Hi,

I have recently acquired a '63 plate 1.2Tsi Octy and it's great!

However, I'm a little puzzled by the dashboard lights.  In normal lighting conditions, the dash is visible but when I drive through darker areas, say through wooded areas or even if the sun goes behind clouds then the dash darkens and I can only see the the needles on the dials.

Now I've tried altering the display in the setup menu but I think I'm missing something.

If someone can help, I'd be grateful.

Best Rgds

Dawpooldad

Which model do you have ?

It's a Mk3 Octavia S hatchback.

 

Dawpooldad

 

 

The consensus seems to be that the dashboard lights dim to encourage you to turn the headlights on when it's not very bright outside.

It can be changed but only by VCDS or similar. The dash can be set to be lit all the time and not just the needles.

The needles = lit all the time 

The backlighting = brightness responds to external light amount, no light means no back light.

 

This can be tweaked so they are both on 100%

Hi guys

Thanks for all the info. It makes sense. I  forgot to say that I use the Mersey tunnels frequently and in all other cars you have to switch your lights on just to see what speed you're  doing!  So, in a sense, the car is forcing me to put the lights on because of the ambient conditions. I thought it was a fault!

I think that I'll get it changed when it goes in for service.

Thanks again

Dawpooldad 

It’s done this way as whist you have DRLs on the front of the car, the rear is unlit, this is one reason why I turned the rear DRLs on. (VCDS)

32 minutes ago, dawpooldad said:

Hi guys

Thanks for all the info. It makes sense. I  forgot to say that I use the Mersey tunnels frequently and in all other cars you have to switch your lights on just to see what speed you're  doing!  So, in a sense, the car is forcing me to put the lights on because of the ambient conditions. I thought it was a fault!

I think that I'll get it changed when it goes in for service.

Thanks again

Dawpooldad 

 

Id be surprised if the dealer is willing to change it.

its to stop plonkers driving about at night without their lights on

I think that from the factory it should be set to be lit 100% if the light switch is in the auto position.

but it's not so I suggest the if the dials are being set to be lit all the time, the same is done for the rear tail + number plate lights.

This is how mine is set.

20 hours ago, Boundy123 said:

its to stop plonkers driving about at night without their lights on

 

 

+1

I tried to get rear lights to be on when front DRLs are on and skoda said it would affect the warranty.

17 minutes ago, SteveC said:

I tried to get rear lights to be on when front DRLs are on and skoda said it would affect the warranty.

 

Find someone with vcds to do it for you. 

2 hours ago, SteveC said:

I tried to get rear lights to be on when front DRLs are on and skoda said it would affect the warranty.

 

Funny how the supplying dealer did out Yeti on the PDI then 

 

Some dealers are clueless, I would have done them myself but VCDS cannot do it on the Yeti or MKII Superb (not sure about the Octavia, but VCP can do it.

I asked the dealer to do it who refused. So I spoke to Skoda UK who said no too and that it'll affect the warranty. I'll wait til it's out of warranty.