Paradise by the dashboard lights!!

T

tiggy1985

Member
Ok, I couldnt help it with the title but this is a little weird.

I started the car and all was fine but on the way home after stopping and starting again the dashboard lights were very dim and still are...? I have played about with the brightness switch but nothing happens.

Is this another little electrical gremlin I should be aware of :?
 
maybe taking the sunglass off at night would help :rofl: Just a little joke, I have that happened before and a few days later it was fine, I never found out why tho.
 
My old Z4 Coupe used to go on and off with the brightness now and then. I think actually found what was causing it! I think the sensor for dimming the interior lights is a pin hole near the light switch on the dash! You can cast a shadow over it with your hand/arm when driving. :P
 
The display for the odometer / trip mileage etc which is embedded in the speedo has twice gone out completely on my car for no apparent reason. It came back almost immediately. Strange.
 
Happened a few times to me too, almost like its about to stall, you know how the lights dim them go back to full brightness. Not sure.
 
Happened to me too, during the winter when it was really, really cold although the car had been driven for half an hour and had warmed up, but a couple of times the display in the dashpod got dark then bright like someone was playing with the reohstat. About the same time the alarm went off by itself with the engine running. I switched everything off, locked the car and unlocked and it stopped. Weird, but it's not happened since (famous last words...)
 
Guys, same problem, but happened several times and on one occasion, actually went out completely so you couldn't see any readings in the display!

It almost seems to be a loose connection, but tried tapping around the area to see if it makes a difference but it doesn't.

If anyone has any other ideas....would love to hear them cos it is getting annoying :headbang: !

Cheers.

Bronze Stallion

:)
 
Have had this experience with several cars. It likely means your alternator or battery are starting to fail, mostly likely alternator. Noticed any other strange electrical problems, or slightly rough idle?
 
Fusion said:
Have had this experience with several cars. It likely means your alternator or battery are starting to fail, mostly likely alternator. Noticed any other strange electrical problems, or slightly rough idle?
Click to expand...

Welcome to the Forum Fusion put something in the Newbies section about your Zed :thumbsup:

Agree with your diagnosis - sounds like the battery is on it way out, at least as a first check before moving on to more expensive diagnostic options.
 
Not convinced it is the battery as it was changed just under a year ago. Also, car starts easily first time even after a few days of not being used sitting out in cold weather. All other electrics are fine and the idle speed is fine too. Seems specific to the odometer display, as external lights don't fade at all when this happens.

This problem seems more complicated than I first thought! :headbang:

I actually tried cleaning the pin sized sensor/hole next to the lights switch but that's had no effect.

Is this sensor changeable/repairable?

Thanks again.

Bronze Stallion.
 
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