E200 Centre Console Brightness

[rkf]

I have an 03 plate E200K A/V estate. The brightness on the centre console screen (phone/CD/Radio etc) is erratic. Sometimes it is fully bright and others it is so low as to be practically unreadable. It seems to change at will while driving.
It has caused much head scratching at my local dealership. Anyone have any ideas how to fix this?

 

[jberks]

it changes in response to ambient light afaik. This time of year, with low lying sun etc it can get it a bit wrong.

 

[rkf]

Thanks for the response.
I have had the car almost a year and it has done the same in any light levels in any weather conditions.
Doesn't seem to have any logical reason.

 

[jberks]

Does seem that way I agree. Sometimes I can't read mine too well either. Just depends on where the light is coming from. It may be that yours is malfunctioning but they do definately dim based on light levels so if there is a fault it will be related to that system.

Are you having any problems with the auto headlights? I assume they're on the same sensor.

 

[rkf]

Headlights when on auto seem to be on in all but the brightest sunlight, but as MB recommend that we use headlights all the time and I see lots of other cars with headlights on as well, I didn't really think of that. However, they don't seem to brighten and dim in the same way that the console does.

 

[jberks]

The headlights don't dim, they're just on or off, but they also shouldn't be on all the time.

If they are, it indicates that the sensor could be defective and may be the cause of your problem. In bright sunlight, the display should brighten. As it gets darker, the display dims and as the light reduces further, it should dim some more and the headlights should come on.

So, if as you say, the lights are on pretty much all of the time, and you can't read your display, then I'd suggest that the sensor thinks it's darker than it is.

 

[euclidb2]

I have an 03 plate E200K A/V estate. The brightness on the centre console screen (phone/CD/Radio etc) is erratic. Sometimes it is fully bright and others it is so low as to be practically unreadable. It seems to change at will while driving.
It has caused much head scratching at my local dealership. Anyone have any ideas how to fix this?

Had exactly same problem,at times appeared to vanish altogether,local dealer can adjust parameters for light settings when plugged into laptop in workshop,(local MB dealer did mine while i was present)but otherwise am afraid this is normal.The backlight on radio disappeared altogether eventually,had new one fitted,entirely different.