Gauge lights always on?

[robaustin]

Just want to check something. I've noticed that no matter what, even if the lights are off, the gauges on the dash and the lights on the driver's window/lock controls are on. They do NOT seem to be able to be controlled by the dimmer either. Is this normal - everyone else seeing this as well?

Reason is - even though it was daytime like twilight-ish, the other day - because the gauges were on I thought the lights were on, and I was driving home and it got darker I didn't realize the lights were not on, because the dash lights were on.

Just checking if this is normal - that everyone has this behavior.

I have a 2010 SL HB btw....

--*Rob

[led hed]

mine as well.

[iluvmyVersa08]

Yeah it's normal ...
But your radio / centre control lights will not be on. That's a way to know that your outside lights are not turned on !

[robaustin]

Yeah and that's how I noticed - but it was like "oh wow....my lights haven't been on this whole time....kinda dark now....

[br4dysays]

yeah i thought this was weird when i first got my car.

just hope they never burn out lol

[NODES]

yeah i thought this was weird when i first got my car.

just hope they never burn out lol

My infinity had that as well, 7 years later and it was still going strong...the lights i mean.

[srellim234]

Although the car was designed that way I see it as a serious safety issue. Without automatic headlights a person driving the car at night may not even be aware that the headlights are not on. Especially if coming out of a well lit area area (parking lot, under a street light, etc.) after dark. That lit up dash leads people to believe that the headlights are on.

If the dash got dark as available light diminished people would recognize it and turn the headlights on.

[robaustin]

Exactly.

Way back in the early 1990s I borrowed my dad's car - a loaded Ford Thunderbird. It had a digital speedometer - which was always lit up. I pulled out of the parkinglot of where I was, unaware my lights were not on. About a mile later I got pulled over for having no lights on.

I had a date in the car - talk about embarassing!

--*Rob

[NODES]

Although the car was designed that way I see it as a serious safety issue. Without automatic headlights a person driving the car at night may not even be aware that the headlights are not on. Especially if coming out of a well lit area area (parking lot, under a street light, etc.) after dark. That lit up dash leads people to believe that the headlights are on.

If the dash got dark as available light diminished people would recognize it and turn the headlights on.

here in B.C people drive at 9 at night with only their daytime running lights....