Brake light behavior during regenerative braking

[Igor]

Does anyone know if the brake light comes on during regenerative braking? I notice at stage 2 or 3 brake setting, I almost never have to touch the brake during stop and go traffic on freeway. I'm wondering if this is a safety issue since lots of driver tailgate the car in front and look for the brake light to come on to slow down.

BTW, I accidentally stop the engine today on the road while trying to push the mode button to switch to ECO mode. The car come to a complete sudden stop when you do that, no coasting. Almost have a heart attack, now I'm questioning the placement of that Start Engine button.

 

[laegolfer]

Yes brake lights do go on if your regen is strong enough to slow you down significantly. see this video for more info:
http://knowyourvw.com/?page=video&id=44&autoplay=4826

 

[Unbeliever]

I noticed they come on if the pointer reaches the 1st major tick.

Drive at night and you'll notice the glow of the 3rd brake light on the "40 Years of Golf" sticker on the rear window.

 

[NeilBlanchard]

I will try to look at this; but it makes sense that the brake lights come on when the car is slowing like using the brakes. Having been weened on manual shift cars, milder regen is fine without the brake lights coming on.

 

[tdkman2]

Yes brake lights do go on if your regen is strong enough to slow you down significantly. see this video for more info:
http://knowyourvw.com/?page=video&id=44&autoplay=4826

I hadn't seen that video before, thanks! I learned that if I held the shifter to the right for a moment, then it goes back into D mode.

The Quick-Start Guide pamphlet (like the video) also metions that the brake lights come on during 2, 3, and B modes. But not in 1. And that regenerative braking doesn't occur if you are at full charge.

 

[Electrikarma]

This is interesting.

I had my cousin drive behind my yesterday, and we are on the phone so he can tell me when he sees my brake lights come on.

I still have a range of about 70miles left on the car and I would accelerate to 40-55mph, and let go of the gas pedal and not actively brake.

The only mode that lights up the brake lights (when I was not stepping on the brake pedal) was the B mode.

Has anyone else done/confirm this?

 

[garypen]

I noticed they come on if the pointer reaches the 1st major tick.

Drive at night and you'll notice the glow of the 3rd brake light on the "40 Years of Golf" sticker on the rear window.

No sticker on mine, thankfully. One less thing to remove. (in addition to the factory price sticker, temp reg, and dealer plate frames.)

I never understand all the Leaf drivers who kept that "Car of the Year" sticker on their rear windows. Then again, someone who buys a Leaf doesn't really care about what their cars look like, so it's understandable, I suppose.

 

[NeilBlanchard]

The only time I have ever seen the brake light come on with regen only, is in B mode.

 

[acdcvw]

My salesman made an incorrect comment that would infer that B is the mode that induces the lights to come on. He tried to say that the brake lights came on as soon as you put the car into B but quickly backtracked when I asked, "so when I accelerate away from a stop my brake lights stay on if I'm in B?" Then it changed to "No I meant that when you take your foot off the gas the brake lights will come on." Ah, that makes more sense.

 

[RonDawg]

I noticed they come on if the pointer reaches the 1st major tick.

Drive at night and you'll notice the glow of the 3rd brake light on the "40 Years of Golf" sticker on the rear window.

No sticker on mine, thankfully. One less thing to remove. (in addition to the factory price sticker, temp reg, and dealer plate frames.)

I never understand all the Leaf drivers who kept that "Car of the Year" sticker on their rear windows. Then again, someone who buys a Leaf doesn't really care about what their cars look like, so it's understandable, I suppose.

That "World Car of the Year 2011" sticker on the back window of the Leaf was a PITA to remove. My eGolf also didn't come with the "40 Years Golf" sticker though that one I would have liked.

 

[NeilBlanchard]

My salesman made an incorrect comment that would infer that B is the mode that induces the lights to come on. He tried to say that the brake lights came on as soon as you put the car into B but quickly backtracked when I asked, "so when I accelerate away from a stop my brake lights stay on if I'm in B?" Then it changed to "No I meant that when you take your foot off the gas the brake lights will come on." Ah, that makes more sense.

If you are in B and moving, and lift your foot off the accelerator, then the brake lights come on. But not in D, D1, D2, or D3.

By the way, there is no "gas" or "gas pedal" in the e-Golf.

 

[normf3]

Get used to calling it the "accelerator". And the plural of Leaf is Leaves

 

[formerdieselrumbler]

I was told by the dealer that there is an accelerometer in the car that is used to detect G forces. When the e-Golf is in one of the regen modes, and the forward motion is slowed by 0.2g or more, the brake lights illuminate.

Of course, I can't find anything to back that up online or anywhere else. Sounded believable since these things are in laptops and mobile phones.

 

[Yoshili]

Does anyone know if the brake lights during regenerative braking can be disabled so they come on only when I press the brake pedal? Is that feature in the ROth Tech VCDS?

 

[s4alex]

Does anyone know if the brake lights during regenerative braking can be disabled so they come on only when I press the brake pedal? Is that feature in the ROth Tech VCDS?

Yeah, don't use B. Only use D1, D2, or D3. Those do not activate the brake lights. B does. B - Brakes.