Instrumental panel light levels

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by randallintacoma, Mar 12, 2010.

  1. randallintacoma

    randallintacoma New Member

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    New Prius owner. 2010 model. Only thing to bug me so far is the level of lighting on the intrument panel. I know this may seem nitpicky, but here in Washington, we have some wet days. Yesterday it was raining hard enough to need the lights on for safety, but the sky was rather light and the instrument panel dimmed so much it was barely visible. I turned the lighting level to the top without much improvement, so I then turned it to the "on" position for the rest of the day.

    The owners manual notes on Page 591 that sensor sensitivity for the instrument panel is adjustable. The default is 0 and there is a range of -2 to +2. How do you make this adjustment?
     
    #1 randallintacoma, Mar 12, 2010
  2. stream

    stream Senior Member

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    That sounds like a dealer adjustable setting--there's a whole chapter of them in the owner' s manual.

    When I need my headlights on during daylight house, I roll the dimmer all the way up, past the resistance point, which keeps the interior lighting on daytime setting.
     
    #2 stream, Mar 12, 2010
  3. Tande

    Tande Active Member

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    If you are talking about the "Flow/Chart" screen with the moving arrows?...Can't see mine either (arrows that is)...
     
    #3 Tande, Mar 12, 2010
  4. rctech

    rctech Junior Member

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    Bugs me too. I would like to run with my headlights on all the time. But it makes the instrument cluster too dim, even with the brightness wheel turned all the way up.
    I really dont want to pay the dealer to customize... err, i mean... fix... this flaw.

    rich

     
    #4 rctech, Mar 13, 2010
  5. Wiserone

    Wiserone Member

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    I had the same problem and you guys should be happy to note that if you turn the dimmer all the way up, keep going.

    There is a little click that you should feel as you put the lights to fully on.

    The click on a new car is tough to get past the first time. At least that was my problem.
     
    #5 Wiserone, Mar 13, 2010
  6. rctech

    rctech Junior Member

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    Yup, That was it. Didnt want to break the dimmer by forcing the dimmer, but you are correct. It does push a bit further and clicks to an ON state. Great! ...Until I was driving home tonight. The dash was just too blinding. The effort to flick the switch down... uggh... There's just no pleasing some of us... ;-)
     
    #6 rctech, Mar 14, 2010
  7. jomiku

    jomiku New Member

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    Far more important is the safety issue that the light can be turned all the way off. This floored me. I was flicking the dimmer wheel at night and the display suddenly turned completely off. Danger, Will Robinson! I assume that's intentional and not a malfunction.
     
    #7 jomiku, Mar 14, 2010
  8. JimN

    JimN Let the games begin!

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    1. Dealers shouldn't charge for changing the customizable settings, unless one is being a PITA by wanting them changed frequently.

    2. Once you become one with The Force you don't need a lighted dash.;)
     
    #8 JimN, Mar 14, 2010
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