My nav system is too bright at night. I looked in the manual and saw that there are day/night settings, so I assumed that the night stuff wasn't turned on. I looked in the nav settings to turn it on, and discovered that it was already set to "automatic." Doesn't this mean that it should automatically switch from day to night mode when it gets dark outside?

It doesn't do that. It is at the daytime setting 24 hours a day, unless I turn off automatic mode and specifically select the night setting. What gives?

I also just learned by searching this forum that the dashlight dimmer switch thingie also controls the nav screen...maybe that's a quicker way to switch between night and day (and something you can do while the car is moving)?

Still, I shouldn't have to do anything...automatic mode should be automatic!!

I want to do the mod to give me automatic headlights, but at this point my confidence in that is kinda low, seeing as the nav apparently can't tell when it gets dark outside. Unless I'm just misunderstanding something about how automatic mode is supposed to work?

I'm not sure about the factory nav unit, but with my Pioneer nav unit, I have it set to night all the time, it doesn't go dark until you turn on your headlights. I would switch it to night and see what happens when your lights come on.

 

I just set mine to manual mode and leave it at one setting all the time.

 

I just set mine to manual mode and leave it at one setting all the time.

Do you do that because your automatic mode doesn't work?

 

Are you actually in "parade" mode? On my unit, there is a setting that allows me to manually dim the brightness, but a second setting that puts it in full bright for daylight running with the headlights on.

What position is your dash light rheostat in?

 

Are you actually in "parade" mode? On my unit, there is a setting that allows me to manually dim the brightness, but a second setting that puts it in full bright for daylight running with the headlights on.

What position is your dash light rheostat in?

Did he just say "rheostat"?

 

Yeah man, rheostat....like potentiometer....where have you been hiding??

 

Yeah man, rheostat....like potentiometer....where have you been hiding??

Apparently somewhere in the 21st century.




Somewhere in one of these threads is the name of the manufacturer of the NAV unit. I can't seem to find it, but I'll keep looking.

 

I was trying to avoid the confusion that would surely follow "dimmer switch".

 

Somewhere in one of these threads is the name of the manufacturer of the NAV unit. I can't seem to find it, but I'll keep looking.

I thought Alpine made them?

 

Apparently somewhere in the 21st century.




Somewhere in one of these threads is the name of the manufacturer of the NAV unit. I can't seem to find it, but I'll keep looking.

There's a difference that's still germaine:

http://www.kpsec.freeuk.com/components/vres.htm

Alpine makes the NAV, yep.

 

Are you actually in "parade" mode? On my unit, there is a setting that allows me to manually dim the brightness, but a second setting that puts it in full bright for daylight running with the headlights on.

What position is your dash light rheostat in?

I have it on the brighter setting (dunno if that's parade mode or not). The only setting beyond it is the one that turns on all the interior lights. Maybe that's my problem -- when it's at the brighter setting, the nav always goes to daylight mode?

 

I still think its used as a rheostat.

 

I was trying to avoid the confusion that would surely follow "dimmer switch".

I said "dimmer switch thingie" as a disclaimer that I was likely using the wrong terminology.

 

I have it on the brighter setting (dunno if that's parade mode or not). The only setting beyond it is the one that turns on all the interior lights. Maybe that's my problem -- when it's at the brighter setting, the nav always goes to daylight mode?

Ok, on my car,

If the knob is pushed all the way to the top stop, all the interior lights go on, and the display is at full brightness.

Scrolling from that point down, the wheel will pass a "bump" and will stop against another "bump". This is the parade point. The display will be at full brightness, the interior lights will function normally, regardless of the headlights being on or off.

Scrolling past the second "bump", if the headlights are on, the display will dimm somewhat. If the headlights are off, the display will be at full brightness. If the headlights are on, the brightness will reduce as the wheel is scrolled down towards the bottom of travel.

Does your Charger do this?

 

I have it on the brighter setting (dunno if that's parade mode or not). The only setting beyond it is the one that turns on all the interior lights. Maybe that's my problem -- when it's at the brighter setting, the nav always goes to daylight mode?

There're TWO detented positions for the dimmer: the one NOT at the end of its travel puts everything in "daylight mode" even at night; the one at the end of travel turns on the interior dome lights.

So you just need to move the dimmer just beyond the 2nd detent and all will be well.

 

I'll test out what you guys are describing, but I'm still confused about the Automatic mode of the day/night feature. When does the brightness ever get adjusted automatically? Maybe auto mode works UNLESS you're at one of the two detents, which override auto mode?

I would consider rotating the dial to various points below the detents to be a manual adjustment, but maybe that's what they mean by automatic?

My source of confusion may be in expecting it to work like our other car. In our 2004 Acura MDX, the Nav system will automatically switch to night mode when it gets dark. "Night mode" changes the background of the nav map to be black instead of yellow, and I think the colors for everything else change as well so that they are something easily readable against black. The Charger doesn't seem to change colors at all, it just adjusts the brightness of them.

 

That is correct.

The only thing that is supposed to happen when you turn your headlights on is that the display should lessen in brightness (if not in parade or interior lights on mode). It will not change colors.

 

I'll test out what you guys are describing, but I'm still confused about the Automatic mode of the day/night feature. When does the brightness ever get adjusted automatically? Maybe auto mode works UNLESS you're at one of the two detents, which override auto mode?

I would consider rotating the dial to various points below the detents to be a manual adjustment, but maybe that's what they mean by automatic?

My source of confusion may be in expecting it to work like our other car. In our 2004 Acura MDX, the Nav system will automatically switch to night mode when it gets dark. "Night mode" changes the background of the nav map to be black instead of yellow, and I think the colors for everything else change as well so that they are something easily readable against black. The Charger doesn't seem to change colors at all, it just adjusts the brightness of them.

In Auto mode, UNLESS THE DIMMER IS IN THE 2ND DETENTED POSITION, the radio, EVIC and dash back-lights will change when the system turns the headlights on. At that time, the gauge backlights turn on, and the EVIC and radio/NAV lights DIM. They'll dim to the level set by the dimmer...

If the dimmer IS in the 2nd detented position, the EVIC and radio/NAV displays remain at their higher daytime brightness, even when the headlights turn on. I'll bet anything that's where you have it now.

 

Ok, I get it now. I'm pretty sure it IS set to the parade mode detent, 'cause it makes the EVIC brighter.

So once I move it below the detents, it'll go to night mode whenever I turn on the headlights. And then, once I do the auto headlight mod, it will essentially work like our Acura -- it'll just auto-dim it at night. Technically it's still triggered by the headlights coming on, but I won't have to do anything to make it happen.

 

Ok, I get it now. I'm pretty sure it IS set to the parade mode detent, 'cause it makes the EVIC brighter.

So once I move it below the detents, it'll go to night mode whenever I turn on the headlights. And then, once I do the auto headlight mod, it will essentially work like our Acura -- it'll just auto-dim it at night. Technically it's still triggered by the headlights coming on, but I won't have to do anything to make it happen.

Kee-rect!

 

(i still think its a rheostat)

 

(i still think its a rheostat)

Absolutely, it is! My response earlier was to Um... someone else, who seemed to be derogating your use of the term.

 

Do you do that because your automatic mode doesn't work?

No, I do it because I see no need for it to change settings based on the time of day. I just find a happy medium on the brightness setting and be done with it.

 

You guys were right about how the day/night mode works when in "auto" mode -- it switches to night mode whenever you turn on the headlights.

However, the night mode is way too dim! If you turn your headlights on before it is completely dark out, then the nav/stereo screen becomes somewhat hard to read.

I guess I'm gonna have to disable the automatic mode and find some manual setting that looks good in both daylight and darkness.

 

You guys were right about how the day/night mode works when in "auto" mode -- it switches to night mode whenever you turn on the headlights.

However, the night mode is way too dim! If you turn your headlights on before it is completely dark out, then the nav/stereo screen becomes somewhat hard to read.

I guess I'm gonna have to disable the automatic mode and find some manual setting that looks good in both daylight and darkness.

Yep, that's what I do.