Instrument background lights off

[Isocrem]

My Octavia lights are always on 'Auto' and there's been a few occasions when the instrument lights haven't been on.

[Trebor77]

Dark here now so I went out & turned on the ignition. Lights were off. Panel lights came on for a few moments then turned off. Turned on the Auto lights, Headlights and panel lights came on. All is clear. Thanks all for clearing this up.K

[gRoberts]

I had to beep and wave at some dizzy daisy in her Audio S3 as she was driving in the near pitch black with only her front DRL's on.

I've not had the pleasure of a car with auto lights but I assume that the dash lights are lit when the side/main lights are on?

Finding it more and more common for those with DRL's to not turn their lights on when dark and struggle to work out why they don't notice the lack of light from their clusters.

[BoxerBoy]

I like it that OFF means off as sometimes that's how I want it.

Auto lights sometimes don't react way I want - on too soon or not on soon enough - so at this time of year the lamp switch spends a lot of time in the ON position.

I do miss the green dash lamp for "Headlamps On" as per my old Superb.

[Kenny R]

When it's dark, if you turn on ignition without lights on and the dash is unlit, if you shine a torch at the rev counter the dash lights come on.

[Trebor77]

I like it that OFF means off as sometimes that's how I want it.

Auto lights sometimes don't react way I want - on too soon or not on soon enough - so at this time of year the lamp switch spends a lot of time in the ON position.

I do miss the green dash lamp for "Headlamps On" as per my old Superb.

I agree with this whole-heartedly

[brettikivi]

that lamp is now on the switch itself. Dipped beam does not have a legally-mandated tell-tale, but sidelights do, and in this case it's on the switch. Wierd place for it...

 

 - Bret

[Rodge]

I was peering round the steering wheel just this afternoon trying to work out if my lights were on or not. The height adjustment is even worse. It's almost impossible to see the halogen beam adjustment control while driving, and there are no clicks to tell you how far you've adjusted it by feel, which my Focus has.

[Chris1606]

If you have a early octavia 2013/14/15 then the instrument cluster can be set to be lit all the time, and not do the annoying thing of the backlight varying in brightness - I personally don't like it.

If you have a later 15/16 model it can't be done at this time.

Just come across this thread, the instrument lighting (or lack of) is my biggest bugbear about the car.

On mornings when it is cloudy or gloomy I don't need lights on but want to be able to see the instruments.

Mine is a 2013 1.4 Elegance, if the cluster can be set to be on all the time please tell me how.

The only 'solution' I came across when I investigated this before was to alter the minimum light level via the VCDS.

I got the instructions to do this from this forum but need someone with the right kit to do it - the guy I contacted before about this kind of disappeared.

[SC03OTT]

If it's gloomy, why wouldn't you want lights on. It helps people see you. I can't understand why there are people driving around who don't want to be seen.

[Chris1606]

I don't mean really dark, I will use lights when they are needed and of course have DRLs at the front anyway.

My issue is when it is cloudy, or say under trees. As the instruments are well shrouded they don't get much natural light.

Conversely on a bright day the instruments are sometimes lit - the logic involved seems wrong somewhere.

I would just like the ability to control this, or have the lighting permanently on as it has been and is with other cars.

[xpower]

I don't mean really dark, I will use lights when they are needed and of course have DRLs at the front anyway.

My issue is when it is cloudy, or say under trees. As the instruments are well shrouded they don't get much natural light.

Conversely on a bright day the instruments are sometimes lit - the logic involved seems wrong somewhere.

I would just like the ability to control this, or have the lighting permanently on as it has been and is with other cars.

Go to the instrument cluster with VCDS, look At the "night" values of these channels and copy them in to the day values verbatim

(2)-dimming_characteristic_curve_adjustment_clock_dial_day-Y1 from

(3)-dimming_characteristic_curve_adjustment_clock_dial_day-X2 from

(4)-dimming_characteristic_curve_adjustment_clock_dial_day-Y2 from

(5)-dimming_characteristic_curve_adjustment_clock_dial_day-X3 from

(6)-dimming_characteristic_curve_adjustment_clock_dial_day-Y3 from

(7)-dimming_characteristic_curve_adjustment_clock_dial_day-X4 from

[Chris1606]

Thanks for that xpower. I will have to have another go at getting someone to do some VCDS changes for me.

Last time I tried this communication seemed to cease after the exchange of a few emails, and I haven't tried again.

 

Just for interest here is the information I previously found on setting the Instrument Cluster Brightness.

As I recall this changed the minimum brightness level thus effectively keeping the instruments lit.

My notes say it came from thread Skoda Octavia III (2013 onward) -> Instrument cluster brightness control, thread started 07 July 2015.

 

Instruments 17
Security access code 20103
Adaptations -> go to below channel:
(11)-dimming_characteristic_curve_adjustment_clock_dial_day-X6
change from FD to 64

[xpower]

I think I wrote that originally!

That sort of works but then has issues as the centre display screen and the clocks will become different brightnesses in anything but ultra bright sunlight.

[Chris1606]

I think I wrote that originally!

 

 

You are correct! I went and found the original thread, and it was indeed you that gave the advice. This later one seems to make more sense, from what you say.

 

I think I will have to find someone local to me who can do the VCDS changes - I have two or three I would like to get done, including this one.

Think I will wait until the New Year now.

Thanks again for the advice.

[BoxerBoy]

Dark here now so I went out & turned on the ignition. Lights were off. Panel lights came on for a few moments then turned off. Turned on the Auto lights, Headlights and panel lights came on. All is clear. Thanks all for clearing this up.K

Similar here. I tried flashing a torch across the dash to imitate a high ambient light level, but your findings match mine.

I definitely saw the dash lamps come on then go off with no reaction at all when shining a torch on the dash.

No sign of a light sensor anywhere.

SEL btw.

[ednmra]

If you have a early octavia 2013/14/15 then the instrument cluster can be set to be lit all the time,

 

What section of settings is this function found under?

[xpower]

Just an update - if you have a later 2015 / 2016 vehicle there is a workaround.....

 

Go to 17 instruments - enter access code 25327

Adaptations

illumination_algorithm-scale_switching_algorithm = change from "parking_light" to "lds"

 

 

Go to 09 body - enter assess code 31347 

Adaptations

Daytime running lights-Tagfahrlicht-Dauerfahrlicht aktiviert zusaetzlich Standlicht = change from "not active" to "active"

 

This means the tail lights, number plate lights and the front DRLs will be on also as well as the cabin illumination but it works :-)

[MoggyTech]

I've had the instrument lights fail to illuminate twice, and both were after filling up with fuel. I leave my lights on auto all the time, and when this happened, switching lights off and then back to auto saw the instrument lighting come back on. No fault codes, so I assume it's just one of those 'they all do that sir' features. 

[vc-10]

It's massively better than what some other manufacturers do. Fords, Peugeots, and Citroens seem to be the worst offenders. Bright white LEDs on the front, dash cluster lit up like you've got the headlamps on, and nothing on the back. Even in the dead of night. Which means that people don't turn their lights on, because that visual clue of having a pitch black dashboard is missing. IMO having the dash cluster lit without lights is really quite dangerous, unless there is the sensor that VW group cars have.

 

Of course you could say that you shouldn't need constant lighting of the dash cluster, but apparently it's fashionable to have the instruments at the bottom of plastic tunnels!

[Chris1606]

IMO having the dash cluster lit without lights is really quite dangerous, unless there is the sensor that VW group cars have.

 

I agree, and if the sensor did its job then perhaps I wouldn't have an issue with it, but mine seems to have a mind of its own meaning in some situations I find it difficult to see the instruments clearly. Not helped by the fact that the instruments are shrouded - not quite at the bottom of the 'tunnels' found on some cars, but still shrouded. As a motorcyclist perhaps I have more of a 'see and be seen' mentality (sort of a self-preservation instinct I guess) than some motorists and I am quite capable of turning on my lights when they are needed; I would just like to be able to see how fast I am going at all times.

 

I find it somewhat odd that I can do things like turn off the DRLs via the infotainment screens but I cannot do things like control the sensitivity of the instrument lighting sensor or override it. Yes there are those that seem to drive around in blissful ignorance of the fact that their lights are not turned on, but if the infotainment system allowed settings to be changed they probably wouldn't find those screens anyway so the default settings would remain.

 

On a similar theme, on the day I picked up my car it was one of those days where it was damp in the air but not really raining. The auto wipers didn't know what to do at all, and very quickly drove me bonkers, so that was the first setting that got changed!

Edited 9 December, 2016 by Chris1606