Interior Lights at Night - Remain Dim

[WestBankM4]

Hello boys, I have a question after doing research I'm coming up blank.

At night when you turn your lights on, your interior lighting including your dash should be a bright orange, for some reason mine remains dim. There's been a few times where I'm parked under flood lights, I turn on the car, turn the lights on and then it magically becomes bright. I've tried shining a light at the LCM module which works sometimes to trigger the lights to come on.

I'm assuming the little pinhole on the LCM module controls the interior lights, while the little pinhole on the HK SatNav only brightens up the SatNav correct? This is what I've gathered from research, does this mean my LCM unit is busted?

[WestBankM4]

First picture is how it always is, super dim at night including the whole cabin, steering wheel buttons, mood lighting, etc.

The picture on the right is when it's triggered under flood lights when I turn on my lights.

Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk

[zzyzx85]

have you tried adjusting the brightness via the dial on the LCM? I have mine adjusted so it isn't at max brightness when the headlights are on.

[WestBankM4]

The LCM brightness dial doesn't work when the lights are dim unfortunately, it will work when they actually become brighter at night.

Is that little pinhole on the LCM responsible for ambient light? Is that the unit that controls whether the unit detects daytime or night?

[lemoose]

The LCM brightness dial doesn't work when the lights are dim unfortunately, it will work when they actually become brighter at night.

Is that little pinhole on the LCM responsible for ambient light? Is that the unit that controls whether the unit detects daytime or night?

Do you have a bluebus and are using the parking lights feature (dont know if its applicable to e46)? On my M5, using that feature would stop the dial dimmer from working.

[WestBankM4]

Do you have a bluebus and are using the parking lights feature (dont know if its applicable to e46)? On my M5, using that feature would stop the dial dimmer from working.

I do have a BlueBus and I'll check that setting when I get home, but I don't think it's a question of the dial dimmer working or not, it does work, but only when the lights are turned on and not dim. They're always dim essentially, it doesn't get bright. .

[heinzboehmer]

That little circle in front of the LCM is a light sensor designed to adjust light brightness depending on how much light there is in the cabin. Try cleaning yours, maybe it's dirty and thinks the interior is always super dim.

[WestBankM4]

That little circle in front of the LCM is a light sensor designed to adjust light brightness depending on how much light there is in the cabin. Try cleaning yours, maybe it's dirty and thinks the interior is always super dim.

That what I thought! That little light sensor is for the interior and the little light sensor on the HK Sat Nav is for the Navigation screen I believe. Ok let me get some alcohol and see what happens. Thanks fellas.

[heinzboehmer]

That what I thought! That little light sensor is for the interior and the little light sensor on the HK Sat Nav is for the Navigation screen I believe. Ok let me get some alcohol and see what happens. Thanks fellas.

It might not do anything, but worth a shot.

[lemoose]

That what I thought! That little light sensor is for the interior and the little light sensor on the HK Sat Nav is for the Navigation screen I believe. Ok let me get some alcohol and see what happens. Thanks fellas.

not sure how getting drunk might resolve this but good luck

[Shonky]

That what I thought! That little light sensor is for the interior and the little light sensor on the HK Sat Nav is for the Navigation screen I believe. Ok let me get some alcohol and see what happens. Thanks fellas.

The sensor on the navigation monitor does nothing I'm pretty sure. Certainly doesn't affect rest of the interior.