Instrument/Dashboard lights

[mansugi]

The instrument lights on my 2015 Legacy is not lighting up. I just notice it today when driving to work is the dark hours due to daylight saving time and I can't adjust the temp dial or the radio volume.

These are all the buttons and switches all the left and right hand side of the steering wheel.

 

Is there a button or switch that I need to push to turn these lights off and on on the steering wheel ??

 

Thank you all.

[mansugi]

Anybody...... ??

[csaari]

Well, not sure I can help, as I don't own a 2015, but here are a few things I could think of to check. {I found a pdf of the owner's manual, and I don't see a switch that would turn the dash lights on and off.}

 

1) Did you check the dash illumination knob? Maybe it got adjusted to the dimmest setting. On my 2005, even at the dimmest setting, the dash lights are still on just dim, maybe on the 2015 you can actually get the dash lights to turn off completely.

 

2) Not trying to sound like a wise-guy, but did you actually turn on your headlights? When the '05 GTs first came out, there were stories of people who would forget to turn on their headlights, because the gauges were lit up all the time anyway, and they would drive at night with only the DRLs on, not realizing the headlights weren't on. Of course, two results of this were no dash lights as well as no taillights... I don't know if your gauges on the 2015 are illuminated all the time or not.

 

3) The only other thing I can really think of is maybe a blown fuse. Not sure if there is one just for the dash lights. I was looking at a list of fuses, but none of them are immediately obvious as being for the dash lights.

 

Well, that's my 2 cents... don't know if it helps.

[mansugi]

Actually, it does helps just by replying to this thread.

 

All of the above are great idea and suggestion.

 

My last resort is to pull every single fuse that I think related to the dashboard lighting. Hopefully the fuse is the culprit.

 

Thanks for your feedback.

[csaari]

You're welcome, sorry I can't think of anything else. Good luck with the fuses!

[bsheaffer]

Idk if it’s a bit late, but the illumination is handled id Suppose by the daylight sensor, the radio and cluster only dim if it’s dark enough outside and headlights are on. But everything else comes on if the headlights are on (not DRL) if the lights are not coming on it could be due to the dimmer knob. Or even the daylight sensor.

 

If the dials are not working for the temperature or the volume that’s a completely separate issue that’s not anything to do with lighting, unless you mean “you can’t” as you just can’t see them and have absolutely no idea where they are)

 

Also what do you mean by the cluster is not lighting up? The lights are always on, they just turn brighter durring the day, if they are actually off, completely, there is an issue with the cluster,

 

And for the steering whee controls those should come on regardless as long as the headlights are on.

 

I’m not quite sure what you need help with. I’m going to assume you mean all the night lighting for the entire car is not coming on, and you can’t see and don’t know where things are. If that’s the case it’s most likely an issue with the dimmer switch or daylight sensor (or fuse) you can troubleshoot By turning on your headlights. All the switch lighting should turn on but the cluster and radio will stay bright. (Unless it is dark outside then the cluster and radio will dim) that is normal behavior,

 

If nothing is turning on (or dimming for the cluster and radio) with the headlights It’s most likely the dimmer switch, but make sure you don’t have it in the “night override” posistion the night lighting will still come on in that mode but the cluster and radio will never dim, and be at day brightness

 

Nerd info:

For this generation of legacy the dimmer switch does not work the same way as old cars, it simply tells the body control module? What brightness the lights should be at, I’m not sure what the failed state is, I can check if you want me to(I’m sure with the switch not working right it would just fail to day mode?), and I seriously doubt something was wrong with the BCM

Edited April 7, 2020 by bsheaffer
I’m a goof.