instrument brightness

tailhappy · 01-07-2024, 02:30 PM

Was driving around while it was cloudy and the sun was in and out. Could hardly make out the central screen with the brightness set to the max. Its hard to believe some one at BMW signed off on this being acceptable. Mine is a 2020 M2 Competition. Is there something else that can be done to improve this or am I just going to have to get use to being able to read the screen half the time?
Thanks, Philip

21F87 · 01-07-2024, 03:22 PM

Window tint would be one option.

MooMooM2 · 01-07-2024, 04:53 PM

maybe it doesn't get that sunny out there but I have never had this problem in 20k miles.

I will say that I do wish the redline was more visible

BigKutta · 01-08-2024, 09:03 AM

I've never had this issue

jefe2000 · 01-08-2024, 02:37 PM

I’m able to see the iDrive screen and interior instrumentation on bright sunny California days. It’s never been an issue in my ‘18 M2.

I wonder if the interior light sensors are blocked somehow. I remember seeing a graphic of the sensor locations in this post from a few years back:
https://www.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...php?p=26861468

KevinC · 01-08-2024, 05:33 PM

This is an age-old problem with the LCI/Comp clusters. In short, if you've tinted your windows, you're gonna have the issue. What irritates the hell out of me is that this isn't overridable via iDrive settings. What's even more irritating is that it exists at all. The way that the cluster is backlit means that to see ANYTHING the backlighting has to be on, day or night. When the headlights are off, there's no logical reason to ever dim the backlighting at all. At least give us the option to leave it up, or manually control it. Nope.

Here's a thread from 2018 with more details. I want to try to try the coding trick with the DIM_TUNNEL_HELL parameter, but I don't know what to set the new value to - 0x00?

https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1488885

chris719 · 01-08-2024, 05:43 PM

Wire in a tiny white LED and electrical tape it to the sensor

MSH_ · 01-10-2024, 01:06 PM

I have the same issue. Didn't connect that the dark tint on mine would do it, but makes complete sense. My car was originally a Florida car and one of the two previous owners had 10%-15% tint put on, so it's pretty dark. Hoping to change it out to something lighter in the future and hopefully will resolve the issue.

01-07-2024, 02:30 PM	#1
tailhappy New Member 0 Rep 11 Posts Drives: BMW M2 Join Date: Feb 2023 Location: NC iTrader: (0)	instrument brightness Was driving around while it was cloudy and the sun was in and out. Could hardly make out the central screen with the brightness set to the max. Its hard to believe some one at BMW signed off on this being acceptable. Mine is a 2020 M2 Competition. Is there something else that can be done to improve this or am I just going to have to get use to being able to read the screen half the time? Thanks, Philip
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01-07-2024, 03:22 PM	#2
21F87 New Member 21 Rep 18 Posts Drives: '21 M2C Join Date: Aug 2022 Location: Central Florida iTrader: (0)	Window tint would be one option.
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01-07-2024, 04:53 PM	#3
MooMooM2 Lieutenant Colonel 1819 Rep 1,610 Posts Drives: M2 Comp Join Date: Apr 2021 Location: NY iTrader: (2)	maybe it doesn't get that sunny out there but I have never had this problem in 20k miles. I will say that I do wish the redline was more visible
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01-08-2024, 09:03 AM	#4
BigKutta Brigadier General 3905 Rep 4,048 Posts Drives: 2020 M2C, 2019 330xi, 2017 Q7 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Washington DC Burbs iTrader: (1) Garage List 2019 330xi [0.00] 2017 Audi Q7 3.0 [0.00] 2020 M2C [0.00]	I've never had this issue
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01-08-2024, 02:37 PM	#5
jefe2000 Lieutenant 740 Rep 484 Posts Drives: 2018 M2 6MT Join Date: Feb 2020 Location: San Francisco Bay Area iTrader: (0) Garage List 2018 BMW M2 [10.00]	I’m able to see the iDrive screen and interior instrumentation on bright sunny California days. It’s never been an issue in my ‘18 M2. I wonder if the interior light sensors are blocked somehow. I remember seeing a graphic of the sensor locations in this post from a few years back: https://www.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...php?p=26861468
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01-08-2024, 05:33 PM	#6
KevinC your average JAMF 3101 Rep 4,094 Posts Drives: '21 M2 Comp, '19 Golf R Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Cochise County, AZ iTrader: (0) Garage List 2019 VW Golf R [0.00] 2021 BMW M2 Competi ... [0.00]	This is an age-old problem with the LCI/Comp clusters. In short, if you've tinted your windows, you're gonna have the issue. What irritates the hell out of me is that this isn't overridable via iDrive settings. What's even more irritating is that it exists at all. The way that the cluster is backlit means that to see ANYTHING the backlighting has to be on, day or night. When the headlights are off, there's no logical reason to ever dim the backlighting at all. At least give us the option to leave it up, or manually control it. Nope. Here's a thread from 2018 with more details. I want to try to try the coding trick with the DIM_TUNNEL_HELL parameter, but I don't know what to set the new value to - 0x00? https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1488885 __________________ '21 M2 Comp '19 Golf R
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01-08-2024, 05:43 PM	#7
chris719 Major General 7334 Rep 7,298 Posts Drives: '08 M Roadster Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: NJ iTrader: (0)	Wire in a tiny white LED and electrical tape it to the sensor
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01-10-2024, 01:06 PM	#8
MSH_ Private First Class 122 Rep 111 Posts Drives: 20 M2C Join Date: Nov 2020 Location: Colorado iTrader: (0)	I have the same issue. Didn't connect that the dark tint on mine would do it, but makes complete sense. My car was originally a Florida car and one of the two previous owners had 10%-15% tint put on, so it's pretty dark. Hoping to change it out to something lighter in the future and hopefully will resolve the issue.
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