Dim Instrument Lights

[Surrey White]

The lights in my instruments are quite dim. The brightness control wheel doesn't seem to make any difference to the instrument liights, but does brighten/dim the information centre in the middle.

Anybody got any thoughts on where to start?

[rotodiesel]

Nowhere. The instruments on the Superb are a disgrace - unreadable in poor light.

When I get around to it, I'm going to wire the instrument lighting through the "ignition" (diesel vehicle) so they are on all the time. At the moment, I tend to drive everywhere with my side lights on so that I can see the pointers.

Even when lit, they're really poor.

rotodiesel.

[dieselV6]

They're dim, but not that dim. If the lights are dim (but still lit) all the time then either the thumbwheel is broken or the voltage regulator. Thumbwheel is cheap and easy to replace.

But do not expect miracles, it's LCDs not plasma, so during daytime they work mostly on reflected light.

In defence to the Superb, dim green lighting is perfect for long night cruises where it does not strain eyes. I actually find it quite good, both old Octavia and the Superb have been perfect in this respect on 12hr-16hr overnight trips across Europe. I looked at blue and red lighting (VW/Seat) and it tires my eyes very quickly.

[rotodiesel]

Apart from poor lighting (it's taken for granted that any instrument lighting can be dimmed to the user's preference - the Superb instruments are just not bright enough) the wretched things are hard to see in normal daylight.

The use of black dials, thin white characters with stupid graduations and dark red pointers which look almost black unless lit makes the thing look like something designed by the office boy.

rotodiesel.

[Surrey White]

They're dim, but not that dim. If the lights are dim (but still lit) all the time then either the thumbwheel is broken or the voltage regulator. Thumbwheel is cheap and easy to replace.

But do not expect miracles, it's LCDs not plasma, so during daytime they work mostly on reflected light.

In defence to the Superb, dim green lighting is perfect for long night cruises where it does not strain eyes. I actually find it quite good, both old Octavia and the Superb have been perfect in this respect on 12hr-16hr overnight trips across Europe. I looked at blue and red lighting (VW/Seat) and it tires my eyes very quickly.

The middle orange on black info centre is being made brighter/dimmer by the thumbwheel, the lcd clock and mileometer do not go brighter, or the lights lighting the needles and surrounding numbers, so I'm concluding that the thumbwheel works.

I cannot see any discernable difference to the background light or needles when adjusting it though.

My Octy has a lovely bright dash and has cover 65,000 miles more than the Superb!

Would it be possible to replace the bulbs with brighter bulbs or LEDs, or am I masking a fault (not design) by doing so? If I do replace them, how hard is this?....

Rotodiesels comments make me think that they were naturally dull to begin with.

[SJFISHER67]

Apart from poor lighting (it's taken for granted that any instrument lighting can be dimmed to the user's preference - the Superb instruments are just not bright enough) the wretched things are hard to see in normal daylight.

The use of black dials, thin white characters with stupid graduations and dark red pointers which look almost black unless lit makes the thing look like something designed by the office boy.

rotodiesel.

I noticed that with my former Superbs, but the facelift one is a bit better, with white needles.

[rotodiesel]

Good point; I'd forgotten about the facelift.

Still, there are enough red lights, messages and "bongs" to make instruments irrelevant I suppose - nearly jumped out of my seat the other day when the screenwasher needed filling up!

rotodiesel.

[skodanut]

i think the white instrumentation is excellent on the facelift model superb.....comes up real crisp and clear at night on full intensity......reminds me of my dads humber septre.that had white instrumentation and looked fab at night.....quite agree with the luminous blue and red needles on the passats tho.........very tiring on the eyes

[Supurbia]

Dying battery.

[dieselV6]

I'd say the instrument panel lights in the Superb at full brightness are about the same as in the Mk I Octavia - if you see it differently, something is broken.

Re dying battery - I assume the intensity is the same with engine on?

[Bluefox]

Would it be possible to replace the bulbs with brighter bulbs or LEDs...?

I'm assuming the lighting behind the clocks is taken care of by the good old 509t bulb. If this is the case then yes, you can get brighter LED versions from places like ultraleds.co.uk. If it's an internal, sealed LED type unit then I would suspect the answer is no.

To add my two pennies worth, I again agree with Roto - cloudy afternoons I find myself switching to sidelamps so I can see the dash, or using my camera locator as a speedo.

I would however be interested to see a facelift with these "improvements" for comparison.

[Surrey White]

I'd say the instrument panel lights in the Superb at full brightness are about the same as in the Mk I Octavia - if you see it differently, something is broken.

Re dying battery - I assume the intensity is the same with engine on?

Yes, the intensity is the same with engine on/off.

I'm assuming the lighting behind the clocks is taken care of by the good old 509t bulb. If this is the case then yes, you can get brighter LED versions from places like ultraleds.co.uk. If it's an internal, sealed LED type unit then I would suspect the answer is no.

To add my two pennies worth, I again agree with Roto - cloudy afternoons I find myself switching to sidelamps so I can see the dash, or using my camera locator as a speedo.

I would however be interested to see a facelift with these "improvements" for comparison.

I'll try and get into the dash this weekend and see what type of bulbs they are. I'd be very surprised if they are LED's given the age of the design.

I do run with side lights on anyway, but again I use my TomTom as a speedo and it has speed warning built in.

[toni4125]

i think the white instrumentation is excellent on the facelift model superb.....comes up real crisp and clear at night on full intensity......reminds me of my dads humber septre.that had white instrumentation and looked fab at night.....quite agree with the luminous blue and red needles on the passats tho.........very tiring on the eyes

Hello, I am new in this great forum, and although I have been reading yours post for months, I have now been decided to give me of discharge. My English is very basic, I'm sorry.

For this, I agree witn you