ElDiabloJoe

Has anyone else experienced this?

I was driving on the freeway this morning, and noticed something that may have occurred before, but I hadn't noticed before.

The digital readout for the climate control dimmed. Then later, after I stopped for coffee and restarted my car, it came on nice and bright again. By the time I got to work it was dim again.

I did not have my headlights on, and the faded display did not change when I turned my headlights and front fogs on, and then off.

The effect is similar to what some car's clock displays do when the headlights are turned on, that difference between faded and brightly illuminated. Only with the very cool readout (non-green l.e.d.) on the climate control display, it is much more pronounced.

When the display is faded, it is very difficult to read, but not impossible.

Am I alone with this issue?

Thanks,

EDJ

gobenz

I haven't noticed this phenomena yet...maybe you should have your coffee before you look at it next time! :p

I have noticed intermittent dimming of display lights...but only when I have the lights set to 'AUTO' and they switch on and off due to shade, tunnels, thunderstorms, etc.

etenn

I have that happen when I wear a certain pair of sunglasses. It makes the display of the the radio unit and the climate untit almost impossible to read. Must have to do with the color blocking of the sunglasses. Never noticed it any other times.


Ed

i8hotdogs

This scenario happens to me all day long. This dimm/bright light effect occurs when you drive your car through a darker area, ex. under bridge, shadowed area... When the outside light is very bright, the display intensity will be bright. When outside light is darker, the display will dimm, due to the fact that the instrument display will be too bright if it stayed at the same intensity.

My display switches back and forth from dimm to bright frequently, depending on how brigh it is outside. At times when I drive through a overcast day, it switches from bright to dark frequently.

NavNut

The effect that etenn has noticed with "certain" sunglasses is due to the polarized lenses. The glass is polarized to cut down glare. In driver sunglasses they are generally set up to cut down the glare bouncing off the road. If you look at the road or the sky, or your instrument panel and drop your head to your shoulder, you will see various displays dim and brighten... and the sky punch up in contrast and clouds, and the road get shiny and clear again...

Polarized sunglasses are cool...

etenn

I agree about polarized sunglasses...except that the sunglasses I refer to are NOT polarized. I have polarized glasses and do not cause the radio and climate to dim...so I would submit that it is not due to polarized lenses.

e500

I have experienced the same thing. You will also notice your radio, cd, etc. display below that changes to the night mode (dark background w/light letters). These work independently of the headlight switch setting. They are controlled by a light sensing (photoelectric?) device possibly the one on your hood between the air intake grills. I had noticed mine seemed to be overly sensitive a few weeks ago where they would change to night mode on a cloudy day. After I washed the car they returned to normal. Apparently all thet road salt drying on the car reduces the light sensitivity.

I've heard this also effects parktronic equipped cars. The signal indicates an object even when there isn't one.

rickyfanmdr

I have just finished reading the owner's manual, and I think there are two different things that you can set that would impact this. First you can set your general lighting level intensity, and secondly you can choose "day", "night", or "automatic". From what you have said, you are probably set on "automatic" with your general intensity set too low. You might want to fiddle with these settings. (Good luck!)

I hope I said that clearly and accurately enough. I'm not digging out that manual again!lol There are an amazing number of preferences that can be set on this car!

etenn

I am not sure what Joe has experienced. I have mine set on "night" so that it does not automatically dim and is at the brightest all the time. The only problem I have is the sunglasses cutting off the display.

NavNut

Ah... if the intensity is the same whether you tilt your head or not, then it must be that the dye of the lenses are just right so they block the output of the displays- that's definitely possible... I just assumed they were polarized because the light coming from those displays are almost always polarized also, and so with polarized lenses, the instrumentation fade is pretty dramatic...

Sounds like the effect people are noticing in this case is the auto-dimming feature...

-NavNut

ElDiabloJoe

...I can fix your problem. Remove sunglasses. Problem solved.

Kinda like the guy that goes to the doctor and says that everytime he drinks coffee his eye hurts. The doctor tells him to take the spoon out of the coffee cup before he drinks.

Seriously though, I knew you were pulling my leg from the first post.

Thanks for your guys' responses to my question. I didn't know that that was yet another wazoo feature to our cars.

But how do I set it on "bright" all the time? Through the dash display "settings" menu?

TIA,

EDJ

etenn

Joe... On the HK unit itself....go to the "serv" button, then to "display". You will have choices of "day", "night" and "auto".
You are no doubt on "auto". I set mine on night.

You don't buy the sunglasses scenario huh?

e500

The HK settings will only fix the center console audio screen. It will not effect the climate control display on the 500's. You can adjust its intensity using the reset knob on the left of the dash but that is still overridden by the light sensor. The only solution to preventing it from going into the night mode sooner than you want is keeping your car clean.