alfadoctor

The more I drive this '06 RL the more I love it. However...I finally found something that is truly annoying. It isn't anything to do with the body, or drive train...it is in the interior. It is the dome light on the passenger side. We just made a 1600 mile round trip through southern California and back home. The wife likes to use the light at night to find things. The light casts a broad beam that is partially covering the drivers side. Not only is it bright, but after a long period of time, it truly becomes annoying when she turns it on. If it could only be shielded so it doesn't cast light on to the driver.
My 95 Alfa 164Q has directional dome lights so that you can aim them where you want the light to go. Now that would be a nice creature feature for me.

OBTW...averaged better than 26 mpg the entire trip at 75+ mph on mid grade gas. I did see 29 mpg for partial tank in southern California.

Ballinger

Just drive with the right eye closed.

We filled up before our run to San Diego from way upper "LA" and had a pretty much open road all the way down at night. 80mph on the cruise control in the commuter lane for the most part. We burned 28.4 mpg on the tank when parking at home, and that includes the 100mph mile in Camp Pendleton to bypass a slow cell.

I hope the dome light is only a minor annoyance (if not, touch the glowing green button on the ceiling). The RL is sure a great road car.

rlx015

Sounds like little bit tape would help with piece of cardboard to block the light - jk
I hear you, I hear you - I think that car was made for travelling not really as moving office - honestly, when that light is ON it simply bothers the driver no matter what... now if someone needs to have that light ON for 1600 miles maybe bigger RV or Van or SUV rental is recommended

neuronbob

That is definitely an annoyance for night-time driving. Maybe this is something else that will be built into the next RL. Hopefully it's not too late in the design process to consider such.

oo7spy

You could probably mask the left half of the bulb with a heat tolerant paint or tape to reduce to projection towards you.

Or you could replace all of your dome lights with colored LEDs, I did blue, and she won't be able to use it for anything useful besides getting in or out and finding her purse. My wide has to use the vanity light to read things, and that might be slightly less annoying.

alfadoctor

I thought about asking her to use the vanity light but it doesn't shine down on to the floor. I like that idea of some heat resistant tape. Is it hard to get that console out of the ceiling with out breaking it?

23109VC

i just installed LED lights into my car and I feel they are less annoying on my eyes...

also, the little bulbs that go into the vanity light ARE directional... so you could install them at a slight angle so they would point toward the side windows...so if the passenger turned theirs on... it would beam away from the driver.. just a thought.

the led bulbs are not too expensive. ijdmtoys had a set for the entire interior of the RL, including the vanity lights for like $75 or so.

HEAVY_RL

iTrader: (1)

oo7spy

To point the vanity bulbs to the floor, push the visor to the windshield. My wife has to do it all the time if she wants to see something.

Oh, and it is ridiculously easy to get the plastic bulb cover off. That's all you need to get to the bulb. There is a notch at the back of the plastic on each side that a flat head can fit into to pry.