Instrument lights
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2011
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From: Redmond, WA.
Sl500 , E350
Instrument lights
My new E350 4matic has the strangest lighting set up. The instrument lights don't come on with the ignition only when the headlights come on.
The fog light when activated switches my 'jockey' from led lights OFF & the rear fog light ON. Why would you switch OFF the front jockey lights? And why not have instrument lighting on permanently, after all the quadrant where the gear indicator is on the instruments is permanently lit. Who cares what the gear is if you need to see the speedo?
The dealer frankly had no idea what the right lighting should be!!
The fog light when activated switches my 'jockey' from led lights OFF & the rear fog light ON. Why would you switch OFF the front jockey lights? And why not have instrument lighting on permanently, after all the quadrant where the gear indicator is on the instruments is permanently lit. Who cares what the gear is if you need to see the speedo?
The dealer frankly had no idea what the right lighting should be!!
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 655
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Mercedes e350 BlueTec
My new E350 4matic has the strangest lighting set up. The instrument lights don't come on with the ignition only when the headlights come on.
The fog light when activated switches my 'jockey' from led lights OFF & the rear fog light ON. Why would you switch OFF the front jockey lights? And why not have instrument lighting on permanently, after all the quadrant where the gear indicator is on the instruments is permanently lit. Who cares what the gear is if you need to see the speedo?
The dealer frankly had no idea what the right lighting should be!!
The fog light when activated switches my 'jockey' from led lights OFF & the rear fog light ON. Why would you switch OFF the front jockey lights? And why not have instrument lighting on permanently, after all the quadrant where the gear indicator is on the instruments is permanently lit. Who cares what the gear is if you need to see the speedo?
The dealer frankly had no idea what the right lighting should be!!
I'm hoping it's something that I haven't set right....I keep my lighting in Auto mode.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 17
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From: Redmond, WA.
Sl500 , E350
I agree that having the dashboard lighting on all the time on my 2011 e350 would be an improvement, actually a safety improvement. I find that in the late afternoon, the dash is very dark until the lights turn on. I shouldn't have to fiddle with the light switch each time I drive at that time to be able to see the dash clearly.
I'm hoping it's something that I haven't set right....I keep my lighting in Auto mode.
I'm hoping it's something that I haven't set right....I keep my lighting in Auto mode.
Also I have P2 & Sports package with the hockey stick front LED's. I have NO front fog lights! I am asking the dealer at the moment if I should have had them. There is no switch for them so maybe when you get the hockey day running lights they double a s front fogs BUT when you switch the rear fog on the front LED's go OFF how crazy is that.
If my car is correctly wired I can only imagine Mercedes have made some of the biggest goofs ever. These are safety issues.
T
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From: Earth
Porsche Macan S SportDesign / Ex M-B's: 11 & 10 & 06 E350's, 02 S500
Why would all the dash/instrument lights be on when the lights aren't? Do any cars do that? Not only do I think that it wouldn't even look very good in the day time, but you wouldn't really be able to tell that the lights are on, and they would inevitably burn out the interior lights ($$$$$$$$$$$$$$) prematurely.
As for the fogs, I do agree there. VERY weird and seemingly stupid that the DRL's go off when the rear fog light goes on? Is there a safety reason for this? I doubt it. It is known that a white/bright light isn't good for fog, so the LED's maybe can't help any more than they may hurt?
Also, yes, the vanity factor of DRL LED's upfront beat out M-B's old "Function>Form" to now go the opposite way in that regard. There are no fog lights on the W212's with LED DRL's.
As for the fogs, I do agree there. VERY weird and seemingly stupid that the DRL's go off when the rear fog light goes on? Is there a safety reason for this? I doubt it. It is known that a white/bright light isn't good for fog, so the LED's maybe can't help any more than they may hurt?
Also, yes, the vanity factor of DRL LED's upfront beat out M-B's old "Function>Form" to now go the opposite way in that regard. There are no fog lights on the W212's with LED DRL's.
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Mercedes e350 BlueTec
Why would all the dash/instrument lights be on when the lights aren't? Do any cars do that? Not only do I think that it wouldn't even look very good in the day time, but you wouldn't really be able to tell that the lights are on, and they would inevitably burn out the interior lights ($$$$$$$$$$$$$$) prematurely..
There are many ways to tell if the lights are on....relying on seeing the dash being lit is not one of the more reliable ways. Most folks have their dash lights set much to bright...I guess similar to their TV's. For safety, the dash lights should light the dash to the same level as the outside lighting. They shouldn't be at max which is where 99% of the drivers have them set.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 17
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From: Redmond, WA.
Sl500 , E350
Why would all the dash/instrument lights be on when the lights aren't? Do any cars do that? Not only do I think that it wouldn't even look very good in the day time, but you wouldn't really be able to tell that the lights are on, and they would inevitably burn out the interior lights ($$$$$$$$$$$$$$) prematurely. It looks good when you can actually see the instruments! You can tell you lights are on because there is an indicator light on in the instrument panel. Of course they will not burn out! The lower quadrant of the speedo is permanently lit so ......
As for the fogs, I do agree there. VERY weird and seemingly stupid that the DRL's go off when the rear fog light goes on? Is there a safety reason for this? I doubt it. It is known that a white/bright light isn't good for fog, so the LED's maybe can't help any more than they may hurt?
Also, yes, the vanity factor of DRL LED's upfront beat out M-B's old "Function>Form" to now go the opposite way in that regard. There are no fog lights on the W212's with LED DRL's.
As for the fogs, I do agree there. VERY weird and seemingly stupid that the DRL's go off when the rear fog light goes on? Is there a safety reason for this? I doubt it. It is known that a white/bright light isn't good for fog, so the LED's maybe can't help any more than they may hurt?
Also, yes, the vanity factor of DRL LED's upfront beat out M-B's old "Function>Form" to now go the opposite way in that regard. There are no fog lights on the W212's with LED DRL's.
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Mercedes e350 BlueTec
Yes, that obviously solves the problem (and it's what I do if I have trouble seeing the dash)....but in a $60K car in 2011, one would think that Mercedes would design the car so you could see the entire dash easily during normal daylight hours. At a minimum, having a position on the dash dimmer knob for "on" would be acceptable (and is normal on some other cars).
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From: Central Pennsylvania
2012 S350 Bluetec 4Matic, Diamond White, P2
I have absolutely no issues seeing the dash or instrumentation during normal daylight with light set to Auto and the lights off. Is your noticably darker than other E's?
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Mercedes e350 BlueTec
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From: Central Pennsylvania
2012 S350 Bluetec 4Matic, Diamond White, P2
His pics are taken from different distances. And, yes, that makes a huge difference from a photgraphic perspective. The darker one clearly shows that the light meter in the camera was compensating for the brighter outside light, which darkens the other areas. I see no proof of an issue from those particular pics. Also, I believe that I would have noticed not being able to see the instruments during my test drive. That would have bothered me. It is also interesting to me that not a single publication has sited any issue with the E's instrumentation visibility. I think this is more likely an opthalmic issue. If I were the OP, I would just leave the lights on all the time and get on with life, or, seek help from an opthamologist.Just my 2 cents.
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Mercedes e350 BlueTec
His pics are taken from different distances. And, yes, that makes a huge difference from a photgraphic perspective. The darker one clearly shows that the light meter in the camera was compensating for the brighter outside light, which darkens the other areas. I see no proof of an issue from those particular pics. Also, I believe that I would have noticed not being able to see the instruments during my test drive. That would have bothered me. It is also interesting to me that not a single publication has sited any issue with the E's instrumentation visibility. I think this is more likely an opthalmic issue. If I were the OP, I would just leave the lights on all the time and get on with life, or, seek help from an opthamologist.Just my 2 cents.
It's not an eye problem (that's a bit insulting)...it's the way the dash is structured....and it is also more difficult because the center circle is lit all the time, so one's eyes aren't used to the lower level of the instruments surrounding the center. I had noticed this and when the OP said he had a similar problem, I chimed in that I did as well.
This isn't a life or death situation....it's an observation on something that could be improved. I was just driving a Toyota Venza and the dash is lit all the time.
The photographs (taken by the OP) are pretty accurate renditions of what I see...they aren't figments of exposure correction. Actually, our eyes compensate the same way to the outside light, so when you glance at darker instruments, they are harder to see....so the pictures are a very good rendition of what the driver sees. Yes, you can read the instruments in both, but it would be easier in the darker picture if the dashboard lights were on....after all Mercedes prides itself in how safe their cars are...and making that change would be trivial for an mercedes engineer or even me, if I wanted to take the dash apart which I would have done a few years ago.
Last edited by ghstudio; Oct 5, 2011 at 06:04 PM.
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From: Central Pennsylvania
2012 S350 Bluetec 4Matic, Diamond White, P2
I dirve about 24K miles a year. All times of day and night. I have never experienced this issue. My dash is the Luxury version so my instruments are not recessed, but, I did drive a Sport version and also had no issues being able to see the instruments. 90% of my driving is north and south (I 83). In any event, I am sure there would mention of it in the automotive press if journalists were having problems seeing the instruments. I am not saying that you are not having issues, but, this is digging pretty deep to find fault IMHO. I feel very confident MB would have a team of engineers fixing instrumentation that could not be seen during the day. I do feel badly that there seems to be two folks with this issue. I do think it could be an opthalmic issue.
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Mercedes e350 BlueTec
Let's not fool ourselves into thinking the mercedes is perfect....there are things that can be improved on any car....this is one area where I think Mercedes could improve with very little effort or cost.
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Porsche Macan S SportDesign / Ex M-B's: 11 & 10 & 06 E350's, 02 S500
I never found it bothersome as well. I always liked the look of the instruments in daylight, as they have this cool kind of "real" and somber tone to them. Nice to not see the artificiality of lights on, but if it's a safety issue then I can understand the necessity.
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From: Central Pennsylvania
2012 S350 Bluetec 4Matic, Diamond White, P2
I do not believe anyone here has claimed perfection on the part of MB. I feel pretty damned good about my purchase when I read posts of issues such as this one. Better lighting for the instruments for an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening. As was stated above, nothing is perfect, so, why be disappointed with imperfection.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jun 2011
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From: Redmond, WA.
Sl500 , E350
Ok let me draw a conclusion from my point of view & correct some guesses people have made in previous posts.
The photos I posted were taken with the same camera from the same distance I simply turned the car round & spotted it as near as I could in both directions. My vision is perfect end of story. I do not even have glasses.
I have spent the morning with the dealer trying a variety of Mercedes cars. All mercedes prior to the 2011 late build have instrument lights that come on with the ignition. From the ML to the SL
The Sport version I have does not have nor is there an option for front fog lights.
The instruments in the Luxury version are not deep set.
When you drive in sunlight in trees the instruments cannot be seen. We have filmed it, the dealer has the video's. They cannot understand why the changes made to this model were made with regard to lighting. E.g. it is the first with no front fogs. The headlight switch no longer pulls out for fog lights. When you switch on the rear fogs with the switch in Auto all your lights come on EXCEPT the DRL's. Why?
Why is the lower portion of the speedo PERMANENTLY lit!!
Please do not tell me I should do a workaround for something that frankly is a safety issue. I cannot see my speed indicator needle above 30 mph more than 50% of the time.
All my concerns the dealer agrees with & they now have lots of customers saying the same thing.
Want to bet the 2012 does not have the issue?
Want to bet there may be a recall?
BTW I am a & have been a Mercedes owner for 50 years, my wife drives an SL500 & we have owned over the years just about every model. That may be of more than passing interest.
The photos I posted were taken with the same camera from the same distance I simply turned the car round & spotted it as near as I could in both directions. My vision is perfect end of story. I do not even have glasses.
I have spent the morning with the dealer trying a variety of Mercedes cars. All mercedes prior to the 2011 late build have instrument lights that come on with the ignition. From the ML to the SL
The Sport version I have does not have nor is there an option for front fog lights.
The instruments in the Luxury version are not deep set.
When you drive in sunlight in trees the instruments cannot be seen. We have filmed it, the dealer has the video's. They cannot understand why the changes made to this model were made with regard to lighting. E.g. it is the first with no front fogs. The headlight switch no longer pulls out for fog lights. When you switch on the rear fogs with the switch in Auto all your lights come on EXCEPT the DRL's. Why?
Why is the lower portion of the speedo PERMANENTLY lit!!
Please do not tell me I should do a workaround for something that frankly is a safety issue. I cannot see my speed indicator needle above 30 mph more than 50% of the time.
All my concerns the dealer agrees with & they now have lots of customers saying the same thing.
Want to bet the 2012 does not have the issue?
Want to bet there may be a recall?
BTW I am a & have been a Mercedes owner for 50 years, my wife drives an SL500 & we have owned over the years just about every model. That may be of more than passing interest.
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Porsche Macan S SportDesign / Ex M-B's: 11 & 10 & 06 E350's, 02 S500
So are you saying that the pre-new IC Display E's don't have this problem? I guess I just never payed attention (because whatever it is, on or off, it made it a non issue to me).
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From: Central Pennsylvania
2012 S350 Bluetec 4Matic, Diamond White, P2
So is all of your driving done at dusk when you are traveling north or south? I am assuming this must be the case to have difficulty seeing the instruments 50% of the time. Sorry you are disappointed in your vehicle choice. I would not, in good conscience, keep a car that posed a significant safety hazzard to my self, my family, or others. It sounds to me like your only option is going to be to trade on a car you can see the instruments on.
Last edited by ImInPA; Oct 6, 2011 at 08:22 AM.
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2020 G63, 2021 E450 All-Terrain Wagon
in the morning on my way to work, i do notice that the IC is a bit hard to read, but then again, i put the screen on which displays speed, which i think is more helpful and much easier to use. i barely look at the dials anyways haha
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Mercedes e350 BlueTec
So is all of your driving done at dusk when you are traveling north or south? I am assuming this must be the case to have difficulty seeing the instruments 50% of the time. Sorry you are disappointed in your vehicle choice. I would not, in good conscience, keep a car that posed a significant safety hazzard to my self, my family, or others. It sounds to me like your only option is going to be to trade on a car you can see the instruments on.
However, it would be helpful if you would tell us a) do your instrument lights go on during the day, or only when the headlights are on; b) do you ever have the "difficult to read the instruments"" condition reported by the OP (note: the question is do you have the condition...not, do you ignore it).
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From: Central Pennsylvania
2012 S350 Bluetec 4Matic, Diamond White, P2
My instrument lights do not go on during the day. I have no issues seeing them. In all the reading I have done, I am only aware of two posters anywhere that have this issue. I mentioned my observations on the pictures. They are different, taken from different distances and obviously done to exagerate the darkness. I am not saying it is intentional or not, but, it is what it is to the knowledgable observer. I never attack a person, but, ideas are fair game. I truly believe the issue you and the OP have is directly related to an opthalmic problem. I would get your eyes checked. No sarcasm intended. If not, I would sell the car and get on that you and te OP can feel safe in.
