MJH53

I know you can adjust the brightness of the interior dome light from 1-5, but has anyone figured how to take it down to zero - not on at all? Ditto on the small light beam shining down underneath the rear view mirror? I find both annoying while driving at night.

bmms8

hi, i believe when you select it, you can adjust it to 0 by looking below the #'s, i might be way off, but that is how i remembered it, you can turn off the rear one by just holding the dim button

saintvir

If you are referring to the reading light (under the rear view mirror), you can simply push the button to turn it off. (p.27 of the Manual - button Nos. 5 & 14).

Also, Button No 1 on the Overhead Control Panel will switch the Dome Light/Rear Interior Lighting off (p.27)

MJH53

Oh! You mean a manual comes with these things?

I'll check it out but I'm not holding out promise for an adjustment to ZERO or that the ambiant mood light built into the base of the rear view mirror is adjustable. You're obviously correct about the on/off of the map lights above the rear view mirror.

Thanks for the replies.

ctouhey

Actually, I've gotten some really positive comments about the ambient lighting. Unfortunately, it's only been when I've taken people outside of Houston. Anyone in a major metropolitan area knows how much light pollution exists -- I've got to drive ~30 miles just to realize stars still exist...

I wish some ambitious individual would post a poll on the level people set their ambient lighting. I have to use 4 around the city. Maybe I'll do it if I can figure it out -- never tried the poll thing before.

jim256

I may be misunderstanding your comment, but the lights in the mirror are controlled by the reading lamp switches in the overhead console as saintvir points out. The lights above the mirror are the area lights. I don't have any light beam shining down underneath the rear view mirror unless I turn one on.

MJH53

This may be unique to the 500. Everyone's accurate about the map lights being integrated into the rear view mirror and the control swithches above in the overhead console, but there is another light bulb integrated into the bottom side of the rear view mirror that casts a low level of light down in a straight line towards the shift gate. This bulb is no bigger than a #4 screw head. It appears to be linked to the ambient lighting that's controlled through the convenience menu in the instrument cluster.

This light, and the overhead dome light create the ambient, or mood lighting. My original question was if anyone knew how to take these lights below setting 1, or turn them totall off?

Thanks for the replies. Sorry for the confusion.

bmms8

i believe there is no way to turn off the very small bulb

jposhea3

the ambient lighting is the ring light around each dome light (front and rear), plus lights in the footwells, plus lights in the door handles, and the light that is under the mirror which illuminates the console/shifter - the radio buttons, the heated seat buttons, stuff like that.

saintvir

Ambient Lighting can be turned completely OFF through the Multifunction Steering Wheel Settings menu > Lighting Submenu which starts on p.138 of the Manual. Ambient Lighting instructions are on p.140.

MJH53

St. Vir - You're like a live operating manual. I'll move out to the garage and attempt a total kill. Thanks.

saintvir

Don't mention it ... Glad I could help.

MJH53

No kill allowed. You're right about the manual instructions, and what's displayed in the ambient lighting adjustment screen. It does provide for a 1-5 or OFF option. However, the OFF selection acts the same as the "1" selection - very low. There is no way to "KILL" the ambient lighting - at least from what I can figure.

Thanks

jim256

MJH53--I did find the glowing mirror lamp last night, so the 320 has it as well. It's really hard to see what that light contributes to the ambient lighting from the overhead halo.

saintvir

Now you got my attention ...

I went to the garage and turned Ambient Lighting OFF thru the Lighting submenu. The halo around the front interior lights went Off ... completely!

For the Rear dome light, I pushed and held the Dimmer button until the halo went off ... no light at all; no glow ... no nothing. So far it worked as advertised

As far as the light under the Rear View mirror (the really tiny orange/yellow-pin-***** light bulb just behind the middle Homelink button) ... that remained ON. You were right about that. I wonder what that teeny-weeny light is for ...

jposhea3

I assume it's there because the buttons on the hazard panel and on the radio are not illuminated from the rear, and absent the little tiny light you wouldn't be able to read them in the dark?

i need a pitch-black place to test that theory though

UPDATE - ok, the buttons *are* backlit...and their brightness is controlled by the rheostat at the left of the clock (aka the reset button)

MJH53

I'll try Saint Vir's fix. The small pin light is less bothersome than the halo around the dome light.

briar

In the US, this small light brightness level is directly tied to the instrument panel lighting adjustment / reset knob. It is not apparent that it adds much to center console unless turned up to the max setting. Maybe some day we will have better level of appreciation.
Hope that this helps explain.

mike_fern2001

so---- simple question?
U can leave the ambient light on level 3
yet adjust the cluster lighting seperately for the consol by rotating the reset button??

saintvir

Just tried it again: I can confirm that this pin light is tied in to the instrument cluster lighting adjustment; hence, it cannot be turned off completely... just like the rest of the instrument cluster lights.

MJH53, turning the reset button to its lowest setting (counterclockwise) will minimize the brightness of this pin light.

mike_fern, you are right - the reset button is independent of the Ambient light setting ... which appears to control ONLY the front overhead lights. The brightness of the Rear dome light can be set using the dimmer buttons and is not affected by the setting of the Ambient light.

New things to learn everyday ... :p

MJH53

Confirmed to everyone. The outer mood ring on the rear dome light is controlled by the bright/dimm buttons. Stupid me - did not even know they were there, and could not find any reference in the manual. My problem is solved. Thanks.

saintvir

Those dimmer buttons are not mentioned anywhere in the Manual. I myself didn't know what they were for until bmms8 told me! :o

bboerit

OK, I have a different question about ambient lighting... In the large color "sales" booklet we all got from our salesman when we first starting looking at the new E states, "once you are underway, soft environmental comfort lighting of the console, door handles, ceiling and footwells gives a soothing ambience." My new E320 has lighting in all the above except for the footwells. Does anyone get ambient lighting in both the front and rear footwells? I tried all 5 settings. Thanks.

drb

I do not see lighting in my front footwells while the rear footwells are clearly visible.

MJH53

I'll get lighting in the footwells upon opening either a front or rear door, but I havn't noticed lighted footwells while driving.