Boxer x290 driver speedo

Hi folks,

2018 Peugeot boxer. 

Is it possible to make the normal driver displays a bit brighter like you can usually do in a car ?

Even during the day it's not easy to see the Speedo from the normal driving position in our van.

The other half has now been clocked  exceeding speed limits for the first time in her life.

Usually we have the sat nav connected and use that as a Speedo but on this occasion not so ( I am relieved it wasn't me again)

Thanks Geoff

It's been referred to here a few times before:

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I think the consensus then was that a HUD was the best solution - not massively expensive, so can be (semi-)permanently fitted so that it can't be inadvertently left behind.

My own personal preference is a Garmin satnav set up out of sight under the dash,  so that it automatically comes on with the engine on, and configured so that it "bongs" when the speed limit is exceeded - but that may not be suitable for some people.

I think the speedometer in our Peugeot is rather unnoticeable, I asked the Peugeot dealer if there was any software mod that would allow a digital display of the speed as my wife has in her car, no there isn't.
Our separate TomTom has a feature that sounds a warning note when exceeding the speed limit, that though depends on it being up to date. If we were travelling in France I think this would be an essential item as in the UK.

Someone on the forum has a posting showing a similar separate device that can be attached to the windscreen, from memory around £80 perhaps. I don't remember if it sounds a warning. If I come across my bookmark I'll let you know.

edit:
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I have a 2012 Dorset on a Boxer.  The speed has been programmed at 30mph so that there is an audible bleep if this limit is exceeded, which I find helpful. Not much use if the limit is 40 or 50 admittedly but as the speed most likely to be exceeded, I have chosen to set it at 30mph. As a quick fix, the bleep can be set by using the Mode button and scrolling through the menus to 'Bleep Speed' and then turning this function 'on' followed by increasing or deceasing the speed as required. In my case, full instructions are in the Boxer manual under Trip Computer.

I suffer this same problem in my Boxer.  I would like to find the electrical connection that illuminates the instrument panel when the vehicle lights are turned on.  Then make a connection to a 12v source when just the ignition is turned on.
Life is a bit complicated at the moment and I just dare not risk immobilising the vehicle by rummaging around behind the dashboard.  I'm sure one of our revered techies would like to investigate for us all. Think of the kudos that would bring !
Keith

Keith - I don't know for sure, but on a 2016 van I doubt that will be easy. With an older van there would be a wire to the cluster for that specific purpose, but on a typical van from 2016 there won't be. The status of the vehicle lights (i.e. on or off) will be signalled to the instrument cluster by the main body control module via CAN - not via a separate wire. The instrument cluster makes its own decision on whether to turn on or off the illumination based on that data.

If that's the situation, you may find that you can change the behaviour of the backlight by changing the coding of the instrument cluster, but AFAIK that's not as well documented on Boxers as it is on some other make/models.

I wonder if they have modified it on the later versions as I haven't had a problem reading the speedo or tachometer.  My navigation preference is to use Waze on my mobile phone and that is because it can be set to bleep if exceeding the speed limit recorded in the map's database and the bleep like the voice directions is bluetoothed to the cab's audio system.  I have set the Peugeot to bleep if I accidentally exceed 70 mph and I also have a wife who beeps if she thinks I am exceeding the speed limit!

Roopert. Thanks for that unwelcome information ! Gone are the days of  wires and switches.
 Cest la vie, or something like that.
Keith

My main issue with the speedometer is the tiny indistinct KPH markings, which might just about meet the legal requirements, but aren’t very easy to read at a glance. That’s why I’ve ordered the GPS speedometer from Demon Tweeks. It’s cheaper than getting a speeding ticket on the continent.

Incidentally while I often use Waze in the UK, using it in Europe might be problematic, since in many countries anything which warns you of the location of speed cameras is prohibited. I don’t know if you can turn that off.

v8oholic wrote:My main issue with the speedometer is the tiny indistinct KPH markings, which might just about meet the legal requirements, but aren’t very easy to read at a glance. That’s why I’ve ordered the GPS speedometer from Demon Tweeks. It’s cheaper than getting a speeding ticket on the continent.

Incidentally while I often use Waze in the UK, using it in Europe might be problematic, since in many countries anything which warns you of the location of speed cameras is prohibited. I don’t know if you can turn that off.

I agree - the KPH markings are not that clear but haven't had the need to use them yet.  

Waze compares the current speed with the limit for the road and can be set to alarm if the limit is exceeded, so nothing todo with speed cameras which it also shows.  It also alerts if a pothole or broken down car or something like that has been reported by another user.  It then invites you to confirm if its still there or not, which my wife delights in doing.

Caraman wrote:

v8oholic wrote:My main issue with the speedometer is the tiny indistinct KPH markings, which might just about meet the legal requirements, but aren’t very easy to read at a glance. That’s why I’ve ordered the GPS speedometer from Demon Tweeks. It’s cheaper than getting a speeding ticket on the continent.

Incidentally while I often use Waze in the UK, using it in Europe might be problematic, since in many countries anything which warns you of the location of speed cameras is prohibited. I don’t know if you can turn that off.

I agree - the KPH markings are not that clear but haven't had the need to use them yet.  

Waze compares the current speed with the limit for the road and can be set to alarm if the limit is exceeded, so nothing todo with speed cameras which it also shows.  It also alerts if a pothole or broken down car or something like that has been reported by another user.  It then invites you to confirm if its still there or not, which my wife delights in doing.

Sorry - just reread what you said about Waze.  I don't know if it is lawful to use it on the Continent or whether the speed camera function can be turned off.

Just checked - speed camera alerts can be turned off

Caraman wrote:I wonder if they have modified it on the later versions as I haven't had a problem reading the speedo or tachometer.  .....

I can confirm that on the 2019 models and presumably later models the speedo etc is illuminated white on black even when the headlamps are not on.  I assume earlier models are only illuminated when the headlamps or sidelights are on which makes them difficult to see.  Mine has daytime running LED lights which are on all the time and are in lieu of sidelights.  I wonder if a solution for the earlier models is to drive with the sidelights on?

Hi all, not possible to run on sidelights only on my Warwick.There is no sidelight position on the vehicle stalk,its either off or headlighs.Sidelights only on with ignition off and light stalk on.I solved the visible speed problem with a cheap HUD from amazon about £25.Works a treat in mph or kph.

TonyB wrote:Hi all, not possible to run on sidelights only on my Warwick.There is no sidelight position on the vehicle stalk,its either off or headlighs.Sidelights only on with ignition off and light stalk on.I solved the visible speed problem with a cheap HUD from amazon about £25.Works a treat in mph or kph.

Tony - I'm in a similar position as regards side lights and not being able to adequately see the speedometer at this time of year.  Which model HUD did you go for?  Do you know if it will work in bright sunlight as well as darker winter days?  Does it connect into the OBD port or elsewhere?

Hi crashman,i bought one from IKIKIN,but cant see it on amazon today.There is one by GO FOR JUMP that looks the same.The small box sits on the dash on a jelly pad and plugs in the 12v or lighter socket.Shows up well in all weather conditions.They supply it with a small see through screen patch you fit in selected position on screen which stops double image caused by laminated screen.

Yes, it's a shame that one cannot have dashboard illumination on whilst headlights are off. 

HUD is probably the best solution, but as I have some old smartphones, whose batteries only last 6 hours or so, they are fine as supplementary speedos (I use one of the free apps which displays the spped in large numbers which fill the phone's screen). A mount on the dash places the phone in my sightline. Works well and, apart from a mount, costs nothing as no SIM is required - it uses the phone's inbuilt GPS.

Cymro

Tony and Cymro - Thanks to you both for these helpful responses. I'll look into both possibilities as I too have an old phone that might be useful.