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SOLVED VIA CODING: iDrive screen too dim in daytime

66K views 78 replies 29 participants last post by  SamFox 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi all, '17 540i MSport owner here. Wondering if there is any way to modify the brightness of the iDrive screen in daytime? In nighttime, the dimmer dial to the left of the steering wheel works as expected and the higher brightness setting is perfect. But during the day, this same dimmer dial does nothing and the default setting is way too dim. I started noticing this after I got tints.

Anyone know? TIA.
 
#2 ·
Isn't there a setting in Idrive for brightness?
 
#5 ·
R t f m
 
#6 · (Edited)
Not sure why Caps Lock isn't working. "RTFM" stands for Read the Freaking Manual. You will find your answer there.
 
#7 ·
Page 134-135: Parking lights or low beams must be switched on to adjust brightness. Adjust the brightness with thumbwheel.

... Tried with both parking or low beams engaged. Scrolling the thumbwheel has no impact on brightness.
 
#10 ·
#8 ·
No, they are saying there is an independent setting within the iDrive menus. In the F10, I believe it was under Control Display settings, or something similar.
 
#14 ·
[Facepalm] Everyone here is telling you the same thing; not sure why you are fighting so hard not to believe us. What you are calling the iDrive screen, BMW calls the Control Display. Look in the owner's manual for the section on Control Display. The manual will tell you how to adjust the brightness. The section is on page 38 of my manual, but may be on a different page in yours.

You're welcome.

 
#16 · (Edited)
[Facepalm] Everyone here is telling you the same thing; not sure why you are fighting so hard not to believe us. What you are calling the iDrive screen, BMW calls the Control Display. Look in the owner's manual for the section on Control Display. The manual will tell you how to adjust the brightness. The section is on page 38 of my manual, but may be on a different page in yours.

You're welcome.
You can facepalm all you want but your responses have not addressed the issue in the original post. Others have reported this- see links below, it looks like the day-to-night transition is exacerbated by the tints. In brief moments when I get under direct sunlight, the brightness automatically improves to an ideal brightness. But this doesn't seem to be something the user can set permanently, unless I've missed a setting somewhere. THIS is what I'm referring to.

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=836728
http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?p=20325296
http://f48.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1430277
 
#17 · (Edited)
Called BMW genius this am. They confirmed that there is no way to adjust control display brightness *in the daytime* in the G30. He said that I may be able to get this coded. Silly. Wondering if anyone has successfully coded around this.

Quackberry, did you want to reference another page of the manual?
 
#18 ·
None of those links are for the G30. The first isn't even for the iDrive screen, it's for the gauge cluster. Sounds like you installed dark tint that the engineers didn't plan for when they designed the iDrive. Mine works flawlessly, as has the display on every loaner I've ever had. Sounds like you shot yourself in the foot with your mod.
 
#19 ·
I don't have tinted windows and there are times during the day where the iDrive screen is too dim for me as well. It's almost as if the car thinks its still night time so the screen is dim but the headlights aren't even on.

I have searched in iDrive and there is definitely no adjustment for the control display except at night.
 
#21 ·
I've had this problem since may of this year, after i got my windows tinted. I called my service advisor and the genius, there is no setting in the car to adjust this during the day. I just had my car in for service and they said it couldnt be coded. i have no idea why you would want to dim the displays during the day, it makes no sense at all. at times, when i am using the backup camera, its so dim that i have to roll the window down so the light hits the sensor and the displays all brighten up. the sensor is on the top left hand corner of the instrument cluster. put your hand over it and watch the displays dim. its a horrible feature. they should include an option to turn auto brightness on and off. every phone has this option these days.
 
#24 ·
I have the same issue. Sometimes the A/C display / Control Display / HUD / iDrive are all too dim in the daylight. I noticed this with the A/C controller display that sometimes in the daytime it was very hard to read the numbers. I couldn't find any settings for it either.
 
#28 ·
Reading through this thread, what is likely happening in the stock setting is the tinted windows are making the car "think" its nighttime due to the amount of ambient light or some such. So, its VERY likely that the "mod" of tinted windows caused your issue.

@Almaretto, thanks for providing a coding option that worked for the community!

:thumbup:
 
#31 · (Edited)
Reading through this thread, what is likely happening in the stock setting is the tinted windows are making the car "think" its nighttime due to the amount of ambient light or some such. So, its VERY likely that the "mod" of tinted windows caused your issue.

@Almaretto, thanks for providing a coding option that worked for the community!

[emoji106]
Yes and no; the light sensor is located in the upper left corner of the cluster so it responds to light changes coming directly from the driver window, and is not sensitive to how much light comes in from the windshield. Secondly, the idrive setting is redundant because at night, the scroll wheel to the left of the steering wheel is active; the two serve the same function. What's missing is an override, which is exactly what was in the F10 and now here, after coding. To me, this "feature" is poorly designed, and this is most evident when you apply a very common mod (tint). As mentioned above by others, the dimming works poorly in overcast days as well. Anyway, stick with the stock setting, I'll go with the F10 override. Everyone's happy.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#33 ·
Got to say, it's my biggest complaint with the G30 over the F10. I set the desired brightness for HUD, Control display and Instrument cluster in the F10 and then it flawlessly adjusted the brightness up and down as ambient light changed and I never had to tweak at all. The G30 is terrible by comparison - it decides it is night every time I go across the George Washington Bridge (lower level) which I do daily and regardless of how bright a day it is the system goes to night mode and renders everything illegible until I'm off the bridge and back in daylight... may have to go for that coding option, but I still think it will switch to night mode.
 
#34 · (Edited)
When you're in the lower level, your lights should kick on- this is when the dial should be active. Adjust it up. Or just leave it on the highest setting (I do). Now with this code, your idrive screen brightness can be user defined regardless of ambient light. This should solve your issue.
 
#39 ·
Any solution for the A/C display & instrument cluster? The displays brights up once I roll down my side window!
 
#48 ·
Can anyone remind me where is the sensor that adjusts the brightness of the displays (including A/C and Instrument Cluster)? Sorry, I know you have said this somewhere but I can't find it.
 
#53 ·
Instrument cluster too dim in daytime

Same problem as described in post #36. DIM_VARIANT worked great for the main display but the instrument cluster is too dim during daytime (window tint). Unfortunately DIM_TAG_NACHT_ENABLE in KOMBI set to "nicht aktiv" didn't help. There are a lot of other "DIM" settings in KOMBI, as well as a few "photosensor" settings, has anyone had luck with those?

Mine's a 2019 M5 Competition.
 
#55 ·
Same problem as described in post #36. DIM_VARIANT worked great for the main display but the instrument cluster is too dim during daytime (window tint). Unfortunately DIM_TAG_NACHT_ENABLE in KOMBI set to "nicht aktiv" didn't help. There are a lot of other "DIM" settings in KOMBI, as well as a few "photosensor" settings, has anyone had luck with those?

Mine's a 2019 M5 Competition.
Did you try KOMBI_PHOTOSENSOR_HIGH?
There is also KOMBI_BACKLIGHT_HIGH and KOMBI_BACKLIGHT_LOW.
DIM_NACHT_EIN
DIM_NACHT_AUS
DIM_TAG_NACHT_ALT (neu to alt)
DIM_LD_DAYNIGHT
DIM_PHOTCELL_DAYNIGHT

Maybe searching "helligkeitspreduzierung" (Brightness reduction)

Unfortunately, I do not have car to test myself.
 
#56 ·
The DIM_VARIANT worked perfectly on a 2019 F90 M5 but it doesn't work with the Live Cockpit on the 2020 MY--is there a solution to either restore the manual brightness control or calibrate/trick the sensor so it's more sensitive to light hence maintaining control display brightness?

Thanks!
 
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