nathandimond

On the face lifted w203s, is it possible to program the gauge cluster backlighting to stay on all the time? I'm tired of having my gauges wash out in the daytime.

LILBENZ230

Huh? The W203's backlighting would be useless in the daytime. They are not gauges like you'll find in Lexus cars.

bdgdl08

No. You could just keep your headlights on all the time. Safer too.

LILBENZ230

He really just wants them to light up to avoid being washed out during sunlight. The point I'm trying to make is that the backlighting on our gauges cannot be noticed during the day.

bdgdl08

Nope, it won't. I don't notice my cluster being under-illuminated.

nathandimond

I guess you're right. The backlighting isn't bright enough to overcome glare.

bdgdl08

It's odd that you notice this. I've never heard anyone else complain about it. If you came from an Acura, I guess I can see why. You'll get used to it, though.

nathandimond

Get used to what? The car I have now doesn't have backlit gauges when the park/head lights aren't on. I like to be able to read my gauges in any lighting conditions.

jcnash

Yes...but the amber color of the backlights wont make for very good day-time reading because of the close temperature match with natural sunlight.

You might have to go through the hassle of adding different colored backlighting (blue/red). I think theres a DIY floating around somewhere but not worth the effort IMHO.

I have no problems reading my gauges during the day without the backlighting.

nathandimond

I thought the facelifted models had an light blue, almost white, color instead of the amber hue of yore. If the gauge set up is easy to read without backlighting during the day then I won't worry about it.

Mu9enx

You're right, they are a cool white. It's just a problem that you're gonna have to deal with. It's alright though, it's a lot worse on the prefacelift 203's.

Guernica

i'm very interested in this as well, it's acutally what the very reason i got on here right now. I just bought my 02 C230 Kompressor with the auto/sport shift and i never drive it in DRIVE and today on my way home from work it was nice and sunny and i opened up the roof and i could barely see anything at all on the information center of the cluster. I could read basically the line straight across the center of the display out to about 1/2 an inch from the edges then it got darker or washed out what ever you want to say. This washed out border also included my gear indicator, time, and temp. So it was quite annoying.

Also my results were identical with the lights on or off as i always drive with as many lights as possible shining (i.e. if the dims are on so are the fogs)

G

LILBENZ230

My info screen doesn't wash out. The gauges in the facelift models are sooo superior and are white at night. But they're not meant to glow during the daytime.

timmynabenz

My screens dont wash out, but it would be nice if the backlight was on in the day, IMO its just bright enough to where it at least makes it look cooler lol

TemjinX2

your probably looking for led gauges. Newer hondas and toyotas have the led gauge and you can see them in the day time. If it really bugs you, just solder in led bulbs from the halogens or tint your front windows. It should provide enough shade to prevent the gauges from washing out.

I don't get why this is a big deal. All the important information is displayed using the analog gauges...ie rpm, speedo, fuel.

LILBENZ230

The facelifted cars use LEDs for their back-lights, if I'm not mistaken. I know the pre-facelift doesn't.

bdgdl08

yes, they are LEDs

advans

I dont even look at my cluster lol, i turn my cluster lights off at night too!