SL/R230: Interior light auto dimming continuously
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 10
Likes: 1
From: Gloucestershire, England
SL 500 R230 '04
Interior light auto dimming continuously
Hi Guys, I have an issue with my interior lights on my 2004 SL500 at the moment. For no reason they will go bright and then dim and continue doing so at various intervals. I'm assuming these do auto dim depending on the outside lighting conditions and so I'm suspecting it may be a faulty sensor. Does anyone know where the sensor is and how to test it please?
MBworld Guru
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 10,782
Likes: 1,011
NO LONGER ACTIVE
Welcome to the forum! Please take a moment to visit the User Control Panel and update your profile to include your location (at least country). This information will then appear below your name and avatar on the left side panel next to each post you make. This will greatly help others to give you better information. If you are using the mobile version of the site, you will need to switch to the "full" version to get to the User Control Panel.
Are you talking about the instrument panel backlighting? If so, it is not automatic. It is controlled by twisting the odometer reset stalk in the center of the cluster.
Are you talking about the instrument panel backlighting? If so, it is not automatic. It is controlled by twisting the odometer reset stalk in the center of the cluster.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 10
Likes: 1
From: Gloucestershire, England
SL 500 R230 '04
Welcome to the forum! Please take a moment to visit the User Control Panel and update your profile to include your location (at least country). This information will then appear below your name and avatar on the left side panel next to each post you make. This will greatly help others to give you better information. If you are using the mobile version of the site, you will need to switch to the "full" version to get to the User Control Panel.
Are you talking about the instrument panel backlighting? If so, it is not automatic. It is controlled by twisting the odometer reset stalk in the center of the cluster.
Are you talking about the instrument panel backlighting? If so, it is not automatic. It is controlled by twisting the odometer reset stalk in the center of the cluster.
Thanks again
Tim (UK currently on GMT)
MBworld Guru
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 10,782
Likes: 1,011
NO LONGER ACTIVE
They are all controlled by the stalk. If you try turning the stalk back and forth, sometimes this will fix it. If not, then there is a problem with the CAN bus signalling. The stalk is directly tied to the instrument cluster, but to set the brightness of the other cabin components, the cluster sends digital signals over the CAN bus that are received by the other devices.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 1,442
Likes: 260
From: Netherlands
2005 R 230 SL350 (M112 3.7). Sold the 1966 W113 230SL recently
The Comand head unit has an ambient light sensor just above the ‘1’ or ‘2’ button. With the unit set to automatic, the screen will adapt its brightness plus toggle between day and night display.
Last edited by Frederick NL; Feb 21, 2019 at 02:49 AM.
MBworld Guru
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 10,782
Likes: 1,011
NO LONGER ACTIVE
The ambient light sensor on the COMAND unit will only switch it between binary "day" and "night". It won't do any analog dimming of the screen. it also would not have anything to do with the backlighting of the other panels (ACC, clock, etc.)
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 1,442
Likes: 260
From: Netherlands
2005 R 230 SL350 (M112 3.7). Sold the 1966 W113 230SL recently
Another trivial pursuit - I confirmed today that my NTG1 screen gradually dims as my finger covers the ambient light sensor. My finger couldn’t make it switch to night display in the bright sunlight.
Trending Topics
MBworld Guru
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 10,782
Likes: 1,011
NO LONGER ACTIVE
Hmm, Frederick, you might be right about that "eye" being used to dim the screen. I re-read the owner's manual for COMAND and the settings for day/night/auto actually use the vehicle's light sensor, so that's why covering it on yours does not switch to night mode.
Regardless, that should not affect the crazy dimming of the backlights the OP is experiences on the other panels. That sensor is just for the COMAND screen.
Regardless, that should not affect the crazy dimming of the backlights the OP is experiences on the other panels. That sensor is just for the COMAND screen.
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping
Verdad Gallardo
10 Most Reliable Mercedes-Benz Models You Can Buy Used
Verdad Gallardo
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
