Clocks go back: will the clock in your car change automatically this weekend?

The clocks are going to change this weekend and you might be wondering if you’ll have to adjust the time in your car. You don’t want to find yourself in a panic come Monday morning if the clock is wrong in your vehicle. 

Daylight saving time is coming to an end as we well and truly wave goodbye to summer (if it ever truly arrived this year). It means you will likely get an extra hour in bed, but it will get darker earlier as well. 

Smartphones and other devices will adjust the time automatically, so you don’t have to worry when you wake up. But what about your car? 

Here’s all you need to know: 

Will the clock in your car change automatically? 

I’ve already gone into depth about how to make sure your phone adjusts to the end of daylight saving time automatically - read more here. But you might be wondering if the same is the case for your car. 

The answer is more complicated, unfortunately. Some modern cars might come with an inbuilt GPS (global positioning system) and this can be synchronised with your vehicle’s clock so that it will change automatically when the clocks change. 

But not all cars will have this, especially if you have an older vehicle. And some cars may also have an option in the settings called ‘Summer Time’, which can be switched on and off. 

How to change the time on your car’s clock? 

There is no easy catch all answer for this one because all cars are different - and the exact method might depend on the model and manufacturer as well as how old your vehicle is. The easiest thing to do is refer to the manufacturer’s manual, which is perhaps hiding in the glove box just waiting for this moment. 

But as a general rule, you will likely have to use the buttons on your dashboard to adjust the time. And remember because it is October, the clocks are going BACK as daylight saving time comes to an end. 

Which way do the clocks change and when? 

The clocks will change at 2am BST on Sunday October 27 - jumping BACK by an hour. So the time will go from 1.59am to 1am as daylight saving time ends. 

In March 2025, the clocks will go FORWARD to signify the start of daylight saving time once again. But that is one to worry about in the future. 

Do you think we should keep daylight saving time? Share your thoughts by email: [email protected]