Mazda CX-7 Dashboard Illumination
 

Hi,

I am having trouble seeing my speedometer reading when the Mazda CX-7 i Sport is in bright sunlight. The Mazda dealer told me that my car is working as designed like all other Mazda CX-7's that use the white-on-black basic back-lighted gauges rather than the high end Grand Touring "electroluminescent" gauges.

I am finding that there is not a consensus on this, however, Some people have reported the same problems while others have said that they are completely satisfied.

Some factors: (1) Taller drivers positioned closer to the roof are shielded from the bright sun (like using a visor),
(2) Some people with tinted windows are doing better,
(3) Some people's eyes may adapting more quickly to changes in light intensity (from indoor level at gauges to outdoor level at windshield).

I have made full use of the illumination level rotary switch and the override "push" function too.

If I shine an LED flashlight on the odometer (fourteen LEDs), the extra illumination is sufficient for even the brightest outdoor conditions. So supplementary lighting is a possibility.

I am interested to find out how others may have overcome the same problems that I have found with the Mazda CX-7 dashboard gauges.

Thanks,

Joe

Addendum:

I found today that our 2001 Pontiac Aztek has a 5" wide band of window tinting at the top of the front windshield. That could be the critical success factor.

Also, the Aztec’s windshield has a steeper angle than the Mazda CX-7, which has a smaller angle of rise. Thus, the XC-7 windshield is longer and may be able to use even more than 5” of shading. We were thinking of buying a product that we could apply to the windshield to give us a band of say 6 ” or more of tint from the roofline and down, but not to interfere with normal vision out of the front windshield.

Any thoughts on how much shading would be right for a CX-7 windshield? Is D-I-Y with a plastic film o.k. or would a dealer job be better, especially if the Mazda District Manager sees this as the solution to the problem.

Have any of you tried this remedy?

Thanks,

Joe

Same dsah illumination problem
 

I have the same problem with my new 2016 cx-5. See post here:


https://www.mazdaforum.com/forum/maz...ination-36263/


Seems the adjustment knob does not do much (actually nothing) and was thinking if you could fool the car into thinking it was dark out by covering up the sensor that detects day/night you could run the gauges in night mode all the time. Do you know where that sensor is located?


P.S. I too have the "cheap" black on white gauges.


P.P.S. really a Mickey Mouse set up for a technically advanced vehicle !