I thought this thread was 09 anything different.I and others would like to know.

 

OK just tried an 08 and if the light are on and I dim the guages then turn the lights off the guages stay dim. The dimming is a one size fits all modes of lights on/off or auto. Very wierd and stupid for a $32K loaded car.

 

I must be really dense, as I don't understand. Isn't this the way all cars work?

The dimmed level stays where you put it. Do you expect it to go back to full bright by it self? Sorry, not accusing, just don't understand what it is you want.

edit. OK I re-read your original post. I think I understand. You want to be able to set the level of dim for the dash lighting seperately for lights on and lights off.

 

This is weird...I swear mine has two different settings (really three)....When I first played with it I noticed it seems like you have to set each one....odd I know...I could have it two different levels....

 

Ok, I just went outside to check. There are two levels of brightness at night. One when your headlights are set to AUTO, running lights only, or ON. The second is when you set the switch to OFF.

When the headlights are OFF, the dash lights are brighter. When the headlights are on any of the other three settings, they are dimmer.

Note: I have my dimmer set to the just above the minimum before the dash lights shut off completely.


I kind of want to check out a Honda or Nissan now. I might ask one of my co-workers sometime...only problem is it isn't dark when I leave the office anymore.


Which you can do to a certain extent. That extent being whatever is auto programmed as the ratio between headlights on and headlights off.

I wish you could turn off (or super dim) the radio lighting and leave the instrument panel lights alone.

Mike

 

Is it safe to assume most of the TSB's I have been reading about on here are already applied to the 2009 model?

 

You can't or shouldn't assume anything.
Given the lead time in manufacturing certain components, whose failure could contribute to the potential problem with the vehicle, it is entirely possible that the fault existed on an 09 vehicle's part before it was detected in the 07.
In addition, these issues might be worth ignoring on Toyota's part. For example, if 10% of model have an issue (such as a squeak or rattle) and only 10% of those owners notice and bother to complain to the dealer, it is cheaper to pay for the repair for the 1% who are the complainers than redesign 100% of cars (of course, this is only my assumption of how things work at an automobile company). The point I am trying to make is that many owners will simply ignore a random squeak, rattle or annoyance.

 

raven77 — If the TSB lists the VIN # after which the fix has been applied, then it's easy to tell whether your car has the fix. Most of the TSBs are restricted to 2007 model-year TCHs. The header states the year ranges covered. Toyota's policy is, I think, to implement improvements on a continuing basis, likely largely independently of the number of complaints. The more complaints the faster they'll react, I'd guess. So, the answer to your question is probably "yes."

Stan

 

I expect it to rememebr the guage brightness difference between headlights on and off. Maybe I'm spoiled, but my Acura's Honda's and Infiniti's have all done this. Years ago and on some modles that don;t need guage illumination even in daylight to see them sure there is one brightness setting since the guage lighting does not come on unless the headlights are one. BUT, witht he TCH the guages illumination is on all the time otherwise you can't really see the guages. Thus during daylitgh hours when your headlights are not on you woudl want full illumination to help see the guages in the bright daylight. But at night that full brightness might be distracting and thus when you are driving at night (i.e. headlights on) you want to dim the guage illumination. Witht the TCH this is a one size fits all, so when you turn the headlights off the guages stay dim, forcing you to constantly adjust the guage brightness between day and night. I have not driven a Lexus with their flourescent guages but i woudl bet Toyota knows this form Lexus, as those guages can;t be seen unless lit up. I would bet the Lexus remembers guage brightness between lights on and off. It was a very annoying thinsg as I generally drive to work in the AM when it is dark so woudl be dimming th guages every morning then having to readjust them every afternoon on the way home in daylight.

 

Hi,

I have an '08 TCH and I leave my headlights on auto most of the time. The exception being when it rains, I turn them manually. My dash lights and radio lights automatically dim when the headlights come on and go back to full bright when the headlights are off as verified by my dash light that indicates the headlights on. My dash lights will also dim at other intervals which I believe correspond to when the parking lights come on in auto mode but I have been unable to verify.

I set the dimming switch down at night as I found the light from the radio distracting. Ever since I set it to my liking, the TCH remembers that setting anytime the headlights are on.

Is it different on other TCH's?