Okay, I'm a noob owner and I never really occurred to me that this car behaves like it it does.

W/the car off, I turn on the headlights and the instrument panel doesn't light up. The glove box, and HVAC controls (and cig lighter) all light up and can be dimmed/brightened.

However, with the key on the ignition ON location (w/motor running or not), not the radio position, the instrument panel lights up and can be dimmed/brightened. They stay on regardless if the headlights are on or not.

Is this normal?

 

i just went out in the garage and checked this. mine does the same thing. i dont think you could see the gauges in certain conditions if they didnt stay lit all the time. seems weird i know. but your car is fine.

 

^Yes. I just went to my garage and checked too, lol... In my boxers, against cold leather. ><

 

Wow, I've owned like 25 cars and this is the first one I ever owned that that the instrument lights don't come on w/the headlights. Oh well..thanks!

 

haha when i first got my car i couldn't figure it out either but my car is the same way

 

Yes this is normal

 

what you describe is normal but the folks on this forum checking their car at 1 AM is not normal it is a disease called "enthusiast" like calling autozone and asking for GERMAN CASTROL!!!

 

Hah! You guys are awesome; true car nutz! Thanks again! I thought I might've yanked some wire when I pulled my car apart installing the AVIC Z1.

 

hahaha

on topic though, yeah mines the same

 

thought there may have been something wrong with my car too....strange how it does that.

 

mine didi too