I am considering buying a Prius andtook a firend's 2004 for a test drive last night. There was a thin blue line don the front windshield due to a reflection from the info panel where the speed, etc. is shown. Has this been corrected for the 2005?My friend puts a card board panel over the dash and this takes away the reflection, but ...
I havn't noticed a reflection from the display, BUT there is a green reflection from the speedo/fuel display. I have gotten use to it now but it is noticable. Note: I have only 400 miles on the car so it don't take long to get use to it.
The fix may be as simple as adjusting the dimmer. This is a vertical wheel on the lower dash on the left side. If it is all the way up, the display is not dimmed when the headlights are turned on and you will see the refelction. Turn it down a bit and the display will dim and the reflection with it.
Yes, just dim down the display a little. What is happening is there is a projection through a glass plate in the dashboard to a mirror. When you look at your speedometer/instrument panel, you are looking at a reflection in a mirror. The glare you see on the windshield is light leaking from the glass plate in the dashboard.
I can't stand driving at night WITHOUT dimming the display. It's just too darned bright, not to mention the reflection. Some dreary mornings, I'll have the lights on and have to use the rheostat to turn the display into "day mode". That evening when I get in, I'm blinded. Ok, I exagerate, but only a little. Then again, I also turn the MFD off some nights because on some really dark night even in "night mode" it's very bright.
adjust the wheel all the way bright past the "click" and you will be in night mode. night mode automatically dims the display whenever the lights are on.
The only possible design oversight seems to be that the left and right turn signal indicators on the dashboard flash at full brightness regardless of the dimmer setting. However, unless you are a stereotypical grandmother, you're not usually going to drive with the blinker on for long periods of time.
I've played around with the dimmness settings. Then at other times, I want the display in night mode but brighter. Are you telling me that I am the only person who has driven the Prius late at night, with an overcast sky, a little tired, and said "dang that thing's bright."? Even in night mode. To me, it's just annoyingly bright when I'm trying to look at the road to have this thing glaring at me. Especially since it's causing my pupils to contract which is ruining my night vision. Astronomers know what I'm talking about. Now I'm not saying that I turn it off every time the sun goes down. Only on a few nights, when returning home late, have I reached over and flipped it off.
actually Tony I do know what you are saying and its happened to me several times when i am on backroads that have no streetlights. i usually turn the display off
It would be nice if the backlight on the MFD varied along with the dash dimmer. As it is, it has 2 intensities, one for dash day mode, other for dash night mode. But besides this, the MFD has 2 separate contrast and "brightness" settings, on set works in MFD day mode and the other set in MFD night mode. Now what do I mean by Dash day/night mode and MFD day/night mode? The dash day/night mode is controlled by the taillight setting and the dash dimmer. The MFD day/night mode can override Dash night mode with the Day Mode button on the MFD. This does not affect the backlight intensity though, only the dash mode does that.
Another problem I have with night mode is that in NC we have a law (which I suspect a lot of states have) that requires you to use your headlights when you use your windshield wipers. While driving in the rain during the day the night mode is so dim that I turn it off by sliding the control all the way up, and the next time I drive at night the display is blindingly bright again and I slide the brightness control back down. I have gotten used to adjusting the brightness level back and forth so that I don't really consider it a problem anymore, however in the "wishful thinking" department, it would be nice if the night mode trigger were not linked to the state (on/off) of the headlights, but rather to an ambient light sensor, similar to that of the auto-dimming mirror. - Bill
ltu1542hvy to be honest with ya, that windshield wiper law is a new one on me. living in an area where the wipers get plenty of exercise, i never turn on my lights when its daylight. i also question cars that turn on the DRL lights automatically. they simply are not needed in my opinion. in the Prius, having your lights on will affect your mileage at least a little. maybe out on a straight stretch of rural two lane highway, but not in the middle of town at 30 mph. them lights do absolutely nothing to help me see them better.
DRL is not for you to shine your light to see other things, it is for others to see you! For the same reason, DRLs should illuminate the tails.
It's the law in every jurisdiction around DC. Wipers On = Headlights On With hefty fines to back it up. They even have signs on the Interstate reminding people, and flash it on the programmable overhead traffic displays. Edit: Looks like it becomes law in California on July 1 2005 http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d12/vc24400.htm Edit 2: Well, a quick search shows it's also the law in NY, NJ, NC and IL. I'm trying to find a comprehensive list. And, in case anyone was wondering this law means FULL LOW BEAMS - DRL is not acceptable.
oh great... well dont give anyone in washington state any weird ideas... thats all i need is to be running around in broad daylight with the lights on. knowing me, i'd get a ticket because i had intermitant wipers going and flicked the lights on and off everytime the wiper moved. of course, even if they did institute that law here, a bottle of Rain-X will cure that problem
Hmm, in looking at Washington Traffic Regulations, they seem to have a specific law against hugging someone while driving. Interesting what they feel the need to prohibit. I wonder what prompted that They also have specific laws for Drunken Bicycling. Is that a big problem in Washington?
