[SkyPilot]

Is it possible to rewire the instrument panel to be illuminated all the time while the car is running? Might be my age or myopia, but during the day unless I turn my running lights on, I cannot clearly see the gauges.

 

[WillBeck]

Slap a piece of electrical tape over the light sensor. It will trigger your headlights on, and also your dash lights.

Otherwise it is much more simple to turn on your running lights than to hardware a bypass.

 

[TX08manualGXP]

you can probably find one of those rubber bolt protector the same size that you can just stick over the sensor but electrical tape would have thesame affect. however, with the lights on, the display on the DIC and radio will be dim I think.

 

[TomatoSoup]

Agree with TX, if you fool your sensor into night mode, your DIC and radio will be dim and thus unreadable in daylight.

Another option is to swap your gauge faces for ones with better contrast and visibility, That's what I did... http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/f62/new-gauge-faces-corrected-trunk-open-icon-60545/

 

[jeffgtx]

C'mon soup. I expected more from you! Surely there's a way to go into the dash unit and tell it to be lit instead of off and still be dim when dim.

I believe in you!

 

[TomatoSoup]

Sorry - I applied the KISS principle

 

[jeffgtx]

You could probably even do this at the connector, right? Apply illumination as getting the on signal from someplace else while keeping the dim signal as the original.

I'm just thinking out loud without looking at a connector diagram.

 

[SolNut]

I hit the Fog light Button!

YMMV

 

[SkyPilot]

Yeah, I tried fooling the sensor with electrical tape, that resulted in the lights coming on, but too dim to be of any use (except at night).

 

[Black_Out]

I hit the Fog light Button!

YMMV

:agree:

I decided to make it a habit a long time ago to just turn on the fog lamps as par of my start up routine.

1) Click seat belt
2) Start engine
3) Turn on fogs
4) Drive away...

This way, the automatic headlights still work (I HATE head light DRLs... except the ones on the C6 Corvettes; but seems the Sky people never figured out that rewiring that I could find)

 

[twowheeladdict]

This topic seems to be coming up a lot lately. Did the color of the gauge faces change over the years / models? My '06 is white background with Black outlined red numbers and gauges. Even with my polarized sunglasses on I have no issues seeing them.

Here is a random photo while on a drive.

 

[TomatoSoup]

This way, the automatic headlights still work (I HATE head light DRLs... except the ones on the C6 Corvettes; but seems the Sky people never figured out that rewiring that I could find)

For the Solstice, you can just remove the DRL relay in the underhood fuse block. Pretty sure it'd be the same for the Sky. You could certainly try it.

This topic seems to be coming up a lot lately. Did the color of the gauge faces change over the years / models? My '06 is white background with Black outlined red numbers and gauges. Even with my polarized sunglasses on I have no issues seeing them.

Nope. No changes. You have the NA Solstice, which has the white gauges. GXP's have the grey/silver background ones.

 

[Black_Out]

For the Solstice, you can just remove the DRL relay in the underhood fuse block. Pretty sure it'd be the same for the Sky. You could certainly try it.

Long since been done, TS, but thanks for pointing that out for anyone else who might benefit. I just wish that the former forum members (I think one was Duramax?) had continued their research and come to a positive resolution to get the front marker lights wired as DRLs. That would've been pretty awesome. Always a little jealous when I see a C6 driving down the road.

 

[rob the elder]

Just turn on the fog lights. The dash stays bright and they act as DRLs as well.

 

[TX08manualGXP]

And you can change the bulbs to halogens if you want. I have blue LED's in mine.

 

[TomatoSoup]

And you can change the bulbs to halogens if you want. I have blue LED's in mine.

Errr, wha? Halogen bulbs in the cluster? Doubt that will work - the bulbs are run at low current (so they'll last the car's lifetime) - halogens, even if you could get them small enough, would still be dim

 

[ChopTop]

This topic seems to be coming up a lot lately. Did the color of the gauge faces change over the years / models? My '06 is white background with Black outlined red numbers and gauges. Even with my polarized sunglasses on I have no issues seeing them.

Here is a random photo while on a drive.

On our 06 the gauge face is white, on our 09 GXP it's black, and yes it is difficult to see the black gauge faces when its sunny. I've adjusted the steering wheel and played w/raising and lowering the seat, but still have issues seeing the gauges clearly during the day in the 09 GXP. However, it could also be due to having Astigmatism vision (not being able to see clearly nearsighted or farsighted). Regardless, it's only when the sun goes down and the dashboard lights come on that I can see the gauges more clearly.

It could also be due to the design, unlike the SKY which had a gauge binnacle on the Solstice the gauges are sunk very deep.

 

[TX08manualGXP]

No, someone was talking about using the fog lights as driving lights so that's where I said he could change the bulb. but yeah, put a halogen in the dash, lil grow light action there

 

[SkyPilot]

On our 06 the gauge face is white, on our 09 GXP it's black, and yes it is difficult to see the black gauge faces when its sunny. I've adjusted the steering wheel and played w/raising and lowering the seat, but still have issues seeing the gauges clearly during the day in the 09 GXP. However, it could also be due to having Astigmatism vision (not being able to see clearly nearsighted or farsighted). Regardless, it's only when the sun goes down and the dashboard lights come on that I can see the gauges more clearly.

That's my issue as well.

It could also be due to the design, unlike the SKY which had a gauge binnacle on the Solstice the gauges are sunk very deep.

Whaaa..? I think the mounting is different (Solstice being more surface mount and the sky mating further in), but the housing itself should be identical.

 

[twowheeladdict]

On our 06 the gauge face is white, on our 09 GXP it's black, and yes it is difficult to see the black gauge faces when its sunny. I've adjusted the steering wheel and played w/raising and lowering the seat, but still have issues seeing the gauges clearly during the day in the 09 GXP. However, it could also be due to having Astigmatism vision (not being able to see clearly nearsighted or farsighted). Regardless, it's only when the sun goes down and the dashboard lights come on that I can see the gauges more clearly.

It could also be due to the design, unlike the SKY which had a gauge binnacle on the Solstice the gauges are sunk very deep.

Don't even want to talk eyesight. Been wearing glasses since I was 2. I have Astigmatism but it is corrected with my +7 lenses.