Question about dashboard brightness adjustment.

tymacha · January 30, 2023

I just purchased a 2020 Sierra Denali and I have a concern that I have noticed. The two buttons, (+/-) that adjust the brightness of the dash gauges and navigation screen, do not seem to work during the day time. When I try to adjust the dash brightness around dusk it will not work until the headlights come on automatically, but also even when I manually turn on the headlights I cannot change the brightness of the instrument panel. Is this a normal setting or is there something wrong? I have been told that some newer vehicles have automated brightness displays that will not let you change it based on the time of day, so I am hoping that is not the case.

silveradosid · January 30, 2023

my 2020 the dash lights are on all the time no matter what time it is. and just like your truck they can not be adjusted in the day light, and just like your truck i can only adjust them when it turn the headlights on. i dont understand why the dash light are on in the day time

Turkey Creek · January 30, 2023

Daytime instrument panel lighting is provided as a safety factor ... even though most of us think it is unnecessary.

The BIGGEST problem with this is that the panel will stay lighted even at night without headlights on. I regularly see people driving at night without headlights because their dash is lit and they think the lights are on.

newdude · January 30, 2023

9 hours ago, tymacha said:

I just purchased a 2020 Sierra Denali and I have a concern that I have noticed. The two buttons, (+/-) that adjust the brightness of the dash gauges and navigation screen, do not seem to work during the day time. When I try to adjust the dash brightness around dusk it will not work until the headlights come on automatically, but also even when I manually turn on the headlights I cannot change the brightness of the instrument panel. Is this a normal setting or is there something wrong? I have been told that some newer vehicles have automated brightness displays that will not let you change it based on the time of day, so I am hoping that is not the case.

Normal. During the day the ambient light sensor adjusts the dash lights on its own. If its sunny the cluster goes full bright. If its cloudy it might dim it slightly.

Those buttons will adjust only if the headlights are turned on so at night in AUTO or ON, and I "think" if you turn it "ON" during the day but there will still be some auto control of it during the day with the headlights on.

Grumpy Bear · January 30, 2023

8 minutes ago, newdude said:

Normal. During the day the ambient light sensor adjusts the dash lights on its own. If its sunny the cluster goes full bright. If its cloudy it might dim it slightly.

Those buttons will adjust only if the headlights are turned on so at night in AUTO or ON, and I "think" if you turn it "ON" during the day but there will still be some auto control of it during the day with the headlights on.

True

diyer2 · January 30, 2023

The biggest problem is the driver not the truck.

tymacha · January 30, 2023

Thank you for your helpful responses.

Edited January 30, 2023 by tymacha

dgstarr63 · February 1, 2023

Try covering the ambient light sensor on the top of the dash while trying to adjust.

silveradosid · February 1, 2023

what sucks is the fact it does not remember the setting, i turn down the brightness when i drive home at night and then the next night the dash lights are back a full brightness and i have to turn them down again