Dimming the High Beam instrument lamp

[NP99]

Hi All

Maybe it is just me but when I am drving along with the high beams running I find the blue indicator on the instrument panel to bright and distracting. It appears in my model (07, 4.8, ST) that it is not dimmed like all the other instrument lamps.

So I found the right wire and inserted a couple of 33 ohm resistors in series with the lamp. So total 66 ohms. I used 1/4 watt resistors which are suitable as the dissipated wattage is only 0.19 watt each.

First a schematic of where we are breaking into the circuit.
Attachment 28877
Next find connector and right wire. We are looking for red wire with blue stripe on M21.
Attachment 28878
Which is located here behind the kick panel on drivers side.
Attachment 28879
So we need to cut this wire.
Attachment 28880
And I used a screw terminal to mount the resistors on.
Attachment 28881

Now the lamp is about a third of the brightness as before and much more easy on the eyes whilst driving at night.

Hope someone finds this useful. It has been annoying me since I've had the car.

Skip

Well done mate, my road cruiser had the same problem, way too bright.

[NP99]

Did you miss CORRECTLY or in other word how it left the factory or how it was initially designed to comply and meet ADR's.....

What about after market LEDs? They too are brighter than OEM! Would they fail on a RWC?

[Alitis007]

What about after market LEDs? They too are brighter than OEM! Would they fail on a RWC?

Depends what style and where they are used, if they used to illuminate an instrument cluster they must have the correct amount of spread so there is no shading. If they are used as number plate and parking/ stationary lights they must be white in color, not blue, red, green ect. If they are used in head lights they must not be brighter that 4500k (kelvin) same goes for halogen and xenon gas filled globes but but HID head lights fall into another category with projector style head lights. Long story short they need to have a leveling device installed into the head light assembly, but thats got nothing to do with interior lighting.

If you go onto your local RTA's website the VSI's ( vehicle standard information) should be listed BUT reading and understanding 1 section doesn't mean something is correct or incorrect, you need to read it all and have an understanding how the VSI's and ADR's work together!

[Winnie]

Is that true about headlights not allowed to be above 4500k?

[Clunk]

Great idea dimming that poxy bright high beam warning light. How about using a potentiometer instead, which would also alleviate the issue of the light being too dim for the likes of George come testing time?????!!!!!!

Don't slap it, tap it!!!!

[skipdh]

Hi Clunk

That is a good idea. I was also thinking about a switch that bypasses the resistor and brings it back to default brightness. If anyone is looking at doing this mod I found that even tho it is dimmer it is still bright enough to see during daylight.

With respect to a pot, a 50 or 100 ohm 1 watt unit would work fine....

skip

[nuts1957]

Mmmmm i reacon if they can drive fast enough to look in the window while i have high beam on and see the light isnt bright enough and pinch me for it they have done there job (tax payer funded) i would pay the fine. just kidding it great that someone knows the rules and cares enough to pass it on must of bent them myself even without knowing

[skipdh]

I haven been caught yet. I'm living on the edge........

Sent from my GT-I9210T using Motorculture mobile app

[Evo]

I have to say I agree with Alitis007.

But each to their own risk.

Evo