I learnt a new trick with the VE Dash Lights

[GJ227]

Im not sure if many people know, or maybe you all do and i just discovered it, but apon reading a little more of the VE book i have, i noticed a picture of the headlight switch of the VE, which mentioned that the 2 buttons to dull and brighten the dash lights, if pressed together, knocks out all of the dash lights except the important needed ones.

so apon this i went out and tried, it knockes all of the radio, aircon, the 3 gauges in the centre of the dash (HSV), the window and mirror buttons, it also knocks the lights off the Petrol, temp and Taco, the last 3 gauges also stop working when blanked out, so taco stops and Temp and petrol gauges go to cold and empty.

the only lights left is the Speedo and the 3 window trip Gauges, the driving lights symbol and indicators still work, but apart from that you are in complete darkness and its a very weird feeling.

Give it a go, tell me what you think about the different driving experience.

GJ227

[bwhinnen]

Friend showed me this on his SS, really is freaky when you are driving at night, you are so used to seeing so much light from the dash...

[CarlFST60L]

Nice find, i'll use that!

[Holden Man]

I wonder if that was put in for the police to use.

[Big_Valven]

Wouldn't be surprised. Nice trick that.

[CSP]

I've been using that feature when on Highways or open country roads at night since November 2006 when I got my first VE.

I spend the whole first day with any new car going through the book cover to cover and learning all the ins and outs.

Personally, I love the feature - gives you better night vision and means you can focus on what's out the windscreen at night. Only problem I find is the driving lights and high-beam lights aren't dimmed at all which is annoying.


I wonder if that was put in for the police to use.

I doubt it. Police have a modification that allows them to run interior instrumentation without exterior lights.

[greySStoke]

I wonder if that was put in for the police to use.



No, we have other tricks..........

[danial7719]

I wonder if that was put in for the police to use.

In Police Vehicles its called Stealth Mode, we have them in our VE SV6's but its a dedicated button that is up on the roof with the lights for map reading etc, long square button.

One of the guys was playing around with it when we first got the VE's and thought it had blown something electrical, took it to Holden who had a laugh and explained what it was for :) :) :)

[xploit]

It is a great trick which i use all the time,

Especially great for the eyes on those long night/early morning country drives, doesnt tire your eyes out as much as normal.

I can understand why you posted it though when i first found it i was excited.

Good find :)

Dave

[!!COOKY!!]

If you press the button and close both eyes it turns all the lights off!!!
Suprised the dealer didn't show you this feature when you took delivery. Bit slack of them....

[Big_Valven]

Actually the more I think about this the cooler it seems, I often dim the dash lights right down on long night trips but this would be cool on a different level. Would work well for focusing on the road. In this mode the radio, colour screen etc are still on, just not lit?

[Curtis-R]

Interesting find, must check that out... A funny thing happened to me the other night..

I was driving along the freeway and went under an overpass that had really bright lighting in it.. Next thing you know my headlights turned 'OFF' (obviously they were on auto) came out the other side in complete darkness!
:1peek:

[GJ227]

Big V,
yeah Radio and Climate still works just when you look down at the gear stick, everything is just black.

Cooky,
As i said on the phone, keep pushing my buttons and your lights will go out, and yes you should of shown me this feature, to think i filled the HSV card in saying you did everything well. hehe

GJ227

[hallyoz]

This been on Saabs for a number of years, I think they call it 'Night Panel'. it seems like Holden is using more than cupholders from the world wide factory parts stable.

[vh-holden]

I thought I read an article in one of those wheels/motor yearbooks about interior lighting. A source suggested that some dull interior lighting was actually better at night time than not lighting as it improved your spacial awareness and was less tiring. If i can be bothered i'll try and find it.

[CSP]

A source suggested that some dull interior lighting was actually better at night time than not lighting as it improved your spacial awareness and was less tiring.

I prefer interior darkness when driving at night in unlit areas... Besides, I don't drive in space, only on Earth, so don't need to worry about spacial awareness except to say I know where it is and it's quite large :lmao:

[vicarious]

yeah i read about that to, havent tried it yet. We must be the only 2 people to read the manuals on this forum:)

[CSP]

We must be the only 2 people to read the manuals on this forum:)

Possibly, but when you invest so much time and money in a car, it's good to know it as inside out as possible :D

I spent the first Saturday after I got my VE Calais in November 2006 sitting in the car reading the manual cover to cover with a grin from ear to ear.

Did the same thing when I got the Clubby... But since it was based on the Calais, I just spent the afternoon I picked it up :D

[GJ227]

I actually found this in the book AutoBiography the history of VE, i dont recall reading it in the manual, i skim a bit i guess.

GJ227

[vh-holden]

I prefer interior darkness when driving at night in unlit areas... Besides, I don't drive in space, only on Earth, so don't need to worry about spacial awareness except to say I know where it is and it's quite large :lmao:

sorry, spatial. less cold and flu tablets, more oxygen i thinks.

[vicarious]

1 thing i cant recall in the manual is being able to set the sensitivity of the auto headlights, i find they come on to late when i need them. Anyone know how to adjust this?

[CSP]

1 thing i cant recall in the manual is being able to set the sensitivity of the auto headlights, i find they come on to late when i need them. Anyone know how to adjust this?

Turn them on yourself???

I don't know about anyone else, but auto headlights and rain sensing wipers are stupid.

I know best when I want my headlights on and when the wipers need to disperse water from my windscreen.

Besides, it's a whole lot safer to drive with lights on ALL THE TIME, so I do. Auto-off is good so the battery doesn't go flat and I can just leave them in the "on" position all the time.

[vicarious]

[QUOTE=CSP;1194261]Turn them on yourself???

i could do that, but when travelling through the freeway tunnel flat chat, i think i will leave both hands on the wheel

[bwhinnen]

1 thing i cant recall in the manual is being able to set the sensitivity of the auto headlights, i find they come on to late when i need them. Anyone know how to adjust this?

Can't comment on the Holden, but with the Ford the dealer can change the sensitivity, I wonder if the Holden is the same, ie a dealer only change?

[cashie]

This been on Saabs for a number of years, I think they call it 'Night Panel'. it seems like Holden is using more than cupholders from the world wide factory parts stable.

Yep Saabs have had this for a while. Also, if a warning comes on (ie low fuel) only that gauge will light up as well.

[Marco]

Saabs have had it since the 900 of the early 90s IIRC, they call it Black Panel.

I usually have the lighting turned down as far as possible anyway - my rule is that if looking out the windscreen at night I can still see dashboard lighting (without looking at it specifically), then it's too bright and I turn it down.

I don't know how people drive around with it on full brightness at all times!

[Wonky]

I spent the first Saturday after I got my VE Calais in November 2006 sitting in the car reading the manual cover to cover with a grin from ear to ear.
Yep, I brought the manual in one night soon after getting the car and went through it.


1 thing i cant recall in the manual is being able to set the sensitivity of the auto headlights, i find they come on to late when i need them. Anyone know how to adjust this?
On the VZ it was in the options menu but I've had a look through the manual and all menus and it doesn't look like you can adjust it on VE. :( I'm pretty sure someone asked the question ages ago and the consensus was that it was not possible.

[Devil CV8]

When I picked the SSV up last november the fleet salesguy told me this feature while going through the spiel. So it really should be common knowledge depending on how good the delivery is.

[Tezza_VESSV]

I tried this out this morning in my SS. It worked great, but after switching this mode off again, the radio display was all screwed up. Anyone else had this?

The display seems to fix itself when the car is next started and I haven't tried it again yet to see if it is recurring problem.

[Big_Valven]

[QUOTE=CSP;1194261]Turn them on yourself???

i could do that, but when travelling through the freeway tunnel flat chat, i think i will leave both hands on the wheel

What ever did we do before automatic everything?

[Caprice270]

Thanks GJ227 I always wondered how to access this feature.

My fav auto feature is the auto door locking. I've been car jacked so I know how important this feature is!

As for auto headlights, I think they are great...auto wipers are absolutely crap and sometimes bloody embarrasing when they swipe across the windscreen for no reason.

[LDV60]

I tried this last night and was happily surprised to see it actually disables some of the guages rather than just turing the illumination off.
(the tacho and fuel guages actually display nothing at all.)

Very cool and very useful when having long night driving sessions.

[Black AH CDX]

Saabs have had it since the 900 of the early 90s IIRC, they call it Black Panel.



Saab actually call it NIGHT PANEL

I'm not sure if the VE system does what the Saab's do and automatically re illuminate if there is a problem eg low fuel, over heating ect



Question:
Does no one read their owners manuals after taking delivery of their new car?

[Wonky]

Question:
Does no one read their owners manuals after taking delivery of their new car?

Real men never read instructions or manuals! Pass the quiche please! :D

[vicarious]

Real men never read instructions or manuals! Pass the quiche please! :D

thats probably why i have man boobs (or in the solo ad "man cans"):bawl:

[Black AH CDX]

Real men never read instructions or manuals! Pass the quiche please! :D

What's wrong with quiche? :p


thats probably why i have man boobs (or in the solo ad "man cans"):bawl:

Maybe you should get a "bro"?

[Alex(AUS)]

Thanks GJ227 I always wondered how to access this feature.

My fav auto feature is the auto door locking. I've been car jacked so I know how important this feature is!

As for auto headlights, I think they are great...auto wipers are absolutely crap and sometimes bloody embarrasing when they swipe across the windscreen for no reason.

Get your rain sensor module changed (under warranty) with the newer type ... it fixes that ... works great afterward ... also I have noticed that the wiper speed ring changes the rain sensor sensitivity ... try it.

Alex

[PBoB]

I don't know about anyone else, but auto headlights and rain sensing wipers are stupid.

I know best when I want my headlights on.

:yup:


when travelling through the freeway tunnel flat chat, i think i will leave both hands on the wheel

:nono: public forum people, all I'm sayin :teach:

EDIT: By the way, does anybody know if this feature is on VZ's aswell or is it only a VE thing?

[GJ227]

ok i know the headlights, the Dash now and the speed sensor radio, and that you can change the curve on the radio, but have not worked out the rain sensor wipers yet?, quick explination someone please.

GJ227

[Alex(AUS)]

ok i know the headlights, the Dash now and the speed sensor radio, and that you can change the curve on the radio, but have not worked out the rain sensor wipers yet?, quick explination someone please.

GJ227

Only available in Calais V, Senator, Caprice, Grange ...

Alex

[HOLDAN]

I'll try it this evening

[conchie]

Thanks guys, i knew the car had night panel but didnt know how to activate it.
While playing around i found out you can turn the tacho on or off in night mode.

Customise-Trip Computer-Night Panel-Tacho On/Off

[johnfalzon]

Learn something new every day with these new cars

[johnfalzon]

Learn something new everyday with these new cars

[moconn20]

2 year thread dig, niiiiice

[conchie]

2 year thread dig, niiiiice

:)
the index in the manual showed nothing, google was useless, ls1 to the rescue!

[VESS-VWagon]

Yeah I'm with you mate. If you can find it useful 2 years on then that's a bonus. I'm actually pissed this came up as I had my VE SS wagon for 12 months and this would have benn VERY handy with all the night driving I was doing. :doh:

[moconn20]

Funny, my dealer showed me this during my "vehicle orientation" on delivery day.

[VESS-VWagon]

Yeah, I read through the thread (and over the years) quite a few of you got shown this feature. I was just an unlucky one that missed out. Musn't be as smart as I apparently look. :confused: