Dash lights

[TRABKLOM]

2019 Ram 1500 Classic Tradesman

During daylight hours I want my head lights on for safety. However, when I select "Auto" position, the dash lights go dim. So dim, I can't see them. Can this be changed to stay full brightness? Thanks

 

[Audiowriter]

Does the dial not make the dash lights brighter when using auto mode?

 

[David H]

This^^^ You should have a dimmer wheel below the headlight selector knob. All the way right there are 2 detents. The first is dash lights full on. The second is courtesy/map lights on.

From my owner's manual under Interior Lights.

138 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE
The brightness of the instrument panel as well as the
ambient lighting can be regulated by rotating the dimmer
control right (brighter) or left (dimmer). When the headlights
are on you can supplement the brightness of the
odometer, trip odometer, radio and overhead console by
rotating the control to the right until you hear a click. This
feature is termed the “Parade” mode and is useful when
headlights are required during the day.

 

[Curmudgeon]

@Audiowriter @David H @TRABKLOM

My 2014 Gen 4 Laramie does exactly as you both describe, but to be fair and honest I have never used the "Auto" feature as mentioned by the OP. It never does what I want.

I'll have to try it in about an hour when I run an errand, I don't know whether or not there is a difference but I'm curious now.

 

[Curmudgeon]

2019 Ram 1500 Classic Tradesman

During daylight hours I want my head lights on for safety. However, when I select "Auto" position, the dash lights go dim. So dim, I can't see them. Can this be changed to stay full brightness? Thanks

I just tested, in broad daylight, when switching to "Auto" neither my dash lights nor my headlights come on or go dim. With my truck, if I want the headlights on during daylight, Auto won't do it, and IIRC it is not supposed to. I have to turn the lights on manually.

I do this anyway, as I posted above, the Auto mode never seems to do what I want so I always turn my lights Off and On manually anyway. My truck doesn't have Daytime Running Lights so I manually turn them on. When I turn the lights on manually the dash lights will go dim, and I can adjust them, but I always have the dash set to max bright. Most of my driving is during daylight hours since I retired.

Have you verified that your headlights turn on with Auto and in daylight?

 

[David H]

Have you verified that your headlights turn on with Auto and in daylight?

Yeah, they are not supposed to come on during daylight hours. The dash lights are affected by the Auto mode however, even though the headlights don't come on unless of course you have the dimmer dialed up full bright.
OP has not signed in since the original post. Maybe this weekend.

Automatic Headlights — If Equipped
This system automatically turns the headlights on or off
according to ambient light levels. To turn the system on,
rotate the headlight switch to the AUTO position.

 

[crash68]

I do this anyway, as I posted above, the Auto mode never seems to do what I want so I always turn my lights Off and On manually anyway. My truck doesn't have Daytime Running Lights so I manually turn them on.

The Auto function for the headlight during the daylight will turn the headlights on if the windshield wipers are turned on. Some truck have an option to turn this option On/Off. It should be possible to enable this option with AlfaOBD if it isn't already. Going to say a bunch of people don't realize that most states have laws on the books that you're supposed to turn the headlights on when it's raining.

 

[Curmudgeon]

The Auto function for the headlight during the daylight will turn the headlights on if the windshield wipers are turned on. Some truck have an option to turn this option On/Off. It should be possible to enable this option with AlfaOBD if it isn't already. Going to say a bunch of people don't realize that most states have laws on the books that you're supposed to turn the headlights on when it's raining.

Just one of my many pet peeves, and yes, I've checked/verified, my headlights
do NOT come on with the wipers in AUTO mode. Like the 3rd brakelight, I'm half-expecting to see this show up in pending legislation some time soon.

Some of my past cars have had DRLs and my wife's car has them, but the Ram does not, nor did my '06 Tacoma. Don't recall about my '08 Civic.

Either auto or manual I've been driving with headlights on day/night for decades.

 

[Curmudgeon]

Yeah, they are not supposed to come on during daylight hours. The dash lights are affected by the Auto mode however, even though the headlights don't come on unless of course you have the dimmer dialed up full bright.
OP has not signed in since the original post. Maybe this weekend.

Automatic Headlights — If Equipped
This system automatically turns the headlights on or off
according to ambient light levels. To turn the system on,
rotate the headlight switch to the AUTO position.

I know, all of it. I was hoping OP would check/test and reply, as things don't seem to be for him.

 

[RamDiver]

Just one of my many pet peeves, and yes, I've checked/verified, my headlights
do NOT come on with the wipers in AUTO mode.

I don't have Auto headlights, not that I have much control over lighting, owning a made-for-Canada truck, but I do have an option in the Uconnect to turn on the headlights with the wipers.

That is an option available to add with AlfaOBD.

I've covered the dash light sensor with black electrical tape so that the headlights come on long before dusk. I've heard of using a large bottle cap, which might look a bit better than my tape.

Someone else's daylight sensor below.

Some of my past cars have had DRLs and my wife's car has them, but the Ram does not, nor did my '06 Tacoma. Don't recall about my '08 Civic.

Either auto or manual I've been driving with headlights on day/night for decades.

Adding DRLs with AlfaOBD is pretty easy, if that is of interest.

I always had full lighting on with my Tundra after a fool didn't notice my 'not so small' truck and hung a left in front of me. Lucky for us both, it was on a small rural road and I was paying attention.

My Ram truck came with the signal lights configured as DRLs. They are quite bright and obvious, quite satisfactory for most travel. If I take a proper road trip on a sunny day or with flat light, I manually enable full lighting.

.

 

[Curmudgeon]

My headlights are already selected to come on with the wipers but
it doesn't happen. I tried it again in the past hour. No bueno.

AlphaOBD looks like a neat piece of kit but it might be dangerous
in my hands. I keep looking/waiting for a reason to do but I haven't
found one yet.

Besides, I always have them on no matter what. Heads AND fogs and
I still have people look right at me and pull out in front. This kind of thing
is what led me to installing a dash cam. If I weren't "driving ahead of myself"
and reading the road, I would have killed a bicyclist that dove in front of me
about 2 months ago.

I already had my foot on the brake because the scene
looked hinky and even then I stopped so close his bike and his body below
his shoulders were hidden by my grill. My daughter beside me was screaming,
not out of fear, but anger over his stupidity. He was crossing against the light
but that might have been tough to prove without a witness or camera.

 

[RamDiver]

My headlights are already selected to come on with the wipers but
it doesn't happen. I tried it again in the past hour. No bueno.

I've never tried enabling that option, but now you have me curious. I'll check it out during the next rain storm, shouldn't have to wait too long with the recent weather.

AlphaOBD looks like a neat piece of kit but it might be dangerous
in my hands. I keep looking/waiting for a reason to do but I haven't
found one yet.

I would have bought AlfaOBD just to have my running lights (fog) on with the high beams.
I enjoy having features like Global Windows Down, disabling PWM to support LED lights and having the tire circumference tweaked so the speedo is precise.

Besides, I always have them on no matter what. Heads AND fogs and
I still have people look right at me and pull out in front. This kind of thing
is what led me to installing a dash cam. If I weren't "driving ahead of myself"
and reading the road, I would have killed a bicyclist that dove in front of me
about 2 months ago.

I already had my foot on the brake because the scene
looked hinky and even then I stopped so close his bike and his body below
his shoulders were hidden by my grill. My daughter beside me was screaming,
not out of fear, but anger over his stupidity. He was crossing against the light
but that might have been tough to prove without a witness or camera.

Yup, good thing that you're more awake than many drivers.
Regardless of who is at fault, the last thing most of us would want is to mash an idiot.

And, they seem to be everywhere while we're out driving.

I look at driving similarly to scuba diving. The day that we become complacent, it's time to stop.

.

 

[SitKneelBend]

I didn't read everything here but to pile on, many of these features require the vehicle to be in DRIVE for anything to occur when the headlight selector is in AUTO. DRLs only turn on in drive and I know there is at least a 3-5 second delay for headlights on with wipers.

 

[crash68]

many of these features require the vehicle to be in DRIVE for anything to occur when the headlight selector is in AUTO. DRLs only turn on in drive

Also the parking brake can not be set for the DRLs to work, same might apply to the wipers.

 

[Curmudgeon]

FWIW - I was driving when I tried it today, and other days. There is no way
I waited 3-5 seconds. Maybe 3 seconds, definitely not 5, so that might be it.

My wife's 2011 Eclipse has the HID DRLs on as soon as we start the car and their is no way to turn them off until the ignition is off. We don't drive it much or I would probably find a work-around for that, it just seems weird.

 

[Marshall]

I have my head light switch set to auto all the time, The DRL are on as soon as the truck starts, I park in the garage so see them on the wall, same as shutting down. They stay on for 15? seconds, I think there is adjustments for that.

I can't say I have ever seen dash lights change, unless I turn on head lite switch to on during the day, or at dusk when auto switches all light on, then dash is too dark , but I can turn the brightness up with the dial at the light switch.

The thing that I hate is when backing out of the garage where it's dark, the backup camera thinks its night and its too dark to see much, it takes a few seconds to wake up to daylight, and buy that time I am ready to go to drive.

Guess if I turn auto off , that may fix it, but never think of it at the time.
Then in the CRV I have to remember to turn the lights on. O the work

 

[RamDiver]

2019 Ram 1500 Classic Tradesman

During daylight hours I want my head lights on for safety. However, when I select "Auto" position, the dash lights go dim. So dim, I can't see them. Can this be changed to stay full brightness? Thanks

The other day, just past dusk, when the light sensor enabled the exterior lights, the radio went dim, as usual.

Monkeying around with the variable light control, below the headlights, I discovered a bit of info.

On my truck, the VR adjustment has 2 detent positions.
Starting from the variable adjustment, the first detent is the brightest night setting, and the second is the daylight setting.

So, driving during low light when the light sensor has triggered, the second detent position causes the dash and radio illumination level to be bright enough to see in daylight.

.