Panel Lights

[CharlesBrown]

The panel lights on my '88 are great at night, however, I seldom drive then. During the day I can barely see the display. With polarized sun glasses it disappears altogether. Is there anything that I'm missing re. getting this thing brighter during the day. I've rotated the control on the headlight switch but it doesn't help.

 

[jmccloud]

Polarized pane lights

The light from an LCD panel is polarized in the plane that 'conflicts' with polarized sunglassed. I wear them to elimante dash glare and glare from other vehicles' windows, etc. but suffer in really poor visibility of my own gauges.
Heads up displays suffer the same phenominon. In this application, the plane of polarization is necessary to get the effect off of the windshield. But the plane of polarization of LCD displays was a major boner, in my opinion.
We just have to live with it.

 

[CharlesBrown]

Thanks for the speed reply.I'm familiar with polarized light and was sure that was at least part of the problem. However, even with the glasses off... if there's any direct sun light on the panel - which there is with the Targa off - It's impossible to get a reading. Wonder what the officer will say when I say, Gee I just couldn't see how fast I was going. Never mind. I know what he'll say. Thanks agan for your reply

 

[caninelver]

Hello Charles, I have an 88 convertible but I'm sure our digital dash displays are the same. When I first got my car there was a problem with the lighting on half of the dash barely working. My mechanic replaced the plastic sockets that hold the lights behind the display and put in new bulbs. My display is now bright day or night. He said that the plastic sockets get brittle with age and the bulbs either don't light up at all or else they just barely work. Good luck.

 

[tonylong]

I've got the same visibility problem with my 89.
It's hard to see the panel in the day.
Let us know how you make out fixing the bulbs and sockets.
I never thought about deteriorating sockets.
LOL

 

[skrud13]

Replace the bulbs

If you take the dash apart and replace any burnt out bulbs (there are 4 halogens in an '88), you should be able to see the dash just fine. I have the same and just replaced 2 of the bulbs and now it is nice a bright. Check out this site to see how to do it.

http://corvettefever.com/howto/24899/

 

[Black Bart]

Your car has a device that automatically adjusts the dash lights for day light and dark. I have a 89 and when I drive into my garage in the daytime the dash lights are very bright for just a second then it adjusts to the darker environment. Sounds like your's is not turning up the light for daytime driving..