Dash Lights

[nc211]

I've noticed my dash lights, specifically the center piece with the speedo in it, seem to brighten and dim at night. For instance, I'll be driving down a side road with no street lights, and the dash lights seem dimmer than when I pull up to a well lit innersection. Is this normal? I can't find anything in my manual that says this is a feature of the car, but obviously know the dash dims automatically in extreme changes - like using the headlights during the day won't dim the dash lights like at night. But, I didn't know it was so sensitive to subtle changes at night like that. Is this normal, or a pending problem looms on the horrizon?

thanks!

[1990LS400]

You bought your GS430 used if I remember correctly? Maybe a previous owner had the auto-dimming sensitivity bumped up too much -- there are five levels of sensitivity per the information on the attached TSIB.

2001_LS430_LPS.pdf

[cduluk]

Is it just the center "speedometer" area dimming? Or do the adjacent gauges (RPM, fuel and temp) areas dim the same?

I'm only asking because the speedometer plate is illuminated by a different CCFL than the surrounding gauges. If the speedometer is the only gauge that you're having a problem with, then i'd suggest that it's CCFL that's failing. But if it's all three gauges dimming the same, then the issue is something else.

If the complete gauge cluster (all 3 gauges) are dimming equally along with the center console (with the radio), the issue is most likely due to the sensitivity setings.

Has this issue always been evident since you've owned it? Or has this problem just started lately?

Have you made sure that the dimmer switch is set to the highest point?

I think this is totally normal. On my Rx400h, the gauges will dim a bit if there is no surrounding ambient light, and brighten during the day. If i am driving in daylight, the brightness will be at its MAX, but if go below a bridge, the lights will dim until i reach the other end. Most likely to prevent any glare...

But i believe this only works when the dimmer is set to the position directly "below" the max position. If i have it set to the max position it does not do this.