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      05-05-2016, 08:26 PM   #1
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M2 Daytime Instrument Lighting issue

I'm reading in the forum a lot of people complaining about this. Please note that I do not have the car yet, so I cannot objectively offer my perspective or opinion.

However, too many complaints from the early adapters with some of you even willing to pay for any available coding.

Perhaps a formal complaint to BMW NA is in order if you all think that this could be a problem or become a safety issue. If it's simply a matter of coding then perhaps BMW NA could offer a solution through the dealer channel assuming BMW AG does not.
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      05-05-2016, 09:44 PM   #2
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Got to admit that it's indeed frustrating (especially with sun glasses). I fail to understand how BMW overlooked this aspect.

Hopefully BMW provides a fix (software update), more particularly arranging that the instrument cluster light is permanently active, as soon as the car is started, regardless of the lighting conditions. This may improve comfort and safety.

Daylight: readability OK

Name:  Instrument_Cluster_01.jpg
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One minute later: less daylight (entering the woods) and the grey analog dials and orange needles (speed + rpm) become harder to read (please note that the picture shows better lighting than in reality):

Name:  Instrument_Cluster_02.jpg
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      05-05-2016, 09:49 PM   #3
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Checked with my sa to see if they could code the backlight on. The answer was no that it couldn't be done.
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      05-05-2016, 09:55 PM   #4
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Agreed. This is by far my biggest complaint of the car. I was hoping it could be coded. If not BMW should address it.
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      05-05-2016, 10:10 PM   #5
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Do any other contemporary BMWs also not do this?
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      05-05-2016, 10:29 PM   #6
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I where sunglasses while driving 99% of the time during the day, this backlight issue really concerns me.

As i mentioned in another thread I've heard it may be able to be coded, hoping this is correct.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pyrat 2 View Post
Checked with my sa to see if they could code the backlight on. The answer was no that it couldn't be done.
In my experience dealerships always refuse to do any coding that hasn't been ordered by BMW.

Last edited by Prodigy.; 05-05-2016 at 11:37 PM..
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      05-05-2016, 10:39 PM   #7
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How is this any different than older BMW models that didn't have daytime instrument lighting,like my E46 M3?I have never had a problem reading the instrument dials in low level daytime lighting.I guess it is bit of an issue when you are under a bridge or in a tunnel,but that is for a very limited amount of time.It would be cool to have the feature but it isn't something that I am worried about it.Just leave your headlight switch on auto and then your instrument lighting will come on when you are in a dark underground area.
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      05-06-2016, 12:50 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nantucket View Post
How is this any different than older BMW models that didn't have daytime instrument lighting,like my E46 M3?I have never had a problem reading the instrument dials in low level daytime lighting.I guess it is bit of an issue when you are under a bridge or in a tunnel,but that is for a very limited amount of time.It would be cool to have the feature but it isn't something that I am worried about it.Just leave your headlight switch on auto and then your instrument lighting will come on when you are in a dark underground area.
The issue is more noticeable in my M2 than it ever was in my E46 M3s. I don't know if it has to do with the dark panels or the design of the dashboard causing shadows in certain low lights, but I noticed it one day around dusk. It's not a deal breaker for me, like it is for some folks, but I do notice it.
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      05-06-2016, 02:19 AM   #9
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I do agree, but even with backlight the orange would not have improved things in daylight IMHO

I mus also say the dash is a mess, different increments in reading speed, with al those sub menues you have to scroll through, the failing oil temp gauge.

There were times that BMW was far in the lead of best dash layout worldwide, those days are gone.

I feel almost ashamed to admit I do like my previous Cayman GTS dash far more, the cleanness, the way it was lit, the proper info it gave !
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      05-06-2016, 06:30 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Prodigy.
I where sunglasses while driving 99% of the time during the day, this backlight issue really concerns me.

As i mentioned in another thread I've heard it may be able to be coded, hoping this is correct.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pyrat 2 View Post
Checked with my sa to see if they could code the backlight on. The answer was no that it couldn't be done.
In my experience dealerships always refuse to do any coding that hasn't been ordered by BMW.
They were willing and have done some simple coding for me before. They said it wasn't a coding option. Now that said I have sensed that there are some things that they will code for me and others while possible they won't. Don't know why this would fall into the won't vs can't camp though.
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      05-06-2016, 06:36 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MTHRAR
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nantucket View Post
How is this any different than older BMW models that didn't have daytime instrument lighting,like my E46 M3?I have never had a problem reading the instrument dials in low level daytime lighting.I guess it is bit of an issue when you are under a bridge or in a tunnel,but that is for a very limited amount of time.It would be cool to have the feature but it isn't something that I am worried about it.Just leave your headlight switch on auto and then your instrument lighting will come on when you are in a dark underground area.
The issue is more noticeable in my M2 than it ever was in my E46 M3s. I don't know if it has to do with the dark panels or the design of the dashboard causing shadows in certain low lights, but I noticed it one day around dusk. It's not a deal breaker for me, like it is for some folks, but I do notice it.
This is my seventh bimmer and seems to me, but can't recall for sure, all had a simple high contrast white lettering on black background. The M2 has low contrast silver lettering on dark titanium background.

Agree it's not a deal breaker but definitely not their best work.
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      05-06-2016, 06:42 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Romo
I do agree, but even with backlight the orange would not have improved things in daylight IMHO

I mus also say the dash is a mess, different increments in reading speed, with al those sub menues you have to scroll through, the failing oil temp gauge.

There were times that BMW was far in the lead of best dash layout worldwide, those days are gone.

I feel almost ashamed to admit I do like my previous Cayman GTS dash far more, the cleanness, the way it was lit, the proper info it gave !
Agree. The steering wheel controls fall into the same category. Very busy, non intuitive. Also, eliminated the cruise stalk and moved the controls to the steering wheel which I also feel was a step back (why do we need an on off for the cruise???).

Great car overall. But the human factors design dept was not showing their best work here.
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      05-06-2016, 06:52 AM   #13
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I might take out the cluster and solder in some white LEDs, but I am not sure how to only activate them during the day.
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      05-06-2016, 11:15 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nantucket View Post
How is this any different than older BMW models that didn't have daytime instrument lighting,like my E46 M3?I have never had a problem reading the instrument dials in low level daytime lighting.I guess it is bit of an issue when you are under a bridge or in a tunnel,but that is for a very limited amount of time.It would be cool to have the feature but it isn't something that I am worried about it.Just leave your headlight switch on auto and then your instrument lighting will come on when you are in a dark underground area.
I did not have this issue in my E46 M3 or 135. I think it has to do with the depth of the gauges and the colors. Leaving the headlight switch on auto is not a solution (even though that's where I leave mine). The ambient light detector does not turn the lights on until it's pretty dark -- long after it would be useful to have the cluster lit up. You really need to see it to understand.
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      05-06-2016, 12:01 PM   #15
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I noticed this with my polarized sunglasses on and it's a minor niggle. One interesting thing I noticed is it forces me to drive by feel more which makes me as a driver more attuned to what the car is telling me which makes me love the car that much more.
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      05-06-2016, 12:12 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Romo View Post
different increments in reading speed
I actually don't mind that. Otherwise you end up like my Z4MC, where the 100 km/h reading is about 1/3 of the way on the dial so driving at normal speeds was hard to do when you couldn't tell if it was 30, 40, or 50 km/h
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      05-06-2016, 12:13 PM   #17
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I kinda noticed this problem today. I was in cloudy weather at 8am and i was wondering why the guages were so dim. Kinda wish there was some lighting on all the time.

What I'm more surprised is that it's 2016 with LED lighting instruments. They could of easily made of dynamically changing LED color configuration so that you can change the guages to how ever you want...
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      05-06-2016, 12:44 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gmzanatta View Post
I actually don't mind that. Otherwise you end up like my Z4MC, where the 100 km/h reading is about 1/3 of the way on the dial so driving at normal speeds was hard to do when you couldn't tell if it was 30, 40, or 50 km/h

Well, I`m a symmetrical kind of guy

I do wish they put the M3-M4 km scale witch has 30km incremets.

Porsche does 50km incremets

But all symmetrical, I love that.

You are Canadian? So you`ve also the metric system.

I don`t know how the incremts are in MPH.
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      05-06-2016, 12:52 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Romo View Post
Well, I`m a symmetrical kind of guy

I do wish they put the M3-M4 km scale witch has 30km incremets.

Porsche does 50km incremets

But all symmetrical, I love that.

You are Canadian? So you`ve also the metric system.

I don`t know how the incremts are in MPH.
Yep, the only real unit system!!! **shots fired**
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      05-06-2016, 01:31 PM   #20
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This car needed a HUD a hell of a lot more than it needed Lane Departure.
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      05-06-2016, 01:34 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DrKevM5 View Post
This car needed a HUD a hell of a lot more than it needed Lane Departure.
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      05-06-2016, 01:41 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nantucket View Post
How is this any different than older BMW models that didn't have daytime instrument lighting,like my E46 M3?I have never had a problem reading the instrument dials in low level daytime lighting.I guess it is bit of an issue when you are under a bridge or in a tunnel,but that is for a very limited amount of time.It would be cool to have the feature but it isn't something that I am worried about it.Just leave your headlight switch on auto and then your instrument lighting will come on when you are in a dark underground area.
You should see it IRL. Really. I'm flexible, but can say that it's indeed bothering. First time I noticed it I thought that a fuse of the instrument panel lighting had blown. But it hadn't. I guess that most don't expect the analog speedometer and rev counter to remain this poorly lit in low daylight circumstances. Never experienced it this bad on previous BMW M cars.

As it's a safety and comfort issue, BMW should address this.
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