Dimming dash lights?

Maybe I'm suddenly stupid, but shouldn't the dial control/dim the lights of the dash/gauge lights? I had a 2013 Outback and that's what this dial did. But in my new Legacy, nothing happens when I turn it. I asked my salesman and he said "It works when the lights are on at night". Well last night I drove at night and still nothing. Is there a setting or something I'm missing to make it work?

I stole this photo from the interwebz to show what I mean. The dial at the top right. Does yours do anything?

Yes, mine works, although at times they do seem a little possessed brightening and dimming in reaction to the ambient light.

If the lights are off, there is one setting for the dash/gauges ... on.

If your dial is set like the picture, all the way up, it is bright all the time.

Yes, mine works, although at times they do seem a little possessed brightening and dimming in reaction to the ambient light.

 

If the lights are off, there is one setting for the dash/gauges ... on.

 

If your dial is set like the picture, all the way up, it is bright all the time.

But I can turn it and nothing happens.

But I can turn it and nothing happens.

There is a new feature in the 2015. It is based on ambient light sensor which I don't think you can override.

I love it for using the lights during day time rain storms. My state requires headlights be active when using wipers so I have to turn the lights on.

I set my dial to dim the gauges ~20%. When the lights are activated (either automatically or manually) the gauges will dim 20% ONLY IF the ambient sensor agrees that is it dark out. If the ambient sensor senses it is bright out, it will override your dial and keep the gauges at 100% brightness. I expect this is what you are experiencing. Try setting the dial to 50% and turn on the lights in the dark.

This is a nice feature when your state requires headlight/tail lights be on when there is a need for using your wipers, IE Rain/Snow.

In my experience the override only applies to the gauges. The head unit will dim to your dial setting even if the ambient sensor is overriding the dial for the gauges. I could be wrong, but I think I've witnessed this. It could be an issue if you set your dial very low. Gauges will be 100%, but your head unit will be very dim during daylight. If I'm correct, this was probably an oversight in design..

Previous Legacy's (ie my 2008), I would keep the dial at 20% and activating the headlights during the daylight hours left the gauges to dim and I had to manually dial the brightness up to 100%. Then I'd forget to dial it back down to 20% and next night drive I was adjusting it back.. I was constantly fiddling with it.

I haven't really played around with this switch too much but it does dim the dash lights if the headlights are on and (presumably) it's dark outside. During the day, when the headlights are off, the switch doesn't do anything.

I tried it at night and it didn't do anything. But I will try it again when it's dark out.

Your headlights MUST be on at night for the dimming to work.

If you have your headlight stalk in the OFF position, the dash lights will be at full brightness, no matter the setting it's at currently.

I know, it sucks, if you're sitting in your car at night, dark out and have your headlights off, you're blinded by the dash lights, the touchscreen and everyone outside can see your face in the car, while you're blinded to their's...

I've been meaning to mention this as well, too.

Well I got to witness the dimmer in action this afternoon, finally! I picked up my son from summer camp. On our way home a storm rolled through and of course it got fairly dark for 4:15 in the afternoon. My headlights (that I keep on Auto) came on and shortly after my dash lights dimmed. So for whatever reason the other night, it wasn't dark enough? But at 4:15 in the afternoon it was. LOL So weird.

Anyway, thanks for the input and I'm glad I know how it works now.

Well I got to witness the dimmer in action this afternoon, finally! I picked up my son from summer camp. On our way home a storm rolled through and of course it got fairly dark for 4:15 in the afternoon. My headlights (that I keep on Auto) came on and shortly after my dash lights dimmed. So for whatever reason the other night, it wasn't dark enough? But at 4:15 in the afternoon it was. LOL So weird.

 

Anyway, thanks for the input and I'm glad I know how it works now.

You can also adjust the sensitivity of the light sensor in the Vehicle Customization Menu on the touchscreen.

On the 2018 Legacy 3.6R (maybe 2017 too) the Illumination dial for the dash lights is moved to the center of the top row (SRF OFF is gone). The far right blank button is for the Outback tailgate.

My Question: There is a second dial to the right of the dash illumination dial which is blank - Any clue why the 2nd dial was created and what it is (will be) for?

On the 2018 Legacy 3.6R (maybe 2017 too) the Illumination dial for the dash lights is moved to the center of the top row (SRF OFF is gone). The far right blank button is for the Outback tailgate.

 

My Question: There is a second dial to the right of the dash illumination dial which is blank - Any clue why the 2nd dial was created and what it is (will be) for?

Probably for headlight height control. The 2018s have the steering responsive headlights (they turn based on your your steering angle, only when moving), so they probably got rid of the SRF all together

Probably for headlight height control. The 2018s have the steering responsive headlights (they turn based on your your steering angle, only when moving), so they probably got rid of the SRF all together

That's it, but for all cars with HIDs and LEDs automatic headlight adjustment is mandated in most countries.

So the empty wheel is only there as a placeholder for some odd markets and models.

On the 2018 Legacy 3.6R (maybe 2017 too) the Illumination dial for the dash lights is moved to the center of the top row (SRF OFF is gone). The far right blank button is for the Outback tailgate.

 

My Question: There is a second dial to the right of the dash illumination dial which is blank - Any clue why the 2nd dial was created and what it is (will be) for?

Is this possibly for the footwell illumination kit dimmer? I was just looking through the options, only thing that could make sense there maybe.

@ Original Post -

Dimming switch seems to only work when headlights are ON for my Gen4 2011 Outback. It has no effect when lights are off.

I'm reviving this thread for a question.

My sister bought a '15 outback limited a couple of months ago. She called me yesterday, frantic. Her parking lights were on even though the car was off. Since '15 don't have the "virgin switch" it wasn't that. We walked through a bunch of things. When the car was on, the headlights were on (not Auto), the Illumination Switch didn't dim the dash lights, they were full power all the time. It was also at night.

Can a faulty Illumination Switch cause the parking lights to be on all of the time?