It's hardly a design flaw. Next time you're getting driving glasses get prescription ones.

Pompei said:

When I got my car tinted, I also optioned up for another $40 a clear uv tint for the windscreen. Virtually undetectable if you don't know what to look for but IMHO it has reduced heat in car and no more burning on back of hands on hot days when sun is glaring down on you. This might be why I haven't noticed it, but doubt my clear tint has some sort of polarizing effect???

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I very much doubt that a tiny will be polarized.

3M Natural View Anti- Glare Screen Protector for iPad 2/New iPad: Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

Cut to shape and stick it on the instrument cluster?

PsFiat said:

Hmm... Have you tried sitting higher in the seat ? Obviously I don't know how tall you are, but wonder if you sit higher in the seat that it might help ??

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Can't adjust wheel higher or lower. I hit the roof with my hair so changing steering height lower means no speed visible.

Pompei said:

When I got my car tinted, I also optioned up for another $40 a clear uv tint for the windscreen. Virtually undetectable if you don't know what to look for but IMHO it has reduced heat in car and no more burning on back of hands on hot days when sun is glaring down on you. This might be why I haven't noticed it, but doubt my clear tint has some sort of polarizing effect???

Click to expand...

That's illegal in Aus...

Piccolo Nero e Bella said:

Just a couple of quick shots to illustrate. Taken today around 3pm; the first facing directly into the sun and the second at ninety degrees to it. Note that it's mid-Winter here and the sun's angle is as low as it gets - in Summer it's nearly overhead and much more intense of course.

Incidentally, I've tried varying my driving position but it makes no appreciable difference - I just get slightly different views of the cowling..

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This is exactly what mine does, but in black. Because my dash background is black turning the lights on for the speedo is necessary and also because I don't have the big retro style numbers.

Winter hasn't been bad just summer for the reflection.

The matte screen protector from iPad etc is an interesting idea. For $20 it may be worth it.

Piccolo Nero e Bella said:

Sadly I have to wear what my licence refers to as 'corrective lenses' while driving, which limits one's choices somewhat. Clip-ons didn't make any appreciable difference and I'm not going to invest in contacts just because of a Fiat design flaw.

By the way, someone here suggested switching on the headlights to backlight the speedo but this doesn't help. For starters the speedo (as you can see above) is not the major issue and, in any case, in bright sun the sensor automatically turns the backlight off and the central display to full brightness regardless of what setting you may have adjusted it to. Believe it or not I only discovered this fact after 12 month's ownership!

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Thanks for posting the pics. It looks like the reflection is not from the wheel but the casing at the back of the wheel .Why not experiment with covering that up with some matte black paper, see if it blocks that glare ?
Also you mentioned a sensor for your dash lighting? Not sure if I have that ...

Adzee said:

That's illegal in Aus...

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Really?? Shop said 80% of cars they do get it done. The other bloke in the waiting room was also getting it.

Oh well, I am happy with it and it works. You can't tell it's there as it's completely clear. I will just take my chances and deal with Mr Insurance Man if they reject my claim for my car car ever getting hit up the bum by someone else. Doubt the assessor will look for that.

Come to think of it, using your emergency warning device when it's not an emergency is also illegal, but I always toot and wave goodbye (limb protruding from moving vehicle?) when leaving a friends place... So is driving around with a bicycle rack with no bicycles attached to it!!!

Not having a go at you, you are merely pointing out that apparently the clear film is illegal, I am just saying some of these laws are plain silly.

zanes said:

3M Natural View Anti- Glare Screen Protector for iPad 2/New iPad: Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

Cut to shape and stick it on the instrument cluster?

Click to expand...

I very much doubt that will work, the central bit already has an anti-glare matte finish, you can only apply this film to something which is completely smooth, also it only really works with things which are bright.


Which reminds me of something, IIRC the brightness of the display can be changed I think? Try upping that

Pompei said:

Really?? Shop said 80% of cars they do get it done. The other bloke in the waiting room was also getting it.

Oh well, I am happy with it and it works. You can't tell it's there as it's completely clear. I will just take my chances and deal with Mr Insurance Man if they reject my claim for my car car ever getting hit up the bum by someone else. Doubt the assessor will look for that.

Come to think of it, using your emergency warning device when it's not an emergency is also illegal, but I always toot and wave goodbye (limb protruding from moving vehicle?) when leaving a friends place... So is driving around with a bicycle rack with no bicycles attached to it!!!

Not having a go at you, you are merely pointing out that apparently the clear film is illegal, I am just saying some of these laws are plain silly.

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Yeah, sadly there would be inferior products like there has been tint in years past that bubble, or become murky and not really possible to see out of. So no sun protection for us. That's why so often people but carpet mats for the dash to stop them from cracking in our extreme UV conditions.

PsFiat said:

Thanks for posting the pics. It looks like the reflection is not from the wheel but the casing at the back of the wheel .Why not experiment with covering that up with some matte black paper, see if it blocks that glare ?
Also you mentioned a sensor for your dash lighting? Not sure if I have that ...

Click to expand...

The reflection is mostly from the cowl as I said. I've tried some black material there but it makes only a marginal difference - witness the fact that some people with black cowls also report a problem.

As for the sensor, it's one of those model/market dependent things according to the manual. I had always assumed my car was not so fitted until one day I thought I saw the speedo backlight come on and go off by itself. Further examination, with the aid of a small LED torch, reveals the circular sensor on the outer ring of warning lights just above the '100' on the speedo. If you shine the light on it (with headlights on of course) on a dull day you can see the speedo backlight go off and the centre display go to full brightness. Of course just because the circle is there doesn't mean there's an element behind it and it might be present on all models.

I have no idea what possible purpose this feature serves but there you are!

Edit: Just went out and checked the 500C Pop - it has the working sensor too! I'd be surprised if your car hasn't.

Adzee said:

This is exactly what mine does, but in black. Because my dash background is black turning the lights on for the speedo is necessary and also because I don't have the big retro style numbers.

Winter hasn't been bad just summer for the reflection.

The matte screen protector from iPad etc is an interesting idea. For $20 it may be worth it.

Click to expand...

The centre display is flat faced so it already has an anti-reflective finish, otherwise you'd seee your face in it. If you look at my first photo above you can see a fuzzy white bar across the face of the display - this is the reflection of the rim of the steering wheel broken up by that anti-reflective finish. That's the sort of result you'd get at best I suspect. It doesn't eliminate reflection, just disperses it. Nonetheless it might help, combined with the curve and tilt of the clear instrument cover but I'd be hedging my bets.

Piccolo Nero e Bella said:

The centre display is flat faced so it already has an anti-reflective finish, otherwise you'd seee your face in it. If you look at my first photo above you can see a fuzzy white bar across the face of the display - this is the reflection of the rim of the steering wheel broken up by that anti-reflective finish. That's the sort of result you'd get at best I suspect. It doesn't eliminate reflection, just disperses it. Nonetheless it might help, combined with the curve and tilt of the clear instrument cover but I'd be hedging my bets.

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It's certainly not the steering wheel reflecting!!! The cover is actually at an angle to reduce the glare and reflection (facing down) but then when the sun hits the steering arm it reflects that.

Hence if you stick your fingers straight out at the top of the steering wheel the shadow on the cowl stops it reflecting. Not rocket science.

Adzee said:

It's certainly not the steering wheel reflecting!!! The cover is actually at an angle to reduce the glare and reflection (facing down) but then when the sun hits the steering arm it reflects that.

Hence if you stick your fingers straight out at the top of the steering wheel the shadow on the cowl stops it reflecting. Not rocket science.

Click to expand...

Please read my post again, you seem to have misunderstood. I wasn't referring to the clear cover over the whole instrument cluster but to the face of the central data display, the surface of which is flat and facing almost directly toward the driver. It too reflects but, as I said, it has an anti-reflective finish - that is where the steering wheel is reflected as a blurred area. Perhaps you didn't notice that I also referred to the "curved and tilted" cover?

Adzee said:

It's certainly not the steering wheel reflecting!!! The cover is actually at an angle to reduce the glare and reflection (facing down) but then when the sun hits the steering arm it reflects that.

Hence if you stick your fingers straight out at the top of the steering wheel the shadow on the cowl stops it reflecting. Not rocket science.

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Or you're just stopping the light getting to the steering cowling. Might not be rocket science but you seem to be getting it wrong!

306maxi said:

Or you're just stopping the light getting to the steering cowling. Might not be rocket science but you seem to be getting it wrong!

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That was my point maxi that it's the steering cowl reflection not the steering wheel as the other member said when uploading pics.

True, I refer the fake italianish name person to my comment, sorry it's late here

Sigh, "There are none so blind...."

Please read my post again, you seem to have misunderstood. I wasn't referring to the clear cover over the whole instrument cluster but to the face of the central data display, the surface of which is flat and facing almost directly toward the driver. It too reflects but, as I said, it has an anti-reflective finish - that is where the steering wheel is reflected as a blurred area. Perhaps you didn't notice that I also referred to the "curved and tilted" cover?

Anyway, have you turned the display brightness up?

Pompei said:

When I got my car tinted, I also optioned up for another $40 a clear uv tint for the windscreen.

Click to expand...

Modern windscreens, in my understanding, block most UV rays, so the marketing of clear UV for windscreens is a sell job, just like paint protection that dealers plug hard (knowing that I still bought the paint protection anyway! )