# Questions - High Speed Level Control, Humidity Sensor



## Tail Spin (Oct 28, 2004)

*Couple of Questions*

Gliding down the highway yesterday, literally...what a vehicle!
Snuck up on 80mph and know the car will lower itself one notch to a low position (that we can't manipulate manually unfortunately). Did not feel the lowering and was wandering if a notification occurs (I did not see one on the infotainment system)?
Also, was driving in the rain a few weeks ago and noticed the windows fog with no real reaction from the climate control. I thought I saw somewhere where these cars are equipped with humidity sensors and the car will de-humidify itself once it detects excessive humidity to prevent window fogging. In fact I recall and review where two individuals were sipping steaming tea in the car with no window fogging.
PS- my windows fogged.
Boy as I hear myself writing this, isn't it amazing we expect such technology and advancement from this car??!!
Any other car we would hit defogger and not give it another thought.
Have they raised the bar too high on themselves..what could they possibly do next?


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## s2339 (Nov 19, 2004)

*Re: Couple of Questions (Tail Spin)*

Had same fogging problem...had to use manual defrost


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: Couple of Questions (Tail Spin)*

Very interesting (and timely) point. I drove into an underground garage yesterday that had a car wash installed on one level - cold day, cold car, warm and humid garage - 10 seconds after I entered, the inside of the car reminded me of the bathroom mirror at home when I linger too long in the shower. If there is a humidity sensor in my Phaeton, it was asleep at the switch, that's for sure. 
I had to push the dedicated buttons above the infotainment display to turn on the front and rear window defrost. When I pushed them, nothing happened - they would not illuminate, and there was no reaction from the HVAC system. It took me a few moments until I discovered that the two dedicated function buttons for front and rear window defrost will not function until the legal acceptance screen for the infotainment system has been accepted and dismissed.
Hmmm.... I don't think that is a good idea. The lawyer who thought up that acceptance screen went 'one step over the line' by locking out the dedicated function buttons for the defroster controls. I wonder what would have happened if an analphabetic car jockey or parking attendent had been parking my car for me?








Michael


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: Couple of Questions (PanEuropean)*

I checked the Phaeton Service Manual - found the humidity sensor, it is installed on the rear view mirror mounting bracket, at the top of the bracket (photo below). No instructions in the service manual explaining how to do a function test on it, though.
I will try and find out what 'measuring block' in the diagnostic function of the VAS 5051 / 5052 and/or VAG-COM scan tool monitors status of the humidity sensor when I am in Dresden next week.
Michael
*Illustration of Humidity Sensor at top of inside rear view mirror mounting bracket.*








*Humidity Sensor in my car*


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## Corradodrvrfnd (Feb 15, 2002)

*Re: Couple of Questions (Tail Spin)*

the only time I have ever seen that Phaeton notify me it was lowering at speed, was when I already had it in the high setting, and I hit the mid 70's (don't speed).
I doubt that it would notify you otherwise, but I have no experience to back that up.


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## Tail Spin (Oct 28, 2004)

*Re: Couple of Questions (Corradodrvrfnd)*

Thanks Guys-
Michael. I look forward to hearing back from you after Dresden regarding the hunidity sensor.
The ad looked so cool that they were sitting there sipping tea while in perfectly clear windows with the assertion that the car was automaitically monitoring and controlling interior humididty.
Thanks.


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## Docroger (Nov 29, 2003)

*Re: Couple of Questions (Tail Spin)*

I believe that the Phaeton only has 2 ride heights; it will lower from the hi setting to the low setting at 80mph and will let you know in the center display. Nothing happens at 80mph if the car is already in the low (standard) position.


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## Tail Spin (Oct 28, 2004)

*Re: Couple of Questions (Docroger)*

Supposedly it is 3 ride height settings per the manual.
Normal and High which are manually adjustable by driver and a 3rd low setting that automatically kicks in around 85mph, according to the manual.
I pulled up next a MB S500 AMG recently...I took him in all comparison categories (in my opinion) except for ride height. He was nestled in anywhere from 1/2 to 1" lower than me.
Makes all the difference.


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## Corradodrvrfnd (Feb 15, 2002)

*Re: Couple of Questions (Tail Spin)*

*Humidity:*
According to my literature "window fogging detection, using a humidity sensor that measures air humidity, air temperature at the sensor, and windshield temperature, the phaeton 4-zone climatronic system automatically detect conditions that can cause the window foggine and compensates for it."
What I read into that is if the humidity at the sensor is differen't then the humidity at the window, the system cannot compensate, and if it is that pesky outside fog, due to a change of the outside temperature, then the system also cannot compensate.
As for the Air suspension, it merely states "the system automatically lowers the vehicle at high speeds, resulting in greater driving stability and reduced wind resistance, fuel consumption and the tendency to roll.... the driver may also select height settings via that infotainment system that includes "high" for the optimal performance on poor road surfaces, and "normal" for normal driving."
This eludes to the fact that the system does have the ability to lower itself at high speeds. I can only read into the statement, that the system works as the Touareg system does, and lowers the vehicle slightly at high speeds (the touareg is approximately 80 miles per hour).


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## Tail Spin (Oct 28, 2004)

*Re: Couple of Questions (Corradodrvrfnd)*

Thanks Matt-
At high speeds when the Tuareg lowers, does it notify you that it is lowering itself?
I only asked because at about 80 mph the other day I did not notice anything and was just wandering if the cars tells you it is performing a high speed height reduction.
Then again, I may not have been going fast enough either...


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: Couple of Questions (Tail Spin)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Tail Spin* »_Supposedly it is 3 ride height settings per the manual...

Correct. There are two additional settings, "jacking up mode" and "transport mode", but for the purpose of this conversation, they don't count. There is a more detailed description of those two modes at this post: Does the Phaeton require special shipping because of air suspension?


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## izeljic (Nov 12, 2004)

I believe that the lowering occurs only in speeds above 87MPH (140 km/h).


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: Couple of Questions (Corradodrvrfnd)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Corradodrvrfnd* »_The only time I have ever seen the Phaeton notify me it was lowering at speed, was when I already had it in the high setting, and I hit the mid 70's.
I doubt that it would notify you otherwise, but I have no experience to back that up.

Ah. What you encountered was this: Either your Phaeton was in the 'high ride height' position (what you can set using the button on the center console), or, the Phaeton was in 'transport mode' (a special setting enabled at the factory for shipping purposes only).
If the Phaeton is in either of these modes, and you travel at a speed in excess of a certain threshold (I think it is 50 MPH, but I am not certain of that), the Phaeton will automatically lower to the 'normal' suspension setting, and it will give the driver a notification message.
No notification message is given when the Phaeton moves from 'normal' ride height to 'low' ride height at sustained speeds of 87 MPH or above. Nor is a message given when the car goes back to normal ride height, once the car decelerates below 87 MPH for 30 seconds or more.
Michael


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## chrisj428 (Feb 26, 2005)

Directly from the Phaeton SSP: "Automatic Level Adjustments: Changes in vehicle speed will trigger automatis adjustments in the self-leveling suspension system. 
Automatic decrease in suspension sevel occurs from: 'High' to 'Normal' at speeds of 75 mph (120 km/h) or greater; 'Normal' to 'Low' after 30 seconds at 87 mph (140 km/h) or greater or immediately at 112 mph (180 km/h) or greater.
Automatic increas in suspension level occurs from: 'Low' to 'Normal' after 60 seconds at speeds of 62 mph (100 km/h) or less or immediately at 50 mph (80 km/h) or less.
There you have it -- clear as mud!


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## vwguild (Feb 15, 2001)

*Re: Couple of Questions (Corradodrvrfnd)*

It should also be noted that the "humidity sensor" is located below and in between the coin trays/ash trays; so if there is any obstruction there performance will be affected...
So nice to live in Central California...


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: Couple of Questions (vwguild)*

Peter:
Is it possible that you might have accidentally confused the humidity sensor (*G335*) in the forward part of the rear view mirror with the forward cabin temperature sensor (*G56*) between the ashtrays?
Michael
*Humidity Sensor (also illustrated in photographs above)*








*Temperature Sensor between ashtrays*


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## vwguild (Feb 15, 2001)

*Re: Couple of Questions (PanEuropean)*

I did, I did...Central Calif., again







But, still...neither one should be obstructed...


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

Photos re-hosted.

Michael


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