Driver Displays Auto-Dimming

Faults and Technical chat for the Volvo XC40
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Sven
Posts: 24
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 10:23 am

Post by Sven »

Hi All

We're wondering if there's a way in which we can set the displays so they don't auto-dim when we drive into a dim area while daytime driving. We assume that what's happening is that the auto headlight mode also affects how the bright the Sensus and Driver displays are, and what we're finding is happening is if we drive into a darker area, say a tree lined road or tunnel or even just building shadow, which isn't acually dark in the cabin of the car, the dispalys respond by dimming to an extent that they're very hard to see, or in some cases not at all. Does anyone know if they way in which this response occurs can be modified or set so that it doeesn't do this in daytime driving or at least set it into a 'halfway house'?

Thanks all.

PS: still loving the car
2019 XC40 D4 Inscription Auto 4WD

ciuncky
Posts: 205
Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2019 2:46 pm

Post by ciuncky »

I doubt this would be possible. I'll get my car end of this week, but on my current Mazda 3 i have the same issue and the only "fix" i have for it is to manually switch from auto headlights to DRL and then back to Auto when i'm out of the dark
Dermottdog
Posts: 768
Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2019 7:39 pm
Location: Orpington, Kent

Post by Dermottdog »

We had this on our Mini. However, it was nothing to do with the headlights being on auto. The cabin had an ambient light sensor. When driving in poorly lit areas ( trees on both sides of a narrow road) the displays dimmed. Obviously, if it starts off fairly dim, it only gets worse. Every car that I’ve have ever owned had a display brightness control in order to be comfortable at night. Surely the XC40 must be the same.

From the manual.

Adjusting interior lighting
The lamps inside the car come on differently depending on the ignition position used. The interior lighting can be adjusted with a thumbwheel in the instrument panel, and cer- tain light functions can also be adjusted via the centre display.
The thumbwheel on the instrument panel, to the left of the steering wheel, is used to adjust the brightness of the display light, control light, ambient light and ambience light*
Adjusting ambient decor illumination
1. Press Settings in the top view in the cen- tre display.
2. Press My Car Lights and Lighting Interior Lighting.
3. Choose between the following settings:
• Under Ambient Light Intensity, select
from Off, Low and High.
• Under Ambient Light Level, select
from Reduced and Full.
R Design Pro T5 AWD in Crystal White. Convenience Pack, Front Parking and Apple Car. Couldn’t afford anything else!! Arriving late September 2019.
PC40
Posts: 131
Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2018 10:43 pm
Location: UK

Post by PC40 »

There’s a rotary adjuster on the bottom of the dashboard on opposite side of the steering wheel to the ignition button.
Simply adjust it to a brighter setting and the display won’t dim as much. It is possible to cancel out any dimming and just as easy to adjust the display for nighttime driving..
XC40 T5 First Edition|Bursting Blue |delivered end of March 2018
Dermottdog
Posts: 768
Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2019 7:39 pm
Location: Orpington, Kent

Post by Dermottdog »

PC40 wrote: Mon Sep 09, 2019 5:51 pm There’s a rotary adjuster on the bottom of the dashboard on opposite side of the steering wheel to the ignition button.
Simply adjust it to a brighter setting and the display won’t dim as much. It is possible to cancel out any dimming and just as easy to adjust the display for nighttime driving..
That’s what I said🙂
R Design Pro T5 AWD in Crystal White. Convenience Pack, Front Parking and Apple Car. Couldn’t afford anything else!! Arriving late September 2019.
Sven
Posts: 24
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2019 10:23 am

Post by Sven »

Thanks for all your help, we hadn't realised that the thumbwheel adjuster was there, d'oh!
2019 XC40 D4 Inscription Auto 4WD
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