E46 climate display

The CC brightness wasn't altered by the knurled wheel in either of my e46s. I leave mine on full brightness so that everything matches unless I'm on the motorway.

It does dim slightly if you turn the lights on though iirc.
 
Khaaan! said:
There is no individual orange cable to wire, everything is pre-wired to the BMW<>ISO adapter and you just plug it in between the aftermarket HU and the car connector. The HU display has no adjustment for brightness either, only colour of display and button lights and it doesn't dim on this car and didn't on the last acr it was in either!

According to the bimmerwikki and Emtec BMW specialist the light sensor adjusts the radio and OBC display brightness (no mention of climate control display) if the ambient light levels in the cabin warrant it when the headlights are turned on. Test it by shining the torch from the glovebox directly at it at night with the headlights on. Since my car doesn't have a BMW radio that only leaves the OBC display, which I have previously confirmed does adjust based on ambient light.

So yes, I apologise for saying I was sure they didn't dim at all but I was right in that there isn't really a "fault" since it's all down to ambient light levels and what the light sensor is sending to the car.

Do the torch test and see to confirm!
Click to expand...

I don't even have a BM and instruments, CC, radio and other switchgear all dim when I flick the light on, make of that what you want :) And get this when I twiddle the little knob that adjust the intensity all that I've mentioned also adjust. :)
 
That doesn't make mine faulty though does it. It's variable, sometimes it might dim but I've never seen it dim the moment I turn the headlights on, it only dims while driving around and the ambient light outside changes from bright to dark etc. I leave the adjustment wheel on max at all times so I'd never expect to see the display brightness dim when turning on the lights anyway as it's on the default to begin with.

Pretty much exactly as I've said above.
 
Khaaan! said:
That doesn't make mine faulty though does it. It's variable, sometimes it might dim but I've never seen it dim the moment I turn the headlights on, it only dims while driving around and the ambient light outside changes from bright to dark etc. I leave the adjustment wheel on max at all times so I'd never expect to see the display brightness dim when turning on the lights anyway as it's on the default to begin with.

Pretty much exactly as I've said above.
Click to expand...

Clarkey's point is that on his the climate display is a different brightness to the rest of the console. I can well see why that would be annoying.
 
Yup, which is why I said way back above that I see what he is trying to say, but that on my car none of the displays dim all of a sudden when turning on the lights/headlights (although they do during ambient light changes) and some people:

No, it just makes you blind.
Click to expand...

Appear to disagree even though:

(Excuse the "hi" at the end, neighbour walked past waving...)

:rolleyes:
 
Ah, getting your **** stirring fix for the day, awesome.

The sidelights are low priority in minus degrees temps and wet weather, they will get changed when one of the following comes first:

A) Increase in temps + being dry outside.

B) Sunday when I wash the car so would have to change them anyway.

In the meantime the front indicator bulbs turn on at low power if driving with only sidelights on otherwise in auto mode the Xenons are on anyway so either way I am not a hazard to any road user, FYI.
 
Call me lazy for the week or whatever (but calling me a dick is a bit out of order, no?).

Honestly, it doesn't bother me because it's such a low priority job so I have delegated it to being done on Sunday when I wash my car since the weather won't get better before then anyway. Why are you suddenly having PMS over this I do not know.

thepeteh said:
Can't bulbs be replaced in cold tempratures? or if your car is dirty? :confused:
Click to expand...

Of course, but I have more important things to do, like seeing what kind of smarmy post Fox will come out with today :o
 
Last edited:
So then, your display DOES dim just fine then in your video :confused:

FWIW, I've found the brightness dial makes no difference to the brightness of the displays, only the dial/button backlighting.
 
Yes it/they do dim, but if you've been keeping up you will note that they do not dim as soon as I turn on the lights, which us my whole point. In my video they only dim when I roll the dial down and brighten even more than max when I shine the torch at the sensor. Otherwise they dim and brighten as normal with the ambient light outside.

If your dial does not adjust the display brightness as well as button lights then something is wrong indeed.

But do note the dial has no effect on the display if the photodiode thinks its too bright outside (as in it is faulty).
 
Last edited:
Funny thread.

I could have ended it instantly as I notice a significant dimming effect as I run the display on the minimum possible brightness setting. I can't understand how people like it any brighter!
 
PMKeates said:
I run the display on the minimum possible brightness setting. I can't understand how people like it any brighter!
Click to expand...

I do this too. I hate bright lighting inside the car, I even have my phone (Sat Nav & Music) on very, very low brightness although this still annoys me slightly.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom