Gauge lights - question

[Cobra Jet]

When it is night - and headlights are not on, what color are the dash gauge lights supposed to be?

Are they supposed to be lit up white?

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[strengthrehab]

Base car? Yes

 

[OracleHCR]

I wouldn't think they would be on at all if the headlights are off

 

[fionic]

I wouldn't think they would be on at all if the headlights are off

your gauges turn off completely when the headlights are off?

they should be going to whatever level is set on the left side of the steering wheel (the dimmer).

 

[OracleHCR]

I guess I'll have to go check. I leave my headlights on auto. So if it is dark out, my headlights are on. Never really paid attention to it.

 

[Zerobar78]

The gauges are on 100% of the time and bright white, however while you can dim them manually to an extant the light sensor has overall control and will dim/brighten the gauges as it see's necessary, it's terribly annoying.

 

[fionic]

I leave my headlights on auto.

ah, one of those...

 

[7six2]

The gauges are on 100% of the time and bright white, however while you can dim them manually to an extant the light sensor has overall control and will dim/brighten the gauges as it see's necessary, it's terribly annoying.

I agree. 6 months into it and it still bugs me.

 

[Cobra Jet]

The gauges are on 100% of the time and bright white, however while you can dim them manually to an extant the light sensor has overall control and will dim/brighten the gauges as it see's necessary, it's terribly annoying.

This is what I *thought* - but just to confirm what I'm experiencing:

In the morning upon start up (no headlights on at all - dial is to "off"), my dash and center gauges are glowing "white". They remain as such throughout the length of drive to work.

The last few days it's been staying lighter than normal after 5pm - so when I initially get in the car to go home, headlights are off and the gauges glow white (as to be expected). My dimming function is set to high on the gauges too.

However as I'm driving and its gradually getting darker (now approaching 5:30ish), if I do not turn on the headlights, the dash gauge cluster and the center gauges over center stack go from glowing white to being dimmed down to almost looking like they are off. The needles remain lit red and the center stack monitor and the digital readout between the main gauges does not dim at all.

When I turn my headlights to on - the dash gauge cluster and the center gauge cluster light up to my designated color without issue. I even cycled through all of the colors (including the white), and they all work fine with no issues.

So I'm puzzled as to if the gauge lighting is acting normal or abnormal, hence the reason for the post inquiry.

I just got the car back after it being in Service for nearly 3 weeks so I'm trying to get used to things about it again if you know what I mean...

?

 

[awmustang]

Maybe this is Ford's way of telling you to turn on your lights. Back in the day, if you were driving and couldn't see your gauges (because they weren't lit at all back then) you'd be reminded to flip on your lights. Now, I see so many cars driving at night with no headlights, at least in the city where you don't really "need" your lights. I always think to myself that they probably have no clue that their lights aren't on. Either they are used to auto lights and for some reason they were turned off (after a trip to the dealer for one), or they don't have auto lights. Either way, there really is no glaring reminder to turn your lights on, since everything inside the car is lit up quite nicely.

 

[Zerobar78]

This is what I *thought* - but just to confirm what I'm experiencing:

In the morning upon start up (no headlights on at all - dial is to "off"), my dash and center gauges are glowing "white". They remain as such throughout the length of drive to work.

The last few days it's been staying lighter than normal after 5pm - so when I initially get in the car to go home, headlights are off and the gauges glow white (as to be expected). My dimming function is set to high on the gauges too.

However as I'm driving and its gradually getting darker (now approaching 5:30ish), if I do not turn on the headlights, the dash gauge cluster and the center gauges over center stack go from glowing white to being dimmed down to almost looking like they are off. The needles remain lit red and the center stack monitor and the digital readout between the main gauges does not dim at all.

When I turn my headlights to on - the dash gauge cluster and the center gauge cluster light up to my designated color without issue. I even cycled through all of the colors (including the white), and they all work fine with no issues.

So I'm puzzled as to if the gauge lighting is acting normal or abnormal, hence the reason for the post inquiry.

I just got the car back after it being in Service for nearly 3 weeks so I'm trying to get used to things about it again if you know what I mean...

?

It's the way they are programmed, Ford feels they know better than you do on when your lights should be on and for some folks that's probably fine. For us, it's very annoying to go through a tunnel, the gauges dim, then you come out of the tunnel and your gauges are completely invisible to you, which could be dangerous. They should have just left it alone to a simple light/dark scheme when the headlights are on or off.

 

[jasonstang]

It's the way they are programmed, Ford feels they know better than you do on when your lights should be on and for some folks that's probably fine. For us, it's very annoying to go through a tunnel, the gauges dim, then you come out of the tunnel and your gauges are completely invisible to you, which could be dangerous. They should have just left it alone to a simple light/dark scheme when the headlights are on or off.

I know right? They can give use better center screen functions but a sensor to dim the back light.
BMW had this feature in 2001 but it never dims below certain light level. It only brightens if inside of the car gets brighter.

 

[Cobra Jet]

It's the way they are programmed, Ford feels they know better than you do on when your lights should be on and for some folks that's probably fine. For us, it's very annoying to go through a tunnel, the gauges dim, then you come out of the tunnel and your gauges are completely invisible to you, which could be dangerous. They should have just left it alone to a simple light/dark scheme when the headlights are on or off.

Yes - that's it!! Ok - great - so it's totally "normal"...

I kept going through a "WTF" moment thinking - great just got the car back and now something else is acting up... Haha... Whew!:cheers:

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