Hope you know the answer

I notice the dials on the dash are lit when the DRL's are on but when I went through the Blackwall tunnel in London the other day the dash lights (speedo) went out, obviously the tunnel was quite dark.

 

Is there a light sensor to remind you to put your lights on cos it's dark?

 

when we came out of the tunnel the dash lights came back on

 

Strange or what

It's like this on all VW's I've driven the last few years. Pretty annoying in my mind, that the instrument cluster goes dark every time one enters a tunnel.
In fact I would have preferred it the complete opposite way - that the cluster was normally dark, but came on when it gets dark outside.

And there was me thinking my new car was broken 

 

Have you noticed that the needles remain lit though...?

It's like this on all VW's I've driven the last few years. Pretty annoying in my mind, that the instrument cluster goes dark every time one enters a tunnel.

In fact I would have preferred it the complete opposite way - that the cluster was normally dark, but came on when it gets dark outside.

 

Thanks for that

Not something I'd expect to see on a cheap city car tbh. I'd expect it as standard on bigger cars.

Are the dials lit by lights during daytime?? I thought they had some sort of light absorbing/reflective effect, as I too had noticed when going from full sun to in under the shady trees my dash stayed visible for a while then it seems to go dark, apart from just the white needles which glow fairly brightly??

Could be talking total tosh here tho

Are the dials lit by lights during daytime?? I thought they had some sort of light absorbing/reflective effect, as I too had noticed when going from full sun to in under the shady trees my dash stayed visible for a while then it seems to go dark, apart from just the white needles which glow fairly brightly??

Could be talking total tosh here tho

 

This has been discussed somewhere in the forum. Can't remember where it is on the dial faces but if you cover a certain part of them up to block the light the lit dials fade. Try it, it takes a few seconds to fade though.

Edited 1 September, 201312 yr by MickA

Went through tunnel today - all dial faces lit up nice and bright.

Ah; but this might mean you have auto lights switched ON.

The reason the dial lighs go off when its dark is to make you put your head lights on! Otherwise you would think they were on yet only have the DRL's on at the front and nothing at the rear?

There is an ambient light sensor built in to the face of the speedo.

It's a 5mm diameter spot which is very difficult to spot unless the light is right.

The dials are normally lit in daylight but do dim as the ambient light fades.

If you go into a tunnel it is the same only the reaction is much quicker.

Have fun in the dark by shining a torch directly at the speedo and watching the dial illuminate.

Do you know if this sensor could be used for an automatic switching of the lights by changing only the headlights switch with "auto" position?

I mean a switch like this one.

Edited 17 November, 201312 yr by bba2alc

Similar discussion recently on Audi A1 forum, with same conclusion- apparently if you want to instal a blue LED somewhere around the instrument binnacle you can keep the dial lights on all the time

The reason the dial lighs go off when its dark is to make you put your head lights on! Otherwise you would think they were on yet only have the DRL's on at the front and nothing at the rear?

+1 Exactly what it's for.

Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk.

Hi would this be the same setup on a 2011 Octavia vrs

Hi would this be the same setup on a 2011 Octavia vrs

Our 2012 Octy has it so would assume yours has too.

Use my torch trick above to check.