Instrument cluster display on 2016 CX-5 Grand Touring w/ActivSense too dim

We just got a 2016 CX-5 Grand Touring with the technology and ActivSense packages for our young drivers and overall like the look, handling and spaciousness of the vehicle. One thing that is a problem is the brightness of the instrument cluster display, particularly the right "multi information" display used for the adaptive cruise control, "Distance Recognition Support System", etc. The display has only two dim settings and the brighter one is still washed out/too dim during day time and particularly during sunny days when it is very difficult to see the display without sunglasses and really impossible to decipher with sunglasses. We talked to the dealer and they agreed that it is too dim and they checked another Grand Touring to see whether it was just our car. Unfortunately, the other car had the exact same issue. The dealer now promised to escalate it with their Mazda contacts to see whether there is a solution to solve this problem.

Have any of you found a solution to rectify the washed out/dim instrument cluster display?

awmawm said:

... Have any of you found a solution to rectify the washed out/dim instrument cluster display?

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Although our CX-5 doesn't have i-ActivSense Package, but the available LCD displays, such as the fuel gauge, on right cluster have no issues as too dim to read. Have you tried to adjust the brightness knob for dashboard illumination? Just turn the small round stick at the top of right instrument cluster counterclockwise to make the whole clusters brighter.

yrwei52 said:

Although our CX-5 doesn't have i-ActivSense Package, but the available LCD displays, such as the fuel gauge, on right cluster have no issues as too dim to read. Have you tried to adjust the brightness knob for dashboard illumination? Just turn the small round stick at the top of right instrument cluster counterclockwise to make the whole clusters brighter.

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Yes, we adjusted the brightness to "bright". The mechanics at the dealership also tried different settings but to no avail. They even brought the car to the service bay to see whether there is a way to adjust the brightness through software changes.

Weird, when I got the car, I had to look in the manual to figure out how to turn the brightness down, it was blinding at night! I've never had an issue with the brightness.

Ride92 said:

Weird, when I got the car, I had to look in the manual to figure out how to turn the brightness down, it was blinding at night! I've never had an issue with the brightness.

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Same here. I would go back to the dealer late one night and sit in another one to see how it compares to yours.

52804x4 said:

Same here. I would go back to the dealer late one night and sit in another one to see how it compares to yours.

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We (and the service technicians) compared our vehicle with another one with ActivSense. Brightness when it is dark outside is fine; the low setting is nicely subdued and the bright setting is not uncomfortably bright. The problem is the lack of brightness during bright, sunny days and the technicians acknowledged that it is a problem. Whether it can be fixed is another issue, though.