M-Class (W166) Produced 2012-2015

Ambient lighting after recent service B: connected to dash dimmer?

Old Nov 21, 2014 | 11:25 PM
  #1  
ciparis's Avatar
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2016 GL 450
Exclamation Ambient lighting after recent service B: connected to dash dimmer?

I would swear that the ambient lighting brightness used to be set by using the digital controls in the info system (brightness levels 1-5), and that they would remain set no matter what I did with the dash dimmer knob. Now, though, when I change the ambient light setting, I can't see any change in brightness. But if I rotate the dash dimmer knob, they go brighter and dimmer along with the speedometer, etc.

1) I hate this
2) Wasn't ambient independent of dash lighting?
3) Can I put it back via an engineering menu or something?

I'm an old Saab guy, and I'd be happy if the dash dials, buttons, etc. could all be turned entirely off except for that bit of the speedometer that I'm using at the moment (and that would be as dim as possible). But I want my ambient lighting.

Last edited by ciparis; Nov 22, 2014 at 12:40 AM.
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Old Nov 22, 2014 | 05:55 AM
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Ambient lighting on mine is definitely controlled by the digital controls in the info system. I wonder if your dealer did a software or firmware update when you had it in for Service B. You could certainly ask.
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Old Nov 22, 2014 | 09:36 AM
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2016 GL 450
Originally Posted by DUTCH
Ambient lighting on mine is definitely controlled by the digital controls in the info system. I wonder if your dealer did a software or firmware update when you had it in for Service B. You could certainly ask.
Does the ambient lighting brightness also go up and down when you rotate the dash lighting knob over on the left side of the panel?
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Old Nov 22, 2014 | 10:06 AM
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Originally Posted by ciparis
Does the ambient lighting brightness also go up and down when you rotate the dash lighting knob over on the left side of the panel?
No. Only the instrument cluster display changes brightness with the knob, and it really doesn't go dim enough for me.
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Old Nov 24, 2014 | 05:09 AM
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2014 ML350 BlueTec
Mine also does not dim with the dash lights, only through the menu. I have to agree with Dutch and I am also unable to dim my instrument light as mush as I would like to. The little know has little effectiveness.
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Old Mar 21, 2015 | 04:27 PM
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hos
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2014 ML250BT
Has anyone found a way to turn off the instrument lights bar the speedo as the cluster does not dim enough of the rotary dimmer to the left of the cluster?

My old Holden VE (G8) could do this by simultaneously pressing the dimmer up and down buttons. That would turn off all dash lighting, including the HVAC, only leaving the speedo lit. Even then, the speedo was that dull.
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