Instruments cluster illumination

[RobertJB]

Hi,

does anyone know if there is a way to either make the instruments cluster darker (more that what is allowed by the dimmer) or turn the illumination (scales only, leaving the digital speedo on) off when driving at night?

I know that by default that is not possible, however I am thinking if changing the dimmer's potentiometer or the actual bulbs? behind the cluster could help with this? Maybe VCDS coding?

I am finding the illumination too bright at night even at the darkest setting (yes, I have sensitive eyes). On top of that there is a reflection of the cluster high in the widescreen which is rather annoying (it isn't a problem in my A6 C6 Allroad)

If nothing will help I will perhaps black it out by a template from a cardboard when driving at night

Thank you for any suggestions.

PS. I really loved the night panel option in my Saab 93 Aero.

[Akash]

I know theres an option to make this more permanent when plugging in via VCDS

I can give you more of an answer tonight once I plug mine in but from memory its under instruments and you can have
either nothing lit until external lights are on, needles lit all the time, MPH/RPM numbers lit all the time and both needles and mph/rpm lit or something along those lines but maybe theres more than that...just never looked into it

[RobertJB]

I know theres an option to make this more permanent when plugging in via VCDS

I can give you more of an answer tonight once I plug mine in but from memory its under instruments and you can have
either nothing lit until external lights are on, needles lit all the time, MPH/RPM numbers lit all the time and both needles and mph/rpm lit or something along those lines but maybe theres more than that...just never looked into it

Effectively I am after "nothing lit" even with the external lights on or even better have the ability to say use the steering wheel button (*) to toggle between "NEEDLES ON SCALES ON" and "NEEDLES OFF SCALES OFF or NEEDLES ON SCALES OFF". That would be close to Saab's night panel and very useful for long highway driving. I don't might the illumination during city driving.

There has to be a way, since the scales go off when it gets dark and the external lights are not switches off.

I might need to wire an external switch if VCDS coding won't help with any of that.

[RobertJB]

BTW

Interesting article here: Autoblog Sitemap

This could be another solution to the problem (too bright illumination for people with sensitive eyes) if Audi would implement it in a similar way BMW did.

I have always admired Audi's illumination of the various buttons at night, especially that it is in some shade of red - very low distraction. This makes me wonder why the scales on tacho/speedo are illuminated in white at night?

Anyway, I am sure I will get this sorted, one way or another...

[RobertJB]

Solved!

17-Instruments->Adaptation

I have changed the values of following channels to 0 (zero)

dimming_characteristic_curve_adjustment_clock_dial _night-Y2 (this controls the illumination of the scales)
dimming_characteristic_curve_adjustment_gauage-Y2 (needles)
dimming_characteristic_curve_adjustment_extra_fiel d-Y2 (temp and fuel)
dimming_characteristic_curve_adjustment_middle_dis play_main_field-Y2 (DIS)

Now, when I use the dimmer and move it anticlockwise all the way to the end the illumination of the above elements turns off, (almost Saab's night panel), then when I turn it clockwise just a little bit it turns back on however (dimmer than the factory setting).

There are other Y values which I believe correspond to the the level of ambient light in the car. I have done my testing when it was pitch dark outside.

I am stoked - no more eye irritation and reflections high in the windscreen. Now, I can stop writing to myself (hopefully it will help somebody else)

BTW The car is absolutely amazing, just got it a few days ago - 2012 3.0 TDI 180kW on 19" with S Line suspension

[Akash]

ah well done! Thats the place I was thinking of but did not get a chance to check yesterday
Enjoy the car

[Q7quattro]

Solved!

17-Instruments->Adaptation

I have changed the values of following channels to 0 (zero)

dimming_characteristic_curve_adjustment_clock_dial _night-Y2 (this controls the illumination of the scales)
dimming_characteristic_curve_adjustment_gauage-Y2 (needles)
dimming_characteristic_curve_adjustment_extra_fiel d-Y2 (temp and fuel)
dimming_characteristic_curve_adjustment_middle_dis play_main_field-Y2 (DIS)

Now, when I use the dimmer and move it anticlockwise all the way to the end the illumination of the above elements turns off, (almost Saab's night panel), then when I turn it clockwise just a little bit it turns back on however (dimmer than the factory setting).

There are other Y values which I believe correspond to the the level of ambient light in the car. I have done my testing when it was pitch dark outside.

I am stoked - no more eye irritation and reflections high in the windscreen. Now, I can stop writing to myself (hopefully it will help somebody else)

BTW The car is absolutely amazing, just got it a few days ago - 2012 3.0 TDI 180kW on 19" with S Line suspension

Wpuld it be possible to have a pic of what the instrument cluster looks like now you have made the changes?

many thx

[RobertJB]

Wpuld it be possible to have a pic of what the instrument cluster looks like now you have made the changes?

many thx

The changes have just increased the available brightness range for the entire cluster, so by using the dimmer I can make it darker than the factory settings allowed before the change. At the same time using the dimmer I can black the entire cluster out for example when cursing on a highway with ACC on. It is also possible to black everything out except the needles or everything out except the DIS (and still dimming the DIS to darker level than available before the change), etc.

[MFGF]

Solved!

17-Instruments->Adaptation

I have changed the values of following channels to 0 (zero)

dimming_characteristic_curve_adjustment_clock_dial _night-Y2 (this controls the illumination of the scales)
dimming_characteristic_curve_adjustment_gauage-Y2 (needles)
dimming_characteristic_curve_adjustment_extra_fiel d-Y2 (temp and fuel)
dimming_characteristic_curve_adjustment_middle_dis play_main_field-Y2 (DIS)

Now, when I use the dimmer and move it anticlockwise all the way to the end the illumination of the above elements turns off, (almost Saab's night panel), then when I turn it clockwise just a little bit it turns back on however (dimmer than the factory setting).

There are other Y values which I believe correspond to the the level of ambient light in the car. I have done my testing when it was pitch dark outside.

I am stoked - no more eye irritation and reflections high in the windscreen. Now, I can stop writing to myself (hopefully it will help somebody else)

BTW The car is absolutely amazing, just got it a few days ago - 2012 3.0 TDI 180kW on 19" with S Line suspension

Nice work!

Would you like me to add this to the VCDS Tricks thread? I think it would be a good addition...

MF.

[ukgroucho]

Nice technical article but to sum it up "red light does not bugger your night vision because you can't actually see red things in the dark very well" - at least that was what I was told (many) years ago when I was running around doing orienteering and such in the dark.

The bit I'm missing from this thread is that you can turn OFF the MMI bit between the dials using the MMI controls on the left side of the steering wheel... Hit the button that looks like a series of lines and scroll down. It's at the bottom.
True you lose the digital speedo or whatever but it drops the light from the dash dramatically.

Also.. I'm struggling to understand what the OP is getting reflections off the windscreen.. I'm sure no light gets around the instrument cowl in mine.