Paradise by the dashboard light

In my car the screens only dim/adjust when the headlights are on. You can prove this by trying to manually adjust the brightness with the knob next to the boot open button. When the headlights are off it does nothing, when they're on it adjusts the screen.

(22-02-2012 11:45am)dandavis1 Wrote:  In my car the screens only dim/adjust when the headlights are on. You can prove this by trying to manually adjust the brightness with the knob next to the boot open button. When the headlights are off it does nothing, when they're on it adjusts the screen.

Thanks will try.

(22-02-2012 09:49am)XFullFatTim Wrote:  Is the headlights on icon illuminating at the same time - if so it means the auto on headlights are switching on and off with the light level changing and setting the dash to the night level

The green dashboard indicator was not going on and off and it looked like the headlights were always on. I have my Entertainment screen set to night colours. And probably only noticed this effect because I had the lights set to Auto (after the night before yet again driving away with the lights off so gave in and set auto) So that's why i've not seen this before as normally would not have had the lights on...

I have to admit to not having done too much night/ twilight driving since I came home, but today I noticed that despite heavy rain the auto-on didn't switch on the headlights so I manually switched them on, then set them back to auto to see if I could replicate your point. What I did find was that once I had switched the headlights on manually, when I switched back to the auto position they stayed on until I found some less inclement weather when they switched off automatically. I couldn't replicate the dimming of the screen/ dash though

Ok - have been playing.

There is a definite change in brightness between DRL and switching to side lights.

However, today I was on auto (lights on) I noticed the dash brightness changing - brighter when in bright light and darker when in darkness - there must be a light sensor somewhere that auto adjusts the dash brightness. Havent searched the manual yet so will do further investigation.

Also, have reported the following to LR as I feel it is a major flaw of the auto lights - whilst on the M25 the other day in fog, auto lights on and also put on my rear fogs - all nice until I entered some 'bright' fog where upon the auto system decided it was bright enough to switch back to just DRL's (and hence turning off the rear fogs, and infact all rear lights!). Luckily I realised quite quickly what had happened and switched to manual lights on and put rear fogs back on. Please be warned.

So what is required is an over-ride when the rear fogs are on that doesn't allow the sensor to switch off the main lights if the light level improves but the fog doesn't clear enough to switch off the rear fogs

Exactly what I said to LR - issue has been sent to the relevant team and they are coming back to me. I also asked them to (re)consider the option to have rear lights on with DRLs (which would be above and beyond the requirement of the law)

When I think fog I think lights "On". Even if I'm running on "auto" the lights will be switched to "On" or "side" as appropriate. It clears and I think "Off".

I don 't think you can afford to see it any other way. It's how it would have been before both auto lights and drls.

Having said that, I have myself caught out with the drls then the lights being off at night (and forgetting the lack of dashboard light!) I am now paying more attention just in case.

I too have the "self adjusting" dashboard light issue. I always leave my lights and wipers on Auto, whilst driving back to the North (Gods Country), at around dusk, I hit some showers, headlights and wipers came on, the sky cleared and it took nearly 30min before the main headlights went off (green light on dash indicating main lights on), during this period the dash lights would be bright for a few min, then dim for a few min, adjusting via the control (right of steering wheel) had absolutly no effect. I was using Nav at the time and this stayed on day color throughout the whole episode.

Unfortunately nobody has managed to get Auto lights to recognise fog. They only work off light levels, detected by the black blob on top of the dash in the centre. At least RR link the sensitivity of the lights to the wipers thus ensuring we have lights on if it rains. Even Audi didnt figure that one out