Hard to see instruments in dashboard

[cdnbazza]

Hi,

Can anybody give me some feedback here?

I have a '03 4Runner Sport with the V6. I read somewhere that there was a fix for the instrument panel because it was difficult to see under certain lighting conditions. Does anybody know if this is true?

If so, what is the fix.

I've had my sunroof "fixed" and they managed to scratch the dashboard in the process. I didn't bother to get that repaired as I didn't know want them to create any more "damage" fixing the first! Likewise, I don't want them to potentially create any other damage while fixing the instrument panel if it's a big complicated job.

 

[toybox]

In '04 they responded to some same complaints about the displays. Toyota's solution was to keep all the gauges back lit like the headlights were on. They put an extra indicator light in the gauges to tell you if your low beams are on or not, like the blue high beam indicator light.

Since you have auto off on your '03 you could just leave your headlights on an achieve the same effect.

 

[JungleJim]

In '04 they responded to some same complaints about the displays. Toyota's solution was to keep all the gauges back lit like the headlights were on. They put an extra indicator light in the gauges to tell you if your low beams are on or not, like the blue high beam indicator light.

Since you have auto off on your '03 you could just leave your headlights on an achieve the same effect.

We rented a Nissan Altima in Florida at Easter and observed the same thing (the gauges light up, even without the lights on).
Probably an issue on most vehicles with individual, deep, round gauges

 

[Mark86]

If you don't want to leave your headlights on, you could just leave your parking lights on all of the time. They go off when you open the drivers door. That is what I do most of the time.

 

[cdnbazza]

Thanks for the feedback, guy's.

Actually I drive with my headlights on anyhow as I don't like the fact that the indicator lights are the daylight running lights.

I thought that day light running lights where there for you to be seen (as in someone driving towards you when the sun behind you late in the day) and I don't think the indicator lights do as good a job as the headlights. In fact I've looked at the wiring diagram to see if it's possable to change my daylight running lights from my indicator lights to my headlights but I'm a bit shy of maybe blowing something in the computer if I did.

Has anybody tried this or can provide some additional info on this mod?

 

[c44me]

I turn on my headlights to see the instruments. I like the suggestion of just leaving them on all the time, since they shut off by themselves, however my nervous system has a "headlights off" setting wired into it by now, and I find I always turn them off.

Of course, the next problem you will experience is that, with the headlights on, the tiny dim amber indicator lights on the heating/AC controls dim themselves further, and become pretty much invisible.