Issue... help needed

[Pickles2090]

Hi, new to this so apologies of I've posted incorrectly.
I've got a 69 plate Leon FR 1.5 DSG, no digital cockpit.
Since new back in 2019 the dials, speedo and revs, have been illuminated whatever the time of day, a week ago this failed and now I only have the red needles lit. Lights always set to auto by the way.
My dealership have had the car for 2 now and have spoken to Seat Tech allegedly who they then the cars been wrong since day 1 and they should only light up when the headlights come on.
I don't tin this is correct, think my dealer is lying as usual, as they are virtually unreadable when not lit.
They tell me they've tried another car of the same spec and age my Ateca, brand new but swapped for the Leon, was the same as in illuminated 24/7.
Has anyone else noticed this or can any other owner tell me if their dials are lit or not all the time?
By the way I've tried it with the lifts switched to off and they still lit up in daylight until totally failing.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Pickles2090]

Apologies for the errors but hopefully you get the drift.
I'm dyslexic and auto correct has gone bonkers!

 

[andycupra]

many cars now have dash that light up all of the time. - i remember when this was not the case, and i am sure the number of people driving when its dark with no lights on now is due to the dash always being illuminated.
It may also be the case that when turning lights on the dash actually dims (but still illuminated).

 

[Pickles2090]

My thoughts but my dealership think they should be off until the headlights come on properly.
Utterly useless as they're almost unreadable if not lit.
They're trying to tell me Seat themselves have said this but I don't believe them as they've messed me about before with other things like trying to tell me it desperately needed new wipers during a service but it had new ones fitted a week before. Unfortunately they're the nearest to me and the next one is an hour away.
I've just had a text off a pal who's got the same car and he's checked his, when the lights are on auto the dials are lit 24/7.
I'm going to take the car off them tomorrow and take it to the other dealership I think.

 

[RUM4MO]

I think that the current plan is for all VW Group cars younger than built maybe in mid 2014 - or even earlier as long as that car has auto lights, is, there is an ambient light sensor that the auto headlights use, it only controls the backlighting on the dashboard if the light switch is set at the auto lights position.

There is a theory that it maybe even switches off the backlighting that might be on normally all the time when the light switch is in the OFF position, when ambient lighting levels fall below a certain level and the reason for that is to draw your attention to the fact that you have not switched the headlights on, either by having the switch in the auto lights position or the headlights on position.

Well that is the general facts, some will be slightly wrong but the main objective remains the same, ie backlighting on when ambient lighting level is low - unless the headlights are not on.

 

[black_sheep]

There are two light sensors - one for external illumination (either in the windscreen or rear view mirror).

The sensor for the internal illumination is the black dot at the centre of the Auto/Set Up switch on the climate control panel (picture is from another thread, possibly from a pre-FL car, but common across VAG cars of this era).

The dealer is incorrect above too. The dials are always illuminated. They dim as the cabin gets dark and get brighter in bright light e.g. when driving trough a tunnel - this is so your vision is not impaired due to dazzle from the dash lights. (Edit after re-reading).

The illumination can also be controlled via the infotainment screen. I assumed that this has been checked? I would expect that this is a simple fuse or bulb in the dash issue.

 

[stu_m]

I don't have auto lights and my dash lights are on almost all the time!

They dim right down to pretty much off when it comes in to dusk this is to make you turn the lights on its a good trick really

Yours with auto lights should be on all the time as when it gets dark your lights will just turn on so no need for the reminder

 

[Drew306]

I have a 2018 leon fr with no auto lights and my binnacle lights are off all the time unless there is bright sunshine coming in the front window but go straight off again when the bright light dies down. This is during the day obviously when the lights are switched off!