Dimming interior lights when dark... Fix?

[RobmJ]

Is there a way to keep the interior dash (and infotainment) lights from dimming when it gets dark out? I prefer them bright and vibrant like they are during the day. I find it odd they dim at night .. First time I’ve seen a vehicle do that .

For awhile I thought the interior lights would dim as soon as the headlights would come on (when set to auto) but the other day I realized my headlights came on and my interior was still bright for a short while before dimming ..

Anyway to keep them bright at night?

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[Ranger8729]

Are you speaking to the interior overhead lights or the interior dash lights?

 

[RobmJ]

Are you speaking to the interior overhead lights or the interior dash lights?

Dash lights.. they are brighter during the day and automatically dim when it gets dark ..

 

[JaysOnTheEDGE]

The dimmer control is right below the headlight switch is you press the + button until it reaches max i believe it will turn the dim off

 

[quangdog]

Heh, funny, I like them to dim - in fact, I really wish the sync screen would dim a LOT more than it does. I've fiddled with the dimming settings on it, and it's fine when it's on the regular sync screen, but if I plug in my iPhone car play pops up and blinds me. Also, the reverse camera is stupid bright at night.

But as for OP's question: I don't believe you can disable that easily - maybe with Forscan?

 

[RobmJ]

The dimmer control is right below the headlight switch is you press the + button until it reaches max i believe it will turn the dim off

Doesn’t matter.. at max setting , still dims at night

 

[Ranger8729]

Doesn’t matter.. at max setting , still dims at night

Yep, they do dim down some at night still. This is a good thing so it doesn't kill your night vision. The max setting is pretty bright, however. You can turn off the Sync screen dimming in the settings menu. But I'm with quangdog and wish the Sync screen dimmed more. I was looking at Ram trucks when buying and was so happy that they had a dedicated dash button for "screen off"

 

[JaysOnTheEDGE]

I wonder what would happen if the light sensor was unplugged

 

[Big Blue]

I wonder what would happen if the light sensor was unplugged

Probably mess up the auto headlight on function. The truck wouldn't know if it was light or dark out and keep headlights on all the time.

Personally wouldn't want the dash lights on bright all the time. My night vision is bad enough without the dash lights blinding me

 

[RobmJ]

I wonder what would happen if the light sensor was unplugged

Where and how would I do that?

 

[Big Blue]

Where and how would I do that?

I would find the sensor, probably on top of the dash first. Then put a piece of black tape over it. See what happens. Disconnecting may put you permanently in night mode.

 

[JaysOnTheEDGE]

From the service manual
"Networked Illumination Operation
The dimmable switches and components are illuminated when the parking lamps are on. The system-wide
illumination dimming level is determined by the BCM. Based on the ambient light level input from the light
sensor and the requested illumination dimming level input from the dimmer switch, the BCM calculates the
correct dimming level. The BCM sends the illumination dimming level message to the GWM on the HSCAN1.
The GWM distributes the message to the following components:
HS-CAN1
• ICM
MS-CAN
• FCIM
HS-CAN3
• IPC
• APIM
The receiving modules use the illumination dimming level message to determine the backlighting intensity of
internal and external non-networked illumination sources. If a module does not receive the illumination
dimming level message or the data received is deemed invalid, the module sets a DTC in continuous
memory and defaults to full nighttime intensity.
If the IPC does not receive the dimming level or ambient light level network messages from the BCM for up
to 5 seconds, the IPC illumination remains at the last level based on the last message received. If the IPC
receives invalid or no signals for more than 5 seconds, the IPC defaults to full night illumination level.
On vehicles equipped with autolamps, if the exterior lamps are activated during the daytime, the message
center illumination remains at full intensity and does not dim from the illumination dimmer switch. If the
vehicle travels under a bridge or through a tunnel, the low level of ambient light causes the illumination level
of the message center to change to the level set by the illumination panel dimmer switch. The message
center illumination changes back to full intensity when the intense ambient light is restored.
The hazard switch is integral to the FCIM and cannot be serviced separately."

 

[Ranger8729]

i thought we had a screen off option

We absolutely do. But you have to navigate into the sync display menus to activate it. Other vehicles have a dedicated, single, physical dash button with one press, screen off.

 

[Motorpsychology]

Personally wouldn't want the dash lights on bright all the time. My night vision is bad enough without the dash lights blinding me

Your pupils adjust to the brightest light source the field of view. The brighter the incoming light, the smaller the pupils dialate and therefore lessens the light gathering capability available to see beyond the brightest light source.Think of the temporary "blindness" after a flash photo or lightning strike.

Simply, if your dash lights are full bright you may not see the deer or jogger at night until too late.

I'm no optometrist, I was at the VA Eye Clinic today and picked up some handouts.

 

[RobmJ]

From the service manual
"Networked Illumination Operation
The dimmable switches and components are illuminated when the parking lamps are on. The system-wide
illumination dimming level is determined by the BCM. Based on the ambient light level input from the light
sensor and the requested illumination dimming level input from the dimmer switch, the BCM calculates the
correct dimming level. The BCM sends the illumination dimming level message to the GWM on the HSCAN1.
The GWM distributes the message to the following components:
HS-CAN1
• ICM
MS-CAN
• FCIM
HS-CAN3
• IPC
• APIM
The receiving modules use the illumination dimming level message to determine the backlighting intensity of
internal and external non-networked illumination sources. If a module does not receive the illumination
dimming level message or the data received is deemed invalid, the module sets a DTC in continuous
memory and defaults to full nighttime intensity.
If the IPC does not receive the dimming level or ambient light level network messages from the BCM for up
to 5 seconds, the IPC illumination remains at the last level based on the last message received. If the IPC
receives invalid or no signals for more than 5 seconds, the IPC defaults to full night illumination level.
On vehicles equipped with autolamps, if the exterior lamps are activated during the daytime, the message
center illumination remains at full intensity and does not dim from the illumination dimmer switch. If the
vehicle travels under a bridge or through a tunnel, the low level of ambient light causes the illumination level
of the message center to change to the level set by the illumination panel dimmer switch. The message
center illumination changes back to full intensity when the intense ambient light is restored.
The hazard switch is integral to the FCIM and cannot be serviced separately."

Is there a way to fix it though ? Lol

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