dash lights dimming ?

[k9frog]

Hello all,i have a 2012 volt with 1200 miles on her,yesterday when i was driving i noticed the dash lights were going dim and bright, today i pulled the car into the garage and about 15 seconds later the dash lights dimmed, then i pulled the car out of the garage the dash lights brightened after about 15 seconds, is this normal operation, also when the dash lights go bright i cannot adjust the brightness level with the dial on the dash , but when they go dull i can adjust the brightness to a certain point, im so confused, its acting like theres a sensor or something thats controlling the brightness level, is this so or do i have a problem that needs to be looked at.Thank You all

[dax777]

If your lights are in the auto mode they will dim and brighten in accordance with ambient light, day versus night or a dark garage..all normal operations. There is a light sensor on the dash that measures the amount of outside light hitting the dash area...you can turn your headlights to the manual mode and rotary dial all the way up or leave them as they are...I prefer the auto dimming personally...miles are smiles be yours....

[k9frog]

Wow thats so good to hear, my heart fell when the lights started to change, ok if i leave the headlights in manual mode the lights will not change, if i leave them in auto, the light will change based on outside light,well now ill have a good evening

[saghost]

Wow thats so good to hear, my heart fell when the lights started to change, ok if i leave the headlights in manual mode the lights will not change, if i leave them in auto, the light will change based on outside light,well now ill have a good evening

Actually the two LCD screens dim based on the auto lights sensor regardless of the head light switch position. If the headlights are in auto, they'll go on when the panels dim - but even with the lights in manual the panels will still dim when the car thinks it is dark enough out. Sometimes you just have to live with that and turn the brightness all the way up (still somewhat dimmer than the "daytime" panel setting.)

[John_Maine]

Not exactly. If the lights are on automatic, they will turn on and off according to the outside light. So, if you're in the shade of a building or tree or whatever, the lights will come on because the sensor thinks it's getting dark. Then, when you get out into the light, the lights will turn off. Every time the lights turn on and off, the dash lights will dim and brighten because they are designed to dim when it's dark outside. I had an Olds Cutlass with auto headlights and it drove me nuts because the sensor was so sensitive. I felt like the people around me must have thought I was crazy turning my headlights on and off all the time. My Grand Prix and my wife's Mariner have auto headlights but they aren't so sensitive. The only time they bother me is at dawn or twilight, then they get confused. So, I just put them in manual mode. The Volt is probably the same way.