Problem with dashboard lights

[devon_guy]

Last night driving home and the rev counter and speedometer lights went out. All the others remained on. About 20 mins later they came back on again. This morning when I got in I put the headlights on to see and they had stopped working again. Anyone any ideas??

[thrifty]

Mine did the same the other day. I think there is a light sensor to keep them off when it is not dark, but it gets confused by low slanting sun. Was it fully dark when they went off?

[devon_guy]

No it wasn't actually come to think about it, but don't remember there being any sun either!

[dawesy]

Happened to me last week, when the sun was low, It's the sensor in the rev counter display and not a problem..If you put the ligth on in day light the interior lights will not come on, but hold your hand over the top of the rev counter and they will come on (you should just be able to see the sensor!) I thougth it ws a problem, but nope...

I take it the display lights are on when it's dark!?

[devon_guy]

Thank you so much for all your help! There is indeed a sensor and when I stuck a cloth over it the lights went on. I've just phoned the garage up and tore them off a strip for not knowing such details. I would have had to do two 50 mile round trips to find all this out. When I had a go at them the response was "It's not my fault, cars are too modern"!!!!

[fredbred]

This is a feature of the 500 - the speedo doesn't illuminate until the light outside dims. Apparently there's a sensor but I haven't found out where it's located.

[Tino]

I haven't got the manual to hand, but I thought you could change the background illumination level of the cluster from the menu (you can do this when the vehicle is stationary).