Dashclusters seem to dim and glow brighter randomly. Anyone notice this?

[wedouglas]

I'm a bit confused. The cluster backlighting seems to dim and glow brighter at certain times. Sometimes I can read the numbers perfectly with a slight glow behind them, other times is like there is no light on behind them. It kind of fades in and out. Just noticed it for the first time today when driving at dusk, about 8 PM. When I have the lights on the cluster is lit up brightly as I expected.

Not sure if it just started happening or if it's just the first time I noticed it.

[Gord59]

I noticed they seem to be on all the time. At first I thought i had the lights on, but they weren't but the lights on the dash were still on. Only notice it when you go under some trees or through a darker patch or something.

[randombloke]

Backlit instrument cluster with automatic brightness control

http://www.audiusa.com/audi/us/en2/n.../Features.html

If they use a light detector then changes in cabin light will affect the dash brightness - the darker the cab (eg passing in and out of shade) the less backlight is needed.

added: page 7 of the quick guide suggests this is the case:

the brightness will be adjusted automatically according to the light conditions

http://www.audi.co.uk/etc/medialib/c....0019.File.pdf

[wedouglas]

Only notice it when you go under some trees or through a darker patch or something.

Yeah. But, I did stand still for a moment and saw it kinda of dim and glow.

[sillydriver]

My R8 doesn’t come until June, but the A8 sedan I have now does the same thing. The dash lights get very dim when the ambient lights pass below a certain threshold. I believe it’s the car telling you to turn the headlights on. Once you turn the headlights on, the dash brightens up again.

[wedouglas]

Thanks. I guess it was when passing under trees. It wasn't really that dark out, so it was kinda of going in and out of threshhold I guess.