Gauge cluster lights

Can someone tell me how to turn on the gauge cluster lights (Speedo/Tach) when the headlights are turned off?

The cluster lights come on when the headlights are turned on, but they seem to be not lit when headlights are off.

2nd gens have a little dimmer wheel and the cluster lights are lit during the day. How does it work in a 3rd gen? Thanks.

 

The cluster lights turn on/off with the tail lights, to my knowledge there is no other way to turn them on. If the dimmer on the 2nd gen turned them on i suppose it's possible the 3rd gen does too, never tried it. Other than that you'd have to drive with the tail lights on or possibly modify wiring to achieve the desired result.

 

Thanks. Just seems weird to me that the cluster lights can't be adjusted.

 

I drove my commuter today, but I vaguely remember the odometer reset post being able to be rotated to adjust brightness. Try that.

 

I had a Ford once that keep the gauge lights on all the time and dimmed with the tail lights on, but every other vehicle has been like my Tacoma, just adjustable brightness with lights on, and off with lights off.

 

This is a feature, not a bug. If it is too dark to see your gauges, then it would probably be a good idea to at least have the parking lights on. With the days getting shorter again, I did this exact thing this morning.

With full time back lit gauges, I see a lot of cars driving down the road at night with only their DRLs on. I won't even get into it about those that drive around with high beams on day and night. It has reached epidemic levels.

As noted above, you can turn the odometer button left and right to adjust the brightness.

 

Just went out to my truck and tried it out. Turning the odometer post adjusts the gauge lights and the display with the tail lights on. With the tail lights off it only changed the brightness of the display and the gauge lights stayed off even a full brightness.

 

You must never drive facing the sun.

 

Most of the year I'm driving in sunrise / sunset conditions. But then, for whatever reason, I do not have a glare problem with the Sport hood or skewp either.

 

Yep, that's the conclusion I arrived at. 2nd gens have a little wheel on the dash that you spin and it allows the gauge cluster to light up bright during the day without headlights on.

I can see the gauges just fine in the day time. I just like the blue color. Thought it'd be cool to have it on all the time. But looks like it isn't happening.

 

Turn the headlight switch to position right before the headlights turn on. Turns on the interior lights and allows you to turn on your fog lights with your headlights still off.

 

?

 

DRL or parking lights

 

I wish Toyota implemented something like the Dodge Dart had which was an LED light that encompassed the dash when lights were on. Looked really cool and elegant in a sense. My 2015 chargers dash looks all 3D when lit up. Looks bad ass.

To the OP’s question, naw, if you want dash lights on, drive like the others have said. No way to turn them on otherwise.

 

The headlight switch has 3 positions. DRL, middle and headlights. The middle position allows you to turn interior lights on and have your fog lights on with your headlights still off.

 

That is your parking light mode. Your front side markers will be on as well as your taillights.

 

Parking lights.