2014 Hatch.

The "Electronic Displays" are so tiny and dim that I have to put my reading glasses on (yeah - I'm old) and lean forward to see them - I mean, really, most of the information is about 1/8 inch high!

Is there any way to at least make it brighter during the day?

Maybe an after-market unit?

I am experimenting with a small fresnel lens, which does make it a bit bigger, but brighter would sure help.

-Oly

 

Not wearing polarized sunglasses are you?

 

There's a dimmer here, #7.

[If you live in some parts of the world, there's a similar control for adjusting the height of the headlights]

 

Nope - no sunglasses - I'm just old

-Oly

 

Thanks for the fast reply!

OK, I looked & found this control looking like your image, but nothing happens in ANY position of ****, scroll wheel, and those 2 buttons do nothing discerible, nor do they 'feel' like there is a switch under them.

The book says something about the lowbeams need to be on - but I can't find how to do that - presumably since it has "Automatic" headlights it doesn't trust me to turn the lights on/off

The book isn't anywhere near as helpful as it could be - it appears to be a Google translation from German, judging by the type of phrasing.

-Oly

 

Look at the diagram and match the numbers to the description below. Nothing to do with German translation.

The "A" switch position (middle ****) is automatic. The other positions are manual operation.

 

Yeah, and thanks!

Sitting in my driveway it's not so simple: there is nothing but a field which doesn't reflect the headlights.

I had to drive to a store and I played with the controls until - yes - the headlights came on. Nothing about that in my handbook

And - German translation or not - the "Electronic Displays" on the dash remain TINY and DIM, so I have to use reading glasses when driving. Not good.

I'm hoping someone has a solution to that.

Great forum!

-Oly

 

Old timer to old timer - Bifocals !

 

Sorry to hear you didn't catch this issue on your test-drive....
Not all cars meet the needs of all people. Hopefully you can find a way to make the car you love work for you.
One suggestion...
On older cars, many folks used "scan guages" to display many extra bits of info....
Think I got can be used to do mph, etc...maybe a mount, and use one? The display is bigger and BRIGHT.
They plug into the odb2, but there are wireless versions that can display the same info into a smartphone if you have a nice mount for one of those.

 

Exactly what NEPABob said. Bifocals are the perfect solution.

 

If you are referring the the center stack display (where radio, and song information is shown), yes it sucks.

Between the engineer that thought it was a good idea to have different shades of brightness to song and artist and the daytime sun reflection, the orange display information is a "squinter" at best, and impossible to read at worst.

At night it's readable, but orange on a gray background during the day isn't.

It pretty much amounts to distracted driving if one is trying to drive and focus to decipher the screen info. I've given up trying to glance at it other than to catch the album art and the name of the song (Artist name is out of the question due to the dimness of the back-light compared to the rest of the display). I usually ask my wife and she leans over to read it.

My C7 has a bright and completely readable LCD screen.

 

Mine has started going dim intermittently also. I'm having it looked at when I go in for the cabin filter fix.

 

This does sound as if it may be a solution - particularly the wireless idea!

Thanks, and thanks to all who have responded although bifocals just don't cut it for me - I am at present driving some of the time with my +4 reading glasses low on my nose.

Yesterday I tried one of the interchangeable lenses from my jeweler's magnifyer - I may be able to mount it on top of the steering column.

Sort of a PITA - but, yes! This sort of thing doesn't show up on a test drive - too much fun that these details are easy to miss!

-Oly

 

A properly configured set of bifocals should work very well. Discuss it with your optometrist and they should be able to create a solution. It is perfectly reasonable to own a set of prescription driving glasses with bifocals that are tailored for your needs.

 

Better than bifocals is a quality pair of digital progressive lenses. Even Costco is selling them now. If you can't quickly read the gauges it can be a deadly distraction.