Are they meant to go on and off depending on the light???

Also in menu I cannot get Dimmer to display??

yes they do go on/off depending on lighting.

Dimmer will only appear as a menu option when the headlamps are switched on.

I tried to get dimmer to come up with headlamps on with no joy!!

Any ideas out there??

Intersting... I thought I was seeing things with my instrument lights!! I've only just picked up my 500 (1.2 Sport in Bossa Nova White) on Monday evening and have been driving to work and back this week (main in the early morning light and dusk), so not enough to have the lights off.. Everything looks fine and the instrument cluster lights up as it did from when driving back from the dealer in the dark, when I was driving into my works carpark, though the proximity pass barriers (around 7:30) I noticed the instrument lights going out, then coming back on as driving round the building, by the time I'm down at the entrance to the underground car park all back on... Is there something intermittant here I though... All worked on the way home in the dark, worked fine in the evening, but on the way to work the next day same thing happened, the main beam was still on however.. I was very confused and on the verge of calling the dealer but wanted to wait until after the weekend...

Anyway, so you guys are saying here that in daylight the instrument cluster lights won't be on! Nothing clear in the handbook.. Seems a strange setup, they could have used that for Auto-on lights also one would have thought.. Anyone know where the light sensor is?

There is a small light sensor at the top of the speedo area that takes in light readings and determines wether the buttons on your steering wheel or on the radio etc. light up. That happens whether you have the dipped beam lights on or off.

Once you turn the dipped beams ON, then that same sensor determines whether the speedo itself lights up. If you're driving with your dipped beams on at dawn (as you will have been) then it can go on and off at random as you pass through lighter or darker areas.

Did that make sense? :chin:

Yup, thanks Lloyd71, all makes sense now, shone a torch at the sensor and the instrument lights go off.. Sorted...

stevematt41 said:

Yup, thanks Lloyd71, all makes sense now, shone a torch at the sensor and the instrument lights go off.. Sorted...

Click to expand...

Sadly, I'll be trying that later

Ha... this had me baffled until I found this thread. Shame it doesn't work all time and switch the instrument lights on when it gets dull... you know the days where it's not dull enough to need headlights, but dull enough to want the speedo lit up!

Perhaps, it's a suggestion that Fiat could take on, as I'm sure it would only be a software change... I think I'll drop a note to Fiat and see what they say...

jackois said:

Ha... this had me baffled until I found this thread. Shame it doesn't work all time and switch the instrument lights on when it gets dull... you know the days where it's not dull enough to need headlights, but dull enough to want the speedo lit up!

Perhaps, it's a suggestion that Fiat could take on, as I'm sure it would only be a software change... I think I'll drop a note to Fiat and see what they say...

Click to expand...

Very good idea! The same thing bugs me too, especially as mine is a Sport version so dark speedo anyway. Good luck and keep us posted!

So's mine... I also dislike the 'no sidelights' option. There are times, especially on motorways or other fast roads, that it would be nice to have tail-lights on without the headlights as well.

I had a reply, standard form, from Fiat, giving a case number and a promise to pass the feedback on to the relevent team... you never know!

yeah but it's not just Fiat that have introduced DRLs. Audi have re-launched its range, all with LED DRLs.

With regards to the instrument lights, as far as I'm aware, the lights are on when the ignition is on. Even on the brightest most sunniest day, if you cup your hand and cast a shadow around any of the buttons it will light up.

I've never experienced them going on or off dependant on the light in the car itself...