5th Gen Dimmer Help Needed

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MagillaGorilla

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I own a 2011 T4R. I run lights on, always. The auto-dimmer makes the dashboard media center screen virtually impossible to see during the day. If the sunroof is open...well, its even worse! Is there a way to override the dimmer so that it stays the brightness it would be as if the headlights are off? Thanks!
 
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I thought it would be that easy...but it isn't. My old Toyota had a feature on the dimmer wheel where, if turned all the way up, it would click into a dimmer override position. My 2011 4-Runner does not have that feature. Maybe it is on the Limited or Trail...but not on the SR5 (on the dimmer wheel anyway). Thanks for the reply though!
 
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MagillaGorilla said:
I thought it would be that easy...but it isn't. My old Toyota had a feature on the dimmer wheel where, if turned all the way up, it would click into a dimmer override position. My 2011 4-Runner does not have that feature. Maybe it is on the Limited or Trail...but not on the SR5 (on the dimmer wheel anyway). Thanks for the reply though!
Click to expand...

I know my TE has this... I would have thought this would be standard on an SR5 too... It's a basic feature after all.

Rob
 
On my TE the dash dimmer only seems to dim when either the headlights or DRLs are on. Otherwise the dash is full brightness and when turned all the way up, it's always full brightness
 
Center Console lights not full bright like the rest of the main dash

MagillaGorilla said:
I own a 2011 T4R. I run lights on, always. The auto-dimmer makes the dashboard media center screen virtually impossible to see during the day. If the sunroof is open...well, its even worse! Is there a way to override the dimmer so that it stays the brightness it would be as if the headlights are off? Thanks!
Click to expand...

I have the same complaint. For those that have responded to the question, if you have a vehicle that you can turn the lights brighter on then please go back and check because either you are mistaken or some of us have defective electrical with regard to the dash lights. The question is specifally for the top center console where the outside temp and fuel economy and distance to empty is located. I have a trail and the TE does not have NAV as an option in Canada. So my dash may be different then some. When I turn my dash lights to full bright it works great and you can see everything great except for the center console. I believe even the stereo does not get extra bright as well. What I don't understand is why it is connected and will go dim but not bright? I have been meaning to ask my dealer to fix this. Although I am confident they will tell me it is normal. (Sigh) I wish I could see my lights when the sun is up and the roof is open. (Sigh again)
 
the center display on my 2013 SR5 has it's own sperate dimmer control - it is controlled by the buttons on the center display itself and explained in the manual. it is also partially controlled by the main dimmer as well. I've always found lighting controls on Japanese cars ridiculous. Climate control too. Not annoying enough to drive me back to German cars, but almost.
 
My 2010 SR5 has a wheel on the left side that controls the dimmer. I thought it was the same for all models.
 
reading the thread hopeing for a simple fix :confused: as it bugs me too - but more so the radio display.

2012 TE - and the dimmer dial left of the wheel, when "clicked" into the topmost position only affects the gauges, the center display and the radio display dimm automatically when the lights are on and do not adjust to full brightness with the gauges.

From the manual:
The daytime brightness of the accessory meter can be adjusted.
STEP 1 Turn the headlight switch off.
STEP 2 Press and hold the “MODE/" button.
STEP 3 Press the “MODE/” button or “SET/” button.
STEP 4 Press and hold the “SET/” button.

Adjusting the brightness of the accessory meter
● When the parking lights are on, the brightness of the accessory meter
can be adjusted only with the instrument panel light control.

So it looks like you can only adjust daytime brightness??
 
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Do you have the TE center console

adio3x said:
My 2010 SR5 has a wheel on the left side that controls the dimmer. I thought it was the same for all models.
Click to expand...

But do you have the small center dash we have in the trail with the fuel economy and the DTE and the shift modes and clock?
 
trailedition said:
But do you have the small center dash we have in the trail with the fuel economy and the DTE and the shift modes and clock?
Click to expand...

Negative, the SR5s don't have that optitron gauge. Sr5s just have what gear you're in and odo. Our fuel economy reading and clock is above the head unit.
 
On myh 2011 LE with the NAV screen, there's a setting in the menu that sets the brightness of the NAV/CD/MAP/etc display. It came defaulted at 50%.
I raise it to abou 80% normally, down to about 20% at night if I'm on a highway trip. This display is unaffected by the dimmer knob on the dash.

Don't know if this is what you're talking about, but if your entertainment center is the big LED display type, this might help.

John
 
dimmer

By media center you mean the touch-screen/nav/audio screen go to set-up>display>daylight. This will lock the screen into daylight mode even when the lights are on. All of the other dashlights work off the scroll wheel to the left of the steering wheel. This was bothering me as well since I like to run lights 24/7.
 
MagillaGorilla said:
I own a 2011 T4R. I run lights on, always. The auto-dimmer makes the dashboard media center screen virtually impossible to see during the day. If the sunroof is open...well, its even worse! Is there a way to override the dimmer so that it stays the brightness it would be as if the headlights are off? Thanks!
Click to expand...

If yours is a SR5, you don't have feature of auto head light on. When the head light is manually switched on the dashboard information screen will be dimmed since the designer believes the outside should be dark enough at the moment and he did not want the inside lights too bright. If you switch off head light (the light nob is on "off" or "DLR") the lights on information screen will be brighter enough.

I used to drive cars with feature of auto head light on. At first few months, I forgot turning head light on a couple of times and I scared and always put the light on. But the dashboard lights were too dim even I put the dial on the maximum level. Then I tried to manually switch the light between head light on and DLR every time I sit in the car. It is not too bad since the indication lights for the AC and radio are off you can't see them if outside is dark and you did not turn on the head light.
 
Kinda of in the same boat, and sorry to revive an old thread, so all of my switch lights are dead, was trying to wire in some after market switches and wanted them to dim...

The fuse went on the bottom panel cuz i was just checking which wires on the switch were used and a crappy connection blew the fuse. I got everything buttoned up correct and replaced the fuse and then everything seemed to work, once i took it all apart again to add the 2nd switch nothing worked... Overhead panel lights, AC clsuter lights, everything is off.. .I have 12v on the power-side of the windshield wiper heater switch, but the LED is not working or on any of the lights...

Any Ideas? its a 2017
 
I have a 2010 SR5 too. The center console illumination can be adjusted independently from the dimmer switch. I believe a couple people have mentioned this already. I think there are a few brightness levels you can select from through the stereo settings. ✌️
 
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