PDA

View Full Version : Dashboard lights too bright



Difinity
13-04-2013, 09:26 AM
Now I'm settling in with the car, is there any way to dim the dash/console lights at night. They are too bright for me. Dealer could not help with this one...

Hillbilly
13-04-2013, 09:50 AM
Now I'm settling in with the car, is there any way to dim the dash/console lights at night. They are too bright for me. Dealer could not help with this one...

Isnt here a little dial on the dash like in the VWs.
Surely a read of the lighting section in the manual will be enlightening LOL

team_v
13-04-2013, 10:18 AM
Isnt here a little dial on the dash like in the VWs.
Surely a read of the lighting section in the manual will be enlightening LOL

I couldnt see anything like that on the pictures of the driver area of a Fabia on google.
Also, is the OP after the speedometer/tacho section to be dimmed or the centre media/air console section?

Rubbadub
13-04-2013, 10:46 AM
I've had a good look on Briskoda, and apparently there is no option on the Fabia for this. I don't have a problem with the brightness, personally, but you'd think at least an option in the settings would be available, if not an actual dial or toggle on the dash.

dArK5HaD0w
13-04-2013, 10:50 AM
do u not have one of these rotary dials.....left of screen?

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2013/04/45813_455491763133_678803133_6300402_175-1.jpg

Hillbilly
13-04-2013, 11:32 AM
do u not have one of these rotary dials.....left of screen?

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2013/04/45813_455491763133_678803133_6300402_175-1.jpg

Thats the one I meant

Rubbadub
13-04-2013, 12:10 PM
Nope, only a controller for the headlight level in that position.

Hillbilly
13-04-2013, 12:26 PM
Have a look at this thread Not sure if it will help as I dont know what Maxidot is

Instrument Panel Light Dimming - Skoda Fabia II - BRISKODA.net - The Skoda Forum and Community (http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/221642-instrument-panel-light-dimming/)

Difinity
20-04-2013, 11:53 PM
Just drove home from Sydney - unable to see the road clearly because the bloody dash is too bright. Dangerous.
According to the Briskoda link, the Fabia 2 doesn't have a dimmer facility. I am now thinking of an auto electrician to install one. Not good for a brand new car though. The rest is mostly great though - just can't bloody see where I'm going...

Jake02
21-04-2013, 06:15 PM
Have you tried accessing through the radio? My brother and I test drove a Golf6 90TSI (with the RCD310 audio system - same system as the Fabia/Roomster range/Yeti 77TSI/Octavia 90TSI/77TDI) a few weeks ago and when trying to find the Bluetooth set up in the radio it had "screen brightness", perhaps this dims the panel too? Other than that, what a bloody stupid oversight!

Hillbilly
21-04-2013, 06:19 PM
Have you tried accessing through the radio? My brother and I test drove a Golf6 90TSI (with the RCD310 audio system - same system as the Fabia/Roomster range/Yeti 77TSI/Octavia 90TSI/77TDI) a few weeks ago and when trying to find the Bluetooth set up in the radio it had "screen brightness", perhaps this dims the panel too? Other than that, what a bloody stupid oversight!

That normally sets the RADIO screen brightness

Pugdriver
22-04-2013, 12:08 AM
I chased this up before buying the car - you definitely can't adjust the dash brightness on Fabias.

Bloody silly isn't it.

We drove one into the dealer's undercover car park (dark) and decided we could live with it, but it's not impressive is it - how much did they save - a dollar if lucky...

We have previously rented a Ford Focus (2007 model in NZ) and found the same - no adjustment and way too bright... Current model Focus has adjustment again - must have had a few complaints...

Umai Naa!!
22-04-2013, 12:49 AM
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the ability to dim the instruments is an ADR requirement.

Shirley there has to be some way to dim them.

Diesel_vert
22-04-2013, 01:43 AM
Send an e-mail to Skoda AU (or even Skoda UK or Skoda CZ) and ask for written confirmation.

Seems like a strange omission to me.

mmmRacer
22-04-2013, 09:46 AM
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the ability to dim the instruments is an ADR requirement.

Shirley there has to be some way to dim them.

Thats what I thought too. Because one of the few things that had to be done on my Jap import Silvia to get it registered in Oz was the addition of a light dimmer. Although that was 18 years ago now I would have thought the law was still the same.

Umai Naa!!
22-04-2013, 09:55 AM
Thats what I thought too. Because one of the few things that had to be done on my Jap import Silvia to get it registered in Oz was the addition of a light dimmer. Although that was 18 years ago now I would have thought the law was still the same.

Unless you can adjust the brightness with a compatible OBD scanner? Not sure that would be a sufficient-enough loophole to not require a dimmer, though.

brenno
22-04-2013, 05:18 PM
The dashboard lights dim automatically. There is a sensor on the dash monitoring light levels. If you cover it with your fingers you should see the range of the dimming.

The light sensor on your car may be defective. Does the light dim noticeably when there is a sudden change of light, for instance, driving into a tunnel?

steveyoshi
22-04-2013, 08:31 PM
I thought so yes... I was driving late the other night and thought it was a bit too bright and I was not even on the highway, got a bit tiring too quickly.


Correct me if I'm wrong, but the ability to dim the instruments is an ADR requirement.

Shirley there has to be some way to dim them.

steveyoshi
22-04-2013, 08:36 PM
Where is the sensor? Suppose I could consult the manual... especially coming into the darker months.


The dashboard lights dim automatically. There is a sensor on the dash monitoring light levels. If you cover it with your fingers you should see the range of the dimming.

The light sensor on your car may be defective. Does the light dim noticeably when there is a sudden change of light, for instance, driving into a tunnel?

brenno
22-04-2013, 09:18 PM
I just had another look again and can't find the sensor....oops. Must have been something else that had a visible sensor.

If you shine a torch at the guage cluster at night I can definitely see the Maxidot and the Swing display change brightness. It looks like the guages do too, but to a lesser extent.

Difinity
22-04-2013, 09:25 PM
I haven't found a way yet. The issue is too much brightness at night, on a country road (Hume & Federal H/way). I have always run it at minimum anyway - my eyes are very sensitive to glare...