Auto On Headlights result in a VERY Dim Instrument Panel during the day and dusk

[Thompsoncd]

I like my CX-9 very much, in fact I'd say that I'm a 95 percenter. I do have a couple of relatively small beefs and this is one of them.

I like the auto on headlights, but the problem is that they turn down the instrument panel lighting so low that often, before it's completely dark out, I cannot read anything on the instrument panel.

I just drove across the Rocky Mountains during the day and the headlights came on (not sure why, but that's a different problem) and it dimmed the dash. The dash was so dim in the daytime that I could not read the speedometer display, I had to guess how fast I was going.

Sometimes I want to drive with my headlights on for safety and again, the dash goes so dark that I cannot read my speed. Once it's dark, the dash can easily be seen.

The dash lights are turned all the way up.

I suspect there is no solution? It really is a safety issue.

Cole

 

[zoomzoom_fan]

Actually the solution is fairly easy - with the headlights on just press the dashboard illumination knob. The knob works in two directions - rotate right or left to adjust brightness of the instrument panel, or press forward to cancel the dimmer. I hope it helps.

 

[Thompsoncd]

Unfortunately it's set to maximum brightness. I have seen others complain about this too, it just seems to be how they designed it.

It's fine once it's dark, but during the day, dusk or cloudy weather, I cannot see the panel.

I had to keep turning the headlights off to see how fast I was going!

Thanks for your response.

Cole

 

[zoomzoom_fan]

Again, turn on the lights and push the dashboard illumination knob down (towards front of the car). In my case it brings the brightness back to full glare.

 

[Thompsoncd]

Duh! I was turning but not pressing the button! Thanks so much, you solved one of my few pet peeves! I am very grateful to you.

 

[Tirade]

This helped me as well...I had the same question. Thanks, zoomzoomfan!

 

[PR42]

Hi
I bouth a CX-9 2007, and I have one dude. The panel of the radio control and the a/c bottoms has iluminated feature?
Thanks

 

[Toolguy]

Follow-up on Safety comment

I discovered the push "fix" a while back when tweaking the dashboard light control knob. My previous vehicle had a similar feature but the dimming function was also automatic, i.e. the dashboard is fully lighted in bright conditions and dimmed in low light (dusk, tunnels etc..). The problem here is that the dashboard seems to dim for no apparent reason (unless it is set to full light by pushing the knob). This is a safety issue as suddenly, in bright conditions, the dashboard goes dark. My wife commented that she had to stop on a well-travelled highway to try to fix it.

This sounds more like an intermittent failure of the light sensor... Anyone else experienced the same?...

 

[Toolguy]

I managed to convince the dealer to look into this as it is a distraction for any driver to see the dashboard turn dark in broad daylight, hence a safety hazard... The outcome is that the light sensor has a programmable setting - standard and low. Resetting the sensor to low made the problem disappear. Behavior is now correct: the lights (car lights) come on in low light conditions after a normal delay (6-8s), which cause the dashboard to dim to the user night setting - the original problem for this thread... When going from low light to normal daylight (such as exiting a tunnel), the car lights go off and the dashboard is again fully ligthed with littel to no delay.

There remains the issue that the standard setting has a too sensitive threshold, which needs to be addressed by Mazda.

Hope this helps...

 

[rshan]

Is it user configurable or must the dealer configure it?

 

[Antonio DiMarco]

Dealer configure for now. Redesign should include as a user config feature.