

[Victor_Tango_]

Thanks @BigJohn

re 1, I know camping mode will do it but it's still amazing you need to fiddle around with the control panel every time
and 2, thanks for the tip. A shame it requires fiddling with the control panel as well, which takes nearly as long as ignition/locking yourself in to turn it off!

It's just crackers that they've let it go out like this

Also I've just realised it seems there's no way to turn on the cab lights together (in normal driving operation). You have to turn on both individual map lights.

Overall the lighting is better in many ways; but in a lot of ways it's leap backwards from my 2007 T5 SE!

 

[cjjenkinson123]

Here's another option:

Sounds like your van is a brand spanker in which case it will have the WiFi button at the right hand side of the bank of switches under the infotainment screen. With that on (glowing yellow) if you download the 'Cali on Tour' app and set it up then you can remote control lights etc from your mobile! You can even open the roof from it, which is excellent to be able to keep an eye on it while it goes up!

Hope that helps.

 

[Victor_Tango_]

Oh wow. That actually sounds brilliant, thank you!

VW taketh away, but VW also giveth!

 

[Victor_Tango_]

Hmm. I have the button but it's not lighting up yellow. Am I out of luck?

 

[Victor_Tango_]

Scratch that. It mysteriously started working. Fantastic, thank you!

If only they could add an update to give the option for the living area lights to stay off.

Now onto a quest for warm white reading light bulbs...

 

[This_one_goes_to_eleven]

Surprised you have 03S. I’m collecting start of March and I was fully expecting 04S

 

[Victor_Tango_]

I ordered in September so probably a smidge too early for the 04S...

 

[Grorich]

I ordered in September so probably a smidge too early for the 04S...

Sorry to jump on the thread. How do you know which bellows you have? I picked my ocean up from breeze in November and it’s been back 4-5 times for ‘issues’. I am concerned as things have gone wrong that just shouldn’t have or should have been sorted on the PDI

I am very pleased you’ve manage to sort out you California tour app as I have been trying since November and it just won’t work. Every suggestion and work around from VW just doesn’t work on this van.

 

[Victor_Tango_]

I am very pleased you’ve manage to sort out you California tour app as I have been trying since November and it just won’t work. Every suggestion and work around from VW just doesn’t work on this van.

That said, after getting it connected the first time I haven't been able to connect it again since!

The kids left the lights on again the other day and I said to my wife "It's all right, watch THIS," whipped out the phone and... nowt! Had to clamber in and fiddle with the panel.

 

[Victor_Tango_]

Sorry to jump on the thread. How do you know which bellows you have? I picked my ocean up from breeze in November and it’s been back 4-5 times for ‘issues’. I am concerned as things have gone wrong that just shouldn’t have or should have been sorted on the PDI

Sorry I just realised I never replied to this part of the question.

There should have been a tag hanging on the inside of the bellows, at the front. There are plenty of photos in the main leaking bellows thread.

Hope you've got your issues sorted. Mine has also been back to Breeze a few time for several issues. Still not all sorted, and more keep popping up. But they are doing what they can. The build quality compared to my old T5 is definitely "hmmmm." It will get there...

 

[JuanVecino2023]

That said, after getting it connected the first time I haven't been able to connect it again since!

The kids left the lights on again the other day and I said to my wife "It's all right, watch THIS," whipped out the phone and... nowt! Had to clamber in and fiddle with the panel.

The On Tour app is rubbish. In fact connectivity to CarPlay as well is a complete enigma.

The other day, I was happily navigating with Apple Maps via CarPlay. I accessed the sound menu on infotainment panel to adjust the speaker settings.

Apple Maps disappeared to be replaced with native VW nav. Nothing I did would bring Apple Maps (and my live navigation back). Bizarrely Apple Music was still playing.

I had to nav looking at my phone the rest of the journey as I was on the M5.

Back on topic. Connected to On Toir once. Since then refuses to connect.

All in all, pretty dire.

 

[secret lemonade drinker]

Concerning the lights, if you chop your kids hands off you would have no more problems!

 

[lohr500]

The On Tour app is rubbish. In fact connectivity to CarPlay as well is a complete enigma.

The other day, I was happily navigating with Apple Maps via CarPlay. I accessed the sound menu on infotainment panel to adjust the speaker settings.

Apple Maps disappeared to be replaced with native VW nav. Nothing I did would bring Apple Maps (and my live navigation back). Bizarrely Apple Music was still playing.

I had to nav looking at my phone the rest of the journey as I was on the M5.

Back on topic. Connected to On Toir once. Since then refuses to connect.

All in all, pretty dire.

I've had the same thing happen on a few occasions when using Android Auto. And as with your Apple Music, Spotify through Android Auto continued to work. I've yet to find a quick way to get it working again when it fails. Only thing that works id rebooting the phone.

As far as the "Cali on Tour App" is concerned, the only time I find it useful is when we are sleeping upstairs . Handy to switch off the various lights without reaching across to the control panel.
But that's about it. We have no control over the auxiliary heating on the App which is a shame as that would also be handy when sleeping upstairs..

 

[JuanVecino2023]

I've had the same thing happen on a few occasions when using Android Auto. And as with your Apple Music, Spotify through Android Auto continued to work. I've yet to find a quick way to get it working again when it fails. Only thing that works id rebooting the phone.

As far as the "Cali on Tour App" is concerned, the only time I find it useful is when we are sleeping upstairs . Handy to switch off the various lights without reaching across to the control panel.
But that's about it. We have no control over the auxiliary heating on the App which is a shame as that would also be handy when sleeping upstairs..

Yes, why they didn't add heater control is beyond me.

But quite a few things are. Lack of keyless entry on a premium car in todays world is a bit penny pinching.

Even my 2010 RAV4 beater has it!

I guess as @Corradobrit says, Dieselgate has far reaching cost implications.

 

[WelshGas]

Yes, why they didn't add heater control is beyond me.

But quite a few things are. Lack of keyless entry on a premium car in todays world is a bit penny pinching.

Even my 2010 RAV4 beater has it!

I guess as @Corradobrit says, Dieselgate has far reaching cost implications.

Range Rover owners might disagree with the keyless entry and remember it is a VAN not a premium car so different DNA.

 

[JuanVecino2023]

Range Rover owners might disagree with the keyless entry and remember it is a VAN not a premium car so different DNA.

I definitely get it re the van base. But adding keyless isn’t related to the structure. Not much more of an upgrade than putting an airline interior in a van?

My RAV4 and 330e both ver differing eras have keyless with no related security issues.

JLR are the anomaly as opposed to the rule.

 

[WelshGas]

I definitely get it re the van base. But adding keyless isn’t related to the structure. Not much more of an upgrade than putting an airline interior in a van?

My RAV4 and 330e both ver differing eras have keyless with no related security issues.

JLR are the anomaly as opposed to the rule.

Agree, but think about it. Keyless activates the vehicle electronics when you approach or get in the vehicle. Press the Start button and off you go.
With the California you spend time in the vehicle, eating- sleeping- chilling etc with a keyless fob the vehicle will be activated even though you have no intention of driving . Soon you'll have a flat engine battery.

 

[m10chkcalifornia]

I definitely get it re the van base. But adding keyless isn’t related to the structure. Not much more of an upgrade than putting an airline interior in a van?

My RAV4 and 330e both ver differing eras have keyless with no related security issues.

JLR are the anomaly as opposed to the rule.

I am grateful not to have keyless! It is a security issue beyond JLR. It has become a game of catch up between manufacturers and the bad guys. Each fix of keyless is met by a workaround and another fix. So as your system gets older it becomes vulnerable once again. Also the constant communication between key and vehicle is just daft in my experience. Ever tried hand washing a car with keyless? It threatens to flatten the battery with about 50 lock / unlock cycles. Some people love it and that's fine but it would never be an option I would tick.

 

[JuanVecino2023]

I am grateful not to have keyless! It is a security issue beyond JLR. It has become a game of catch up between manufacturers and the bad guys. Each fix of keyless is met by a workaround and another fix. So as your system gets older it becomes vulnerable once again. Also the constant communication between key and vehicle is just daft in my experience. Ever tried hand washing a car with keyless? It threatens to flatten the battery with about 50 lock / unlock cycles. Some people love it and that's fine but it would never be an option I would tick.

Re car wash I’ve not had this problem with my 330? Not the RAV4, which albeit works with different tech as you physically touch a button on the handle.

Anyhow. Having digressed from the OP’s post - back on topic.

Cali tech is mostly ageing and not well executed. Lighting being one of a list of many niggles.

If the On Tour app was at least workable, one could use it to control lights. But it never works.

 

[JuanVecino2023]

Agree, but think about it. Keyless activates the vehicle electronics when you approach or get in the vehicle. Press the Start button and off you go.
With the California you spend time in the vehicle, eating- sleeping- chilling etc with a keyless fob the vehicle will be activated even though you have no intention of driving . Soon you'll have a flat engine battery.

Fair points, well made!