Dashboard Backlighting

Sorry if this has been asked. When I first bought my 21 Tacoma, the backlighting would always be illuminated at some level of brightness with the switch in Auto. Even in daylight. I took it for the 5000mi service, and now the backlight no longer stays on during daylight. The dealership told me it’s normal for it to shut off in daylight but I swear it used to stay on, and would come on full bright during the day. I also used to get this indication on the dash (attached photo). I no longer see this either in any mode Off, Auto, DRL, On or at any outside light condition (I don’t really know if the two are linked). They told me that isn’t an indication on the dash, but again I swear it used to be there. The information digital display between the two dash indicators (tach and speedo) function and respond properly to various switch positions and lighting conditions.

Any thoughts?

 

Canada?


Take back to the dealer...they turned it off.

 

Dealer is standing by that it never did what I said and that light doesn’t come on.

 

Are you in Canada as asked?

And your dealer wants to argue with the owners manual?

Find another dealer.

 

Canadian trucks don't have the DRL mode on the stalk or at least they didn't before 2021. Up here DRL are mandatory up front. Rear DRLs hopefully very soon. I think that's one of the new laws that was suppose to come in soon due to people driving around at night with no rear lights on.

 

I’m not in Canada. For the life of me I can’t imagine what a tire rotation and oil change could have done to cause this to quit working.

i certainly don’t see me coming back to this service department again.

 

Which model? SR, SR5, TRD? Not sure if it matters here tho.

 

The only way that would be on is if you left your headlights in the on position at all times.

I wish my dash backlights would be on all the time :/

 

In my truck, if you're in Auto, and the headlights are off (day mode) the dashlights are off. If you're in Auto, and the headlights are on (night mode), the dash lights are on. In marker lights position or headlight position, the dash lights are always on. This is for an american truck.

As far as I can tell, the dealer is correct. Mind you mine is a '17, yours is a '21, but I believe it is the same.

 

Same. Kinda sucks the backlighting is so subpar in these trucks. Noticed it first time driving it home because it was getting dark and the dash was soooo bright. My eyes are real sensitive to that kind of stuff. I had to Google how to dim it and that's when I found out it's a ghetto turn of the ODO button, lol. Hell, my previous Subaru that had a lot less features had a better auto and backlight setting, and it was half the cost. I've learned to live with it tho, and it's on the short list of things I actually dislike, but it's at the top of that list for sure.

The backlighting should be brighter during the day and darker at night. It's cloudy very often where I live, but just bright enough to keep the Darks on and not the headlights. I've basically learned to read braille and memorized the button locations, but still not a good thing imo.

 

Lol ooooof. We don't have that issue much in Phoenix and it's sunny af here lol. You can change the sensitivity somewhere in the headunit settings on the '21 though - not sure if its available on the 17 or not but worth looking for. I dialed mine back a bit since I have a fully tinted windshield.