Dashboard ighting

Has anybody found out about how to make the lights behind the dials on the dash come when the ignition is switched on. I know that Fiat have done an update for the "Fiat" vans I have asked Peugoet people but they claim that they don't know how to do it, all I'm told is that if I do it and it could blow the " computer " !!!
  I wait in anticipating as ever.
 

If  referring to instrument lighting it should illuminate when your side/main beam lights are switched on. There isn't really any reason to need them illuminating during daylight hours.

As far as I know the fix to have the instrument panel lights on all the time without having the vehicle lights on, only applies to X290 Fiats, not the Peugeot or Citroen variants.

I have found that the instrument panel can be very difficult to read at times, especially in daylight when the sun is out. Sometimes the panel seems to be just a black pit with unreadable displays (at a quick glance anyway). Having the lights on helps a little at times, but is not a total fix. This has applied to the Transit MK5, Transit MK7 and Boxer X250 that I have driven.

I have read of several solutions to the problem, from sticking a reflector made of either white card, or silver paper in front of the panel, to adding lights powered from the 12 volt cigar socket.

Different manufacturers have different approaches to dash backlighting. VW deliberately design theirs on the T5 so that the backlighting dims away to nothing as it gets darker outside. Sounds a completely daft idea, but apparently it is meant to remind you to turn on the sidelights/headlights!

An alternative approach could be (assuming the van has an OBD diagnostic port) to add a small tablet as a second display of the main dash dials using an application such as Torque or Carista. It may sound like a rather OTT solution, but I've done it on mine because it means that I can add a proper temperature gauge (from the factory my van did not have one), plus I can have a GPS-accurate display of road speed, and it can also show engine load, which makes it easier to time gear downshifts on long hills.

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The display is just an old original-spec HUDL.

On the 2015+ "facelifted" Boxer, the issue of the cowl obscuring the prinicpal dials when not backlight is a serious design defect. There's a thread on the Forum about it. It is often the case that, driving in daylight with headlights off, the dials cannot be read. All that can be seen are the LED displays of non-critical info, such as Shift or the time or average consumption - not the vital speedo etc. It's woeful.

I asked my Peugeot main dealer to tweak the computer whereby to have the dashboard illuminated whenever the ignition is on (and not just when the headlights are on.) They said it couldn't be done. I strongly suspect that's nonsense but am in no position to argue.

I use a satnav, or an old GPS-enabled phone with a speedo app to supplement the illegible dials.

Here's the earlier thread, to which I referred:

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-mojo- wrote:Different manufacturers have different approaches to dash backlighting. VW deliberately design theirs on the T5 so that the backlighting dims away to nothing as it gets darker outside. Sounds a completely daft idea, but apparently it is meant to remind you to turn on the sidelights/headlights!

An alternative approach could be (assuming the van has an OBD diagnostic port) to add a small tablet as a second display of the main dash dials using an application such as Torque or Carista. It may sound like a rather OTT solution, but I've done it on mine because it means that I can add a proper temperature gauge (from the factory my van did not have one), plus I can have a GPS-accurate display of road speed, and it can also show engine load, which makes it easier to time gear downshifts on long hills.

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The display is just an old original-spec HUDL.

Blimey Mojo......i can see why you've had to modify. I'd struggle to read the standard instruments and yes I have been to Specsavers! Only a month back to be precise! 

I'm beginning to realise the op's problem too. Having an "old fashioned" van i don't have these issues....the backlighting comes on when my lights are on and the dial is relatively easy to read too. Some modern day vehicles fit sensible instruments and one which i use whenever i take my van to the Garage is a Citroen (C3? i think). The speedometer is fitted centre dash and digital, but the readout is huge about 2" high. I drive with specs but could easily read it without.

It does seem this poor design is a known Fiat issue and been discussed on other forums. I found this last night which Rono might like to read through;[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]