Having not had my VRS for long, I have found it odd that during daylight hours with the lights turned off, the instrument cluster is not lit. When you go through a badly lit area such as a tree lined road, you can't actually see easily what speed you are doing. Is it meant to be this way, or is there a secret switch that turns them on. It's just that most modern vehicles have the speedo and rev counter lit all the time.

I'd expect just the needles to be lit until you put the lights on when I'd expect the dials to be lit as well. This is the behaviour in my car at least...

 

There are a few people that have managed to change the eeprom on some clusters so that it uses an internal light sensor (where fitted) to illuminate the dials when needed. Unfortunately, you need specialist hardware (not vcds) and I think they are charging for the information too.

I'd expect just the needles to be lit until you put the lights on when I'd expect the dials to be lit as well. This is the behaviour in my car at least...

You are right. And that's not only for Skodas but other cars as well.

Thanks for the info. Yes the needles are lit, it's just under some light conditions I can't see what they are pointing at!

Accord has the binnacle instrucments lit all the time.

Two different levels depending on if lights are on or not.

 

Thought that it was unusual when I noticed but the design would make them hard to read otherwise

This annoys me about my Skoda too. my previous Subaru had back lit dials all the time and they dimmed when you turned the headlights on (assuming night time), which was much better.

Yes my previous 3 cars had back lighting on the instruments. Mind you, have not sold my Mazda yet, so if I want it backlit, I could jump into that! No, love the VRS too much.

I've driven Audi and it was the same as Skoda - only when the lights are on. Maybe all VAG cars have the same system.

But I really don't understand where's the problem. Just turn these lights on live with that. Maybe change a bulb per year but that ain't big money for that.

In the latest Audi Q5 you can choose whether to have needles and/or gauges lit or not in daytime by using Carista.

So this is probably the latest iteration of the VAG software and will be the same in future Octavias.

The latest Skoda's must be different? My 2011 Superb has the needles and dials lit without the lights on.

 

There is a sensor in the dash that alters their brightness, so as you go through a tunnel they get brighter, during the day in the sun they are really dim / off.

 

The issue with this is it fools the driver into thinking they have their headlights on, hence more people driving round at dusk with no lights or DRL's only.

 

I guess it could be argued that if it is dark enough for you to not be able to easily see the dials then it is time for headlights, which would then illuminate the dials too...

It is really not a problem, I just wondered having only just bought the car, whether there was a way of getting the speedo etc to light up during the day. I love the car so much already, i can ignore this minor thing. 

It is really not a problem, I just wondered having only just bought the car, whether there was a way of getting the speedo etc to light up during the day. I love the car so much already, i can ignore this minor thing.

Have you got maxidot? If so, you could get the large mph display activated?

I am not sure. Is it a display of mpg etc that comes up between the speedo and rev counter that can be adjusted from the end of the wiper stalk? If so, I have it. Just got some info from you tube, no don't think I have it

Edited 6 September, 201510 yr by roaddetective

With the lights off the behaviour is correct:

Mk2 needles lit only, I hated it personally. This can't be changed through VCDS :-(

Mk3 needles lit only, this can be changed with VCDS to full cluster lit :-)

With the lights off the behaviour is correct:

Mk2 needles lit only, I hated it personally. This can't be changed through VCDS :-(

Mk3 needles lit only, this can be changed with VCDS to full cluster lit :-)

 

I don't think my Mk2 Pre-FL needles are lit up all the time.  I have the sidelights on all the time anyway, so I can read the (non-maxidot) LCD easier.