Hello all, I just bought a 2005 TL w/Nav and I've got a question about the brightness of the gauges vs. all of the other interior lighted buttons.

Does anyone know if there is a way to adjust these SEPERATELY?

The lighted buttons throughout the cabin look great at full brightness but the three main gauges are way too bright for me at that level at night. When I adjust down to about 1/2 brightness the buttons are barely visible.

I checked out the diagnostics screen on the nav system but didn't see anything there. I was even thinking about tinting the gauge glass to bring down the level permanently, not sure if I want to go that route.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

-Brett

 

First of all, congrats on the new car.

There is a way to do them separately (kind of). There is a setting for the dash lights that you can use when you're using the headlights during the day. On the MFD, I think it says "Maximum brightness" or something to that effect. When you turn the headlight on, do the gauges dim or stay the same? If they stay the same, turn off the maximum brightness.

Mine are definitely not too bright. Let me know if this works. I agree though, at night, those blue gauges are blinding if at maximum intensity.

 

Unfortunately, that's not the problem. I don't have the dash lights on Maximum. I usually dim them down to about 1/2 and at that point all of the other lighted buttons throughout the cabin are so dim I can barely see them. It's likely just my eyes and the effect that the blue gauges have on them.

 

tinting might be a option, another way which will cure it but might be too invasive, change the guage light bulb to a lower wattage.

 

I didn't think TL uses bulb for gauges. Just a thought came across.

 

There are multiple solutions for this. For starters, you could put in a jumper(in the dash wiring) which will keep all the buttons at a normal light, all the time, so the adjustment will only change the guage lights, the connection for this should be right under the adjustment thingie. Your other simple option would be to put a resister in line with the gauge lights leading off of the main light adjuster. I don't have a schematic, but I am sure someone with one could provide the place to put in the jumper or resister.

 

I agree with you completely.

The interior lighted buttons should not have been connected to the dash board dimmer.

 

Well it allows for a more uniform dim effect...

 

Yes it does. That's why it is wrong.

The only light that affects your night vision is from the main gauages on the dash.

Why should the lights on the window, lock and home link controls dim? They are not even in your peripheral vision. (And, they look really cool at full brightness).

When you dim the main gauges to a comfortable night level, the other controls are TOO dim.