So having recently bought a 2 year old scout I am starting to familiarise myself with all its functions. There are 2 very small but very annoying down lights that sit between the 2 "reading lights". is it possible to turn these off as at night the glare from them is right in the corner of my vision and is both annoying and distracting. I have no need to see my left hand like its day light or the centre console as I know where the controls are. If these can't be switched off is it an easy job to remove them?

 

I've always found them to be a good thing but they can't be 'turned off' via a menu. The housing isn't difficult to remove though and then you could maybe pull them back so they don't annoy you too much?

I like them, but, if they are an issue to you try colouring them in with a superfine Sharpie, or a tiny spot of Tippex, that should make them a bit dimmer!

Or stick a little bit of blu tac in the holes, either that or a little strip of black electrical insulation tape?

Could get some "laptop privacy stickers" online. 

I find the ambient lighting helpful, but if glaring you could try punching a tiny hole through the stickers to focus the light a little. 

I like them but I think that you can alter their brightness via the infotainment system from memory.

So these lights are always on at night time? Don't think I have these in my car.

Must go and look.

1 hour ago, gregoir said:

So these lights are always on at night time? Don't think I have these in my car.

Must go and look.

They may well be dimmed with the dash lights. 

I've noticed them too and find them hugely irritating. I couldnt dim mine, at least not using the ambient lighting control in the main menu. I was thinking small pieces of eleccy tape too. 

I hadn't noticed these even driving at night; after reading this thread I went and looked. I like the idea that the centre console is illuminated. Can't quite understand what there is to dislike as I don't notice them when driving. The auto dim rear view mirror has a light on it too when it is active this is not noticeable either once you know it is there.

 

 @wilbert77 I can adjust mine on Amundsen.

Car>Settings>Lights>Interior Lighting

 

Adjusting/Dimming the interior lighting turns down those lights that you don't like but also turns down everything else with backlighting in the car.

 

If it's just those lights you would likely be better off just taking a permanent marker to them; should you ever want to remove the permanent marker just use a dab of methanol/ethanol (vodka would be fine) on a tissue and it will wipe off.

Edited 20 September, 20178 yr by BNT1985

I will give that a try later when its home time. If I can't do that then a marker pen will be doing some colouring in.

 

I've had BMW's in the past that had the centre console / cockpit illuminated but it was a dim orange glow which didn't bother me as there was no glare off it. I find the white lights on the Octavia are in my field of vision and can be distracting at times. As I have the DSG box the illumination from the gear selector already provides enough light to see everything plus if the ergonomics are right I shouldn't have to look to see any of the controls (I don') so see no benefit of the lights.

Same here. The shape of the beam, the light colour and intensity are distracting and unnecessary. Everything that I need to see in the cockpit at night is already illuminated. 

I looked for them again with main headlights on. I'd to peer under the reading light assembly, almost headbutting the windscreen, before I could see them.

No ,I have never noticed them while driving.

Submarine lighting is what they are

I'm not a very tall chap and didn't notice these lights and even went so far as to ask on here what the "holes" were for. I hadn't realised that the centre console was illuminated by these lights. I like them a lot.

 

I hesitate to suggest that a slight change in seat height could remove the distraction - possibly.

If you live somewhere where it actually gets dark and has no street lights and you want to do something at night ... they are far, far better than ruining your night vision with bright interior lights. Ergonomics or no, it's much better to be able to see. 

 

I've retrofitted something similar in the A2 both front and rear and will probably do rear again in the Octy. The Fi has something very similar, but orange; the A2 ones are red. LIving without it is not an option when you drive five hours in absolute darkness and need to understand where stuff is. 

 

  - Bret

I agree that when you're stationary they are useful, but when you're moving they serve no purpose. I've even turned the foot well lights down to about 10% though the drivers side perversely seems brighter than the passengers which doesn't help. 

I see very well in the dark which is maybe why they distract me more than others. Other than the gear lever and handbrake I have no need to mess with anything else in the centre console area when driving or stationary as the multi function steering wheel allows me to change most things.  

they annoy me as well, i drove home from picking up the car new and they buggedthe hell out of me. You have to dim everything to dim them which is unwanted. Can they be altered by the Vagcom or what ever the skoda equivalent is?