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Interior lighting of various controls

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by larrysullivan, Dec 10, 2005.

  1. larrysullivan

    larrysullivan New Member

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    This might be a really foolish question but the illumination of the controls on the steering wheel and the doors (window buttons) are very faint. It isn't the dial that can turn the brightness up and down on the MFD and speedometer readout either, I tried that.

    Wondering if there is any way to make these controls brighter or if they are as bright as they get...they just seem very dim to me.

    Thanks!
     
  2. aka007ii

    aka007ii New Member

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    This has come up in the past here. The answer is no. Sorry, we all would like those a bit brighter.
     
  3. prius2006rocks

    prius2006rocks New Member

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    I knew there were lights on the steering wheel and dash buttons. But there are faint lights on the door buttons? If so, which door buttons are illuminated? All 4, the driver and passanger, etc?

     
  4. OUscarb

    OUscarb Member

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    Can you change the bulb to a brighter one?
     
  5. Bill Merchant

    Bill Merchant absit invidia

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    The lights are burried in the switches, with no easy way to access them. The only way I've found to make them half-way readable is to turn the dash light control way down, so the entire interior is very dim.
     
  6. windstrings

    windstrings Certified Prius Breeder

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    they are probrably afraid people would kill thier night vision too much since its right in front of thier face and closeup.
     
  7. habel

    habel New Member

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    Yes, but that could have been solved by red light instead of the white/yellowish one. Red light does not affect the nightvision much - BMW (among others) has therefore used this for years...
     
  8. tumbleweed

    tumbleweed Senior Member

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    After looking at headlights of oncoming cars your night vision is close to zero anyway. I do agree that some of the interior lights in the switches and buttons need to either be brighter or adjustable.
     
  9. MarinJohn

    MarinJohn Senior Member

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    Such a simple request made so many times, I wonder, DO toyota architects read this forum?
     
  10. bookrats

    bookrats New Member

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    Last night, I was driving to a Christmas party, and took a wrong turn. Ended up in a remote part of town (right next to Puget Sound) with no street lights for a good couple of miles around me.

    And I looked down at my steering wheel -- and behold! I could finally see the illuminated steering wheel indicators clearly.

    So if you're driving out in the country, it's apparently just fine. :)
     
  11. windstrings

    windstrings Certified Prius Breeder

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    Hey.. thats a good idea.. would look nice too!
     
  12. comtech5

    comtech5 New Member

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    VW uses a combination of bright red and bright blue. Looks and feels like you're in an airliner cockpit. Come'on Toyota, update your backlighting! The Prius is supposed to be high-tech. No excuse for unreadable buttons.
     
  13. jimgraffam

    jimgraffam New Member

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    Glad to hear it wasn't just me. I was beginning to think it was time to get my eyes checked.
     
  14. pendetim

    pendetim Junior Member

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    It would also be nice if they put some lighting beind the homelink garage door opener buttons on the rearview mirror.
    And yes I agree the lights on the steering wheel controls are very poor.. especially for a $30,000 car
     
  15. LewLasher

    LewLasher Member

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    There seems to be no lighting on the radio controls. I'm not talking about the steering wheel, nor about the video display, but those conventional/retro buttons and knobs below the video display.
     
  16. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(comtech5 @ Dec 11 2005, 05:01 PM) [snapback]171921[/snapback]</div>
    I don't understand why VW uses the very hard to see blue for their gauge lighting other than the "look cool". The blue is very hard to see.

    From what I recall about human vision, our sensitivity is low at the the very short and very long wavelengths. Colors in the blues and purples fall in the short wavelength category.

    Back to the lighting on the steering wheel controls. Yes it's poor, but they weren't lit at all on my 02 Maxima and aren't lit at all on my 350Z. Maximas of that era w/lots of options and 350Zs can have price tags higher than the Prius.
     
  17. LOOKG4MEN2

    LOOKG4MEN2 Junior Member

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    :( <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(prius2006rocks @ Dec 11 2005, 01:33 AM) [snapback]171626[/snapback]</div>
     
  18. Tchou

    Tchou Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(LOOKG4MEN2 @ Nov 1 2007, 01:04 PM) [snapback]533311[/snapback]</div>
    yeah right, you should also return your keyboard/computer, because your shift key seems to be stuck...
     
  19. LOOKG4MEN2

    LOOKG4MEN2 Junior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tchou @ Nov 1 2007, 08:07 AM) [snapback]533336[/snapback]</div>
    yes, im sorry, my eyes are poor from trying to see my lights at night, so i did not see my caps were on,once again im sorry :) have a great day