Test

johnk · Mar 30, 2009

think this model had auto illumination, on one of the gauges there is a little black dot which is a light sensor and basically tells your back lights to come on when dark... do you have this problem on a night or when it's just starting to get dark...

chris_greenwich · Mar 30, 2009

browser · Mar 30, 2009

I would be more likely to ask one of the many area Porsche specialists before the main dealers,they have lots of detailed knowledge as cars over three yrs old tend to go there and have great experience and are ready to offer help and advice.

spyderman · Mar 30, 2009

Does it make any difference if you wiggle the display brightness knob?

Glyn · Mar 30, 2009

Check if you have the rear number plate lights working, These are on the same circuit. The most likely fault is the headlight switch, Pull the switch outwards (to put the fog lights on) then give it a good slap back in - this should put the dash and plate lights back on - and proves the fault is your switch

johnk · Mar 30, 2009

forgot about that little blighter....

Black80XSA · Mar 31, 2009

First port of call should be the rear number plate light - for 10 minutes DIY and a few quid for a bulb it will rule one option out.

johnk · Mar 31, 2009

no the rear number plate lights are on the same circuit as the dash lights and chances are you have a dodgy connection inside the switch which means you need a new unit as the don't come apart ... jk

Black80XSA · Mar 31, 2009

and it keeps you legal, not that the rozzers bother about such trivialities these days

spyderman · Mar 31, 2009

ORIGINAL: chris_greenwich Thanks for quick responses. I don't think my model (2004 Boxster S 550 Anniversary) has the auto-illumination feature, and from memory the lights just used to come on regardless whenever I turned the headlight switch on. Spyderman - I think we have the same car (am I missing something?).

Yep - same car. Mine has a twiddly knob for adjusting the brightness - never noticed any automatic adjustification going on.

Glyn · Mar 31, 2009

And just to be different again - The switch does come apart and very easilly, no real fiddly bits inside just a circle of metal contacts - they just need a bit of a bend. The switch is held together by a series of indents around the circumference and the metal body is simply bent in to the indent, a small screwdriver to prise them out and it pulls apart, bend the tabs and a bit of a spray clean and simply push back together and bend the metal back into the indent. If you can get the switch out then you can fix this in about a hour - even if you are very slow.