anyone tried to actually use this switch? i have played with it many times under different lighting and cannot seem to see any difference.........

 

Go outside, turn on your ignition, sit in the dark (like how it probably is at 5am...unless you live on Antarctica), and then press the switch several times. You ought to see the orange instrument lights dim or brighten depending on which direction the rheostat is headed...it gets brighter until its limit then starts getting dimmer.

If this doesn't happen for you, then you may have a broken switch I suppose; but I'm betting it's just not been dark enough and/or you haven't pushed it enough. IMO this is one of the silliest controls in the MINI as relatively few people I've met have been able to figure it out at first. Once again, style trumps utility... Good luck!

 

Gee... I thought the idea was to tap the switch with the music you're playing for a disco effect.

God speed.

 

The way I understand it, tapping the switch repeatedly reduces the brightness incrementally. Holding it down increases the brightness. If it's already at max brightness, holding down the switch won't do anything.

 

>>anyone tried to actually use this switch? i have played with it many times under different lighting and cannot seem to see any difference.........

I had some trouble with it at first. The switch is supposed to work as such:
press and hold will increase brightness up to max. As it is increasing, release when you have the brightness you want.
To decrease: repeatedly tap the button to decrease until you get to min.
My problem was that my taps were too long. Try real short taps, repeatedly, and the display should dim substantially. Then hold until it is really bright.
M.

 

My dimmer works very well, thank you. It takes my interior lights from a stealth fighter dull glow up to "It's the Great Pumpkin" luminiscence if I want to fry my retinas and freak out the kids.

 

IMO the highest brightness level is not high enough for daylite viewing. On a bright sunny day I can hardly read the digital speedometer/tempature section on the tach. This is especially true if I'm wearing sun glasses. At night the adjustments to the brightness level are adaquate.

 

>> IMO the highest brightness level is not high enough for daylite viewing. On a bright sunny day I can hardly read the digital speedometer/tempature section on the tach. This is especially true if I'm wearing sun glasses. At night the adjustments to the brightness level are adaquate.


If you turn off your head lights then all the digital readouts will get a whole lot brighter, so you can see them in the sun.

 

Wearing polarizing sunglasses can sometimes completely obliterate readings for any of the LCD readouts in the car (odo, trip computer, clock, radio, Nav). LCD readouts work by utilizing polarizing filters, and depending on the 'orientation' of the polarizing filters on the glasses relative to the displays it will have no effec to completely blacking them out.

To see if you have polarizing sunglasses, or to just see the effect, hold the lens over any of the displays while it is on, and rotate the lens. You will find two spots (180 degrees apart) where the display viewed through the lens will go completely black.

 

>>Wearing polarizing sunglasses can sometimes completely obliterate readings for any of the LCD readouts in the car (odo, trip computer, clock, radio, Nav). LCD readouts work by utilizing polarizing filters, and depending on the 'orientation' of the polarizing filters on the glasses relative to the displays it will have no effec to completely blacking them out.
>>
>>To see if you have polarizing sunglasses, or to just see the effect, hold the lens over any of the displays while it is on, and rotate the lens. You will find two spots (180 degrees apart) where the display viewed through the lens will go completely black.


You'r right. I just got new glasses and with the magnetic clip on dark lens portion I can hardly read my panel. Also when I look out my driver's door window I see a colored streak down the middle of the window. (purple).

Earl

 

thanks guys! will play with it again!!!!

 

>>You're right. I just got new glasses and with the magnetic clip on dark lens portion I can hardly read my panel. Also when I look out my driver's door window I see a colored streak down the middle of the window. (purple).
>>
>>Earl <<





I see the same thing, Earl, with my prescription sunglasses on, which are polarized. (And I cannot see the digital readout on the tach unless I slide my shades down my nose and peer over them.) That purple streak thingie is freaky!



Clo/Wanda

 

It's past midnight, you got a 30 minute drive ahead of you before you are in the cozy bed and your eyes can't stand brightness. Dim everything down to a lull, and I start my sleeping before I get to bed. :smile:

_________________
-Anto. 2003 MINI Cooper S DS/B Bought 2/9/03. 16" R84 X-lite, DSC, MFSW, H/K System. It's All Excellent.
Mods: Pilo Racing Intake 5/24. Alta 15% Reduced Boost Pulley 7/10. Quicksilver Cat-Back Exhaust 8/18.