F30 dark instrument cluster

kalmotam · 01-22-2017, 04:06 AM

Hey guys I'm new in the forum and upon searching I couldn't find a similar thread, so I hope its not an issue that has been discussed earlier.
Everyone here I believe knows that the instrument panel of the 328i is either pitch dark or orange (at night upon turning on the headlamps) even the 2016 models. In the daytime if you enter a tunnel without the lights on auto or its foggy outside, you cant see the instrument cluster, except for the odometer and outside temperature unless you are on auto, which in that case you will have the front lights also on. I checked out this problem in Germany, it seems that some blokes out there weld white LEDs in place of the orange ones and somehow make it stay on constantly, regardless whether its dark outside or not. The X models and 5 series have white and orange displays which are constantly on. Seems like they forgot to do this for the 3 series. Anyone have any suggestions? Can you code the car somehow to always have an orange cluster panel?

Billfitz · 01-22-2017, 09:57 AM

Leave it in auto, you should have your lights on in a tunnel or when it's foggy anyway. If it's dark enough that you can't see the dash then it's dark enough that other drivers can't see you.

kalmotam · 01-22-2017, 11:36 AM

Hey thanks for replying. Your logic is sound; however, if this was good enough they wouldnt have improved on the 5 series and X series. It's nice to have a well-lit white instrument panel and have it turn orange at night regardless of the on or off situation of the headlamps. I was thinking of somehow coding the car such that the cluster panel always remain on and orange in color... instead of off in daytime orange at night.

Billfitz · 01-22-2017, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kalmotam

It's nice to have a well-lit white instrument panel and have it turn orange at night regardless of the on or off situation of the headlamps.

An alternate view is that not having the dash lit all the time serves as a good reminder to turn your headlights on when you can no longer see the dash. You might think that people aren't stupid enough to drive in the dark without their lights, but just when you think you've seen the maximum extent of stupidity possible someone proves you wrong.

DyersEve · 01-22-2017, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kalmotam

Hey thanks for replying. Your logic is sound; however, if this was good enough they wouldnt have improved on the 5 series and X series. It's nice to have a well-lit white instrument panel and have it turn orange at night regardless of the on or off situation of the headlamps. I was thinking of somehow coding the car such that the cluster panel always remain on and orange in color... instead of off in daytime orange at night.

I guess I don't understand why auto doesn't work for you. When you enter a tunnel or dimmly lit area the headlight and dash lights come on. When you exit they turn off. That is the easiest solution. Unless you don't care about the tunnel scenario and simply want to have the dash lit all the time. In that case I'm sure there is a way to code that. Truthfully you shouldn't have to though.

kalmotam · 01-22-2017, 01:18 PM

The truth is on "auto" the car is overly sensitive, during the day unless I am in direct sunlight with blue skies, the head lights will be on, as will the cluster. Now the cluster being on is fine, I would like it to always be on. However there is often more than enough light outside, even though it may be cloudy, that you really dont need the headlights to be on. Nobody else has their lights on, and you get quite a lot of stares as if you're some kind of blind bat or you're on a hurry or something...
Someone once told me that the sensitivity of the "auto" system can me modified??

DyersEve · 01-22-2017, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kalmotam

The truth is on "auto" the car is overly sensitive, during the day unless I am in direct sunlight with blue skies, the head lights will be on, as will the cluster. Now the cluster being on is fine, I would like it to always be on. However there is often more than enough light outside, even though it may be cloudy, that you really dont need the headlights to be on. Nobody else has their lights on, and you get quite a lot of stares as if you're some kind of blind bat or you're on a hurry or something...
Someone once told me that the sensitivity of the "auto" system can me modified??

I would take it to get looked at. It sounds like yours is broken.

01-22-2017, 04:06 AM	#1
kalmotam Enlisted Member 8 Rep 41 Posts Drives: 2016 bmw X4 F26, 2014 bmw F30 Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Iran iTrader: (0)	F30 dark instrument cluster Hey guys I'm new in the forum and upon searching I couldn't find a similar thread, so I hope its not an issue that has been discussed earlier. Everyone here I believe knows that the instrument panel of the 328i is either pitch dark or orange (at night upon turning on the headlamps) even the 2016 models. In the daytime if you enter a tunnel without the lights on auto or its foggy outside, you cant see the instrument cluster, except for the odometer and outside temperature unless you are on auto, which in that case you will have the front lights also on. I checked out this problem in Germany, it seems that some blokes out there weld white LEDs in place of the orange ones and somehow make it stay on constantly, regardless whether its dark outside or not. The X models and 5 series have white and orange displays which are constantly on. Seems like they forgot to do this for the 3 series. Anyone have any suggestions? Can you code the car somehow to always have an orange cluster panel?
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01-22-2017, 09:57 AM	#2
Billfitz Lieutenant General 8216 Rep 16,054 Posts Drives: '15 328iX GT Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New Hampshire iTrader: (0)	Leave it in auto, you should have your lights on in a tunnel or when it's foggy anyway. If it's dark enough that you can't see the dash then it's dark enough that other drivers can't see you.
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01-22-2017, 11:36 AM	#3
kalmotam Enlisted Member 8 Rep 41 Posts Drives: 2016 bmw X4 F26, 2014 bmw F30 Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Iran iTrader: (0)	Hey thanks for replying. Your logic is sound; however, if this was good enough they wouldnt have improved on the 5 series and X series. It's nice to have a well-lit white instrument panel and have it turn orange at night regardless of the on or off situation of the headlamps. I was thinking of somehow coding the car such that the cluster panel always remain on and orange in color... instead of off in daytime orange at night.
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01-22-2017, 01:18 PM	#6
kalmotam Enlisted Member 8 Rep 41 Posts Drives: 2016 bmw X4 F26, 2014 bmw F30 Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Iran iTrader: (0)	The truth is on "auto" the car is overly sensitive, during the day unless I am in direct sunlight with blue skies, the head lights will be on, as will the cluster. Now the cluster being on is fine, I would like it to always be on. However there is often more than enough light outside, even though it may be cloudy, that you really dont need the headlights to be on. Nobody else has their lights on, and you get quite a lot of stares as if you're some kind of blind bat or you're on a hurry or something... Someone once told me that the sensitivity of the "auto" system can me modified??
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