visibility of HU display

7360 Views 17 Replies 9 Participants Last post by Paysts, Mar 30, 2009

landrumdh

Discussion Starter · Mar 27, 2009

I've had my 05 S60 for about a year now and the radio display drives me nuts. I don't know if other S60's normally brighten / dim the display as the dash lights go on / off like most cars or not, but it seems like my display is always stuck in dim mode and I do have the dash lights turned all the way up. I can barely see the screen during the day and it's driving me nuts.

I'm still under warranty (certified) and need to ask the dealer about it, but they are 30+min away and I won't be about there for another service for while.

How is the visibility of your radio's during the day? I have the HU-650 I believe (it's raining not going to go check right now

).

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1 - 18 of 18 Posts

LiLaZnDJBoY

· #2 · Mar 27, 2009

Re: visibility of HU display (landrumdh)

All the center console lights should adjust (brighten and dim) depending if it is daytime or nighttime.

The center console lights are controlled by a little light sensor in the climate control unit. It could possibly be bad. Thank goodness for CPO warranty. http://********************/smile/emthup.gif

According to the owners manual (for model year 2002)...

(See the very bottom it says Panel illumination sensor* *Automatically regulates instrument illumination)
(Photo courtesy of Volvo Cars of North America, LLC)

Its kind of fun to confuse your car...you can take a flash light and shine it at that sensor (for about 15-25 seconds), and your interior lights should brighten.

Good luck!

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landrumdh

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 27, 2009

The dash lights turn on and off with the change in ambient light (easily verifiable by the hazard light switch), however the radio lights never brighten during the day to make it more easily visible. When I adjust the lights the radio brightness does go up/down so everything seems to work ok. I can't tell if the display panel is bad, or if it's never getting the "daytime" message to brighten the display further.

LiLaZnDJBoY

· #4 · Mar 27, 2009

Re: (landrumdh)

That is very odd that the radio doesn't adjust to daytime mode. I guess it could be the back light in the radio display that burned out. Usually the dealer replaces the whole head unit... Good luck!

landrumdh

Discussion Starter · #5 · Mar 27, 2009

Re: (LiLaZnDJBoY)

Glad to hear I'm not crazy and the missing "daytime" mode sounds like a defect. I guess I'll try and make a trek out the dealer to get this looked at, I wish the one closer hadn't closed.

Bender

· #6 · Mar 27, 2009

30 minutes is a trek?!?

Definitely something to see the dealer about, depending on where you are on the East Coast, someone may be able to recommend one to you.

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ss60

· #7 · Mar 27, 2009

Re: visibility of HU display (landrumdh)

you're not wearing polarized sunglasses when driving in the day by any chance are you?

landrumdh

Discussion Starter · #8 · Mar 27, 2009

yes where I live now more then 15min is a trek

(my old location trek's started at 1.5hrs)

I am aware polarized sunglasses cause issues with lcd displays, but even when I have my sunglasses off (like most of the winter) I still can barely see the display during the day.

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Bender

· #9 · Mar 27, 2009

Re: (landrumdh)

Quote, originally posted by landrumdh »

yes where I live now more then 15min is a trek

(my old location trek's started at 1.5hrs)

I am jealous!

I can get to all the local stuff in 5 minutes but my office is an hour away... oh well, more time with the T5M

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ss60

· #10 · Mar 28, 2009

Re: visibility of HU display (landrumdh)

Now you've done it. I just realized mine is always stuck in bright mode. Same problem, different end of the stick. Must be the sensor.

campinassassin

· #11 · Mar 28, 2009

Re: visibility of HU display (ss60)

My radio seems to be dim during the day as well. I never really thought too much about it though until i saw this post. Lets me know how it turns out when you go to the dealership.

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vivek9856

· #12 · Mar 28, 2009

Re: visibility of HU display (ss60)

Quote, originally posted by ss60 »

you're not wearing polarized sunglasses when driving in the day by any chance are you?

Haha. I wear polarized sunglasses in the summer, and I used to wonder all the time why my back windshield looked discolored and weird. Then someone told me to take my glasses off, and I was like Ohhhh,.

Paysts

· #13 · Mar 28, 2009

I thought, at one time, that my auto dimmer was not working. Well, I finally got around to noticing that it does dim only the radio and the clock, but it does so good enough that you don't notice. To test the function, try this: During the daytime, adjust the brightness of the instrument cluster and with the thumbwheel, and if the radio and the clock do not respond, then everything is working.

Paysts

· #14 · Mar 28, 2009

By the way, doesn't the S60 have two daylight sensors? One on the top of the dashboard and the other in the climate control panel?

JRL

· #15 · Mar 28, 2009

Re: (Bender)

Quote, originally posted by Bender »

30 minutes is a trek?!?

Definitely something to see the dealer about, depending on where you are on the East Coast, someone may be able to recommend one to you.

Yeah, I was going to say the same thing.
30 minutes is a hardship drive?

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LiLaZnDJBoY

· #16 · Mar 28, 2009

Re: (Paysts)

Quote, originally posted by Paysts »

By the way, doesn't the S60 have two daylight sensors? One on the top of the dashboard and the other in the climate control panel?

According to the manual...
"Sensors
The sunlight sensor on the dashboard and passenger compartment temperature sensor in the ECC control panel should not be covered in any way as this could cause incorrect information to be sent to the ECC system."

ECC = Electronic Climate Control

Tiny

· #17 · Mar 29, 2009

Re: (Paysts)

Quote, originally posted by Paysts »

By the way, doesn't the S60 have two daylight sensors? One on the top of the dashboard and the other in the climate control panel?

I've never seen the sensor on the dashboard...
There is one in the auto-dimming mirror if you have that, but it's just a hole, and it only works in night time when light shines right on it.

Paysts

· #18 · Mar 30, 2009

Re: (Tiny)

Quote, originally posted by Tiny »

I've never seen the sensor on the dashboard...
There is one in the auto-dimming mirror if you have that, but it's just a hole, and it only works in night time when light shines right on it.

I believe the sensor is where the alarm LED is. The second is just below the air distribution button for the footwell.

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