Instrument lighting dimmer auto-reset?

[mfjj]

Hi Folks, Does your instrument lighting dimmer retain its setting? Mine always resets to Max overnight and I have to turn it down every day. I know it's a trivial matter but if it's not supposed to do that maybe this is an indicatation of potential problems elsewhere. The owner manual says... "The illumination settings default to the maximum setting after the battery is disconnected then reconnected, or discharged then recharged."

 

[fbov]

I like to run mine at minimum, and no, it doesn't reset on it's own. It reset when I got 13B07 PCM update (no surprise) and I noticed right away (also no surprise; some things matter).

Have fun,

Frank, who's wondering if we're about to convert another Prius driver...

[wab]

+2 "fbov"

Always max would bug me BIG TIME!

[mfjj]

I took the car to my dealer in the morning (before my post). It was my first ever encounter with Ford service, and it was quite interesting. The service advisor who took my car called me late afternoon. She said what I had was completely normal because the dimmer had a "reset button" (huh?). She quickly moved away from that and said her own Explorer also reset the dimmer every day and "all Ford vehicles were like that", and it only took two seconds to change the setting, so no big deal. She also said her shop foreman suggested I asked my salesperson to go over the car's operation with me again because (my words) I apparently did not know how to operate a dimmer switch. Well, I actually have an EE degree but that was beside the point.

 

Thanks to this forum, I was able to tell her other C-MAX owners did not seem to have the same problem, so maybe it was not completely normal. She relented and decided to keep the car for another day, but I could almost see her rolling her eyes, forever branding me as someone who can't be bothered to spend two seconds to dim the light.

 

I will report back.

 

[drdiesel1]

What mode was the headlamp switch in when you reset the dimmer function ?

[mfjj]

What mode was the headlamp switch in when you reset the dimmer function ?

Either "On" or "Autolamp". Same result.

[drdiesel1]

Either "On" or "Autolamp". Same result.

I've never paid much attention to this.  I'll check it and see, the next time, I drive it.

Edited November 14, 2013 by drdiesel1

[mfjj]

Well, the dealer stuck to their guns and insisted that it was normal for the dimmer to auto-reset to MAX every day. They "checked everything and could not find any problem". They also managed to zero all my mpg figures (including the lifetime mpg) while they were "checking everything". Gee, thanks a lot! I think I'm done beating this dead horse.

[drdiesel1]

Well, the dealer stuck to their guns and insisted that it was normal for the dimmer to auto-reset to MAX every day. They "checked everything and could not find any problem". They also managed to zero all my mpg figures (including the lifetime mpg) while they were "checking everything". Gee, thanks a lot! I think I'm done beating this dead horse.

Yeah... It's not always best to go to the dealers for this type of stuff. They don't really know how it functions and most owners know more.

I'll update this thread when I look at mine. Hope I can help, somehow.

[drdiesel1]

Okay!  I went and checked mine. It stays were I set it at.  During my testing, I see where the setting notification shows an OK

selection when you're pressing the dimmer button to change it.  Make sure you press OK, after your have selected the light

setting you've set. Otherwise, the system will probably just default to the last setting when the system is active.  Give it a try

and let us know if it works for you :victory:

Edited November 15, 2013 by drdiesel1

[mfjj]

Thanks so much for checking this! Unfortunately, I had already experimented with the OK button and it didn't make any difference for me. In fact, I'm not sure the OK on the screen and the OK button on the steering wheel are "linked". The timing doesn't seem to match. No matter how quickly I pressed (or not pressed) the button, the notification took the same amount of time to clear itself.

[drdiesel1]

Thanks so much for checking this! Unfortunately, I had already experimented with the OK button and it didn't make any difference for me. In fact, I'm not sure the OK on the screen and the OK button on the steering wheel are "linked". The timing doesn't seem to match. No matter how quickly I pressed (or not pressed) the button, the notification took the same amount of time to clear itself.

It sounds like you have a problem with it. The dealer needs to escalate the status of your problem to Ford's technical assistance team

and not keep the car for days while they gather information.  Sounds like it might be a button or configuration problem.

 

I would make the dealers tech look at another stock unit with you, to verify the operation between them. 

This will show the problem if it has one.  Then they can't just blow you off again. I've done this with lots

of customers to prove things out when they can't understand how to relate the problem(s) on paper.

It's quick and easy and will make them feel better if something they think is a problem, isn't.

If they can show me a real problem it's all the better. It's best for all involved and so simple to do.

Edited November 15, 2013 by drdiesel1

[mfjj]

drdiesel1, thanks so much for your help! Could you confirm that the OK button was indeed necessary? In other words, if you started with the Max setting, lowered it but didn't press the OK button, the setting would revert back to Max the next time you turn on the car?

 

Since I could only drop off the car early morning and pick it up late at night, all the discussion was done over the phone. On the second day, the dealer claimed they already checked an in-house C-MAX and it was doing the same thing, and it was completely normal for the dimmer setting to revert to Max every day. I took the car back last night. I didn't want to cause anyone any grief by escalating the problem from my end. I think I will just try my luck at another dealer. If anyone have access to more technical information that definitely states the dimmer should retain its settings (or even point to a possible diagnostic if it doesn't), I would greatly appreciate it. My concern is not so much about having to set the dimmer every day, but about this being an indicaiton of other problems down the road. Many thanks!

[wab]

drdiesel1, thanks so much for your help! Could you confirm that the OK button was indeed necessary? In other words, if you started with the Max setting, lowered it but didn't press the OK button, the setting would revert back to Max the next time you turn on the car?

 

Since I could only drop off the car early morning and pick it up late at night, all the discussion was done over the phone. On the second day, the dealer claimed they already checked an in-house C-MAX and it was doing the same thing, and it was completely normal for the dimmer setting to revert to Max every day. I took the car back last night. I didn't want to cause anyone any grief by escalating the problem from my end. I think I will just try my luck at another dealer. If anyone have access to more technical information that definitely states the dimmer should retain its settings (or even point to a possible diagnostic if it doesn't), I would greatly appreciate it. My concern is not so much about having to set the dimmer every day, but about this being an indicaiton of other problems down the road. Many thanks!

 

Our car was built 01/13, when was yours built?

Ford changed some of the dash display info in later build dates.

 

You might want to print this picture and my statement.

 

"I have never hit the "OK button while "Instrument Dimming" was displayed.

The dash lights ALWAYS come on at this setting."

 

wab

[ceemax71]

I believe the instrument panel dimming level depends on the ambient light level.

During the day, the dimming level would default to full intensity.

At night or low ambient light, the dimming level goes to the previously selected dimming level.

The dimming level might also default to full intensity during the day if the headlights are turned on.

[mfjj]

Our car was built 01/13, when was yours built?

Ford changed some of the dash display info in later build dates.

 

Thanks, wab! My car was built on August 1, 2013. It's a C-MAX Hybrid SEL with 303A and Remote Start. I think there were two software updates since the build, and they were done at the dealer before delivery (8/22).

[mfjj]

I believe the instrument panel dimming level depends on the ambient light level.

During the day, the dimming level would default to full intensity.

At night or low ambient light, the dimming level goes to the previously selected dimming level.

The dimming level might also default to full intensity during the day if the headlights are turned on.

 

That's an interesting point! It doesn't explain my problem, though. I normally have autolamp on, so the headlamps should (and do) only turn on when the ambient light is low, but the instrument light always starts at Max and I have to turn it down every time. I have also experimented with turning the headlamps on and off manually, but the result was the same.

[Edsel]

Mine always stays the same.(as low as possible)  I think the OK in this situation is just to get the normal sceen back.

[fbov]

I believe the instrument panel dimming level depends on the ambient light level.... The dimming level might also default to full intensity during the day if the headlights are turned on.

The dimming is linked to the headlights in auto mode. Whenever I go under a dark overpass, or in deep shade, the dash lights dim when the headlight come on. I'd like a bit of delay...

 

I will also note that I always confirm with an OK when changing settings; the only reset to date was the 13B07 PCM update, which reset a lot of things.

 

HAve fun,

Frank

[ceemax71]

That's an interesting point! It doesn't explain my problem, though. I normally have autolamp on, so the headlamps should (and do) only turn on when the ambient light is low, but the instrument light always starts at Max and I have to turn it down every time. I have also experimented with turning the headlamps on and off manually, but the result was the same.

If it goes to full intensity at night each time, then there is a problem.  It could be the ambient light sensor is bad, although I think it uses the same sensor for the autolamp control.

[mfjj]

The dimming is linked to the headlights in auto mode. Whenever I go under a dark overpass, or in deep shade, the dash lights dim when the headlight come on. I'd like a bit of delay...

 

 

Well, if you had my car you could have as much delay as you want :)

 

Seriously, thanks so much you guys! I think we have established that there is a problem with my car. I just hope I can convince the next dealer (I am not going back to the first one). If anyone has official Ford documentation saying the dimmer should retain its settings, I would love to have it. The owner's manual implies this (saying the dimmer would go to default under certain conditions like battery disconnection), but apparently that's not good enough for my dealer.

[robertiv]

I'm just thinking, but haven't checked into it yet (I'm at work), but if you turn off the AUTODIMMING settings in MFT (do you have that?) and just use the manual dimming on the left side of the dash, does it retain its settings then? Since I'm not having your problem, I don't know to actually test it out. 

[mfjj]

I'm just thinking, but haven't checked into it yet (I'm at work), but if you turn off the AUTODIMMING settings in MFT (do you have that?) and just use the manual dimming on the left side of the dash, does it retain its settings then? Since I'm not having your problem, I don't know to actually test it out. 

 

That's a very interesting idea! It didn't work for me, though. Turning off the Auto Dim (and playing around in the MFT Display section) did not help the instrument dimmer retain its setting.