[project Marainer]

One thing I have noticed that my mariner does. At night the message center changes brightness while driving. it will dim for a while then go to day time brightness. Is it something that needs dealer attention or is it normal?

Tim

 

[jpark]

The message center should get brighter if you have the parking lights or headlights turned on during the day, and it may brighten at night if you drive under very bright street lights or through brightly-lit areas.

Not all '08+ E/M/Ts will do this---only models with the "sunload sensor" in the middle of the top of the instrument panel. If the message center brightness is flickering rapidly, the sunload sensor may be defective or not fully seated on the electrical connector.

Do you have dual-zone climate controls?

 

[ES CAPE]

You beat me to it on this post..lol Yeah mine does the same, which is really annoying when on the hwy at night. However mine doesnt flicker but i would say every 5 min or so i notice it.

 

[jpark]

I like that feature a lot. My Edge has it.

But Ford should also do what Chrysler has done for years: add another notch to the manual intensity control.

Notch 1 (fully counterclockwise, and some manufacturers don't do this): turn all dome and map lights off (easy to do with one control)

(variable area): turn gauge and control night lighting intensity down or up

Notch 2 (missing from most manufacturers): with gauges and controls at full intensity, turn all fluorescent displays (such as odometer, message center, and radio displays) to full intensity (this helps you see them when you have the headlights on in rain or snow during the day)

Notch 3: turn all dome and map lights on

Chrysler even puts a bright green indicator (visible in daylight, as bright as a turn signal indicator) in the gauge cluster to let you know that your parking or headlights are on.

 

[jonas1022]

I like that feature a lot. My Edge has it.

But Ford should also do what Chrysler has done for years: add another notch to the manual intensity control.

Notch 1 (fully counterclockwise, and some manufacturers don't do this): turn all dome and map lights off (easy to do with one control)

(variable area): turn gauge and control night lighting intensity down or up

Notch 2 (missing from most manufacturers): with gauges and controls at full intensity, turn all fluorescent displays (such as odometer, message center, and radio displays) to full intensity (this helps you see them when you have the headlights on in rain or snow during the day)

Notch 3: turn all dome and map lights on

Chrysler even puts a bright green indicator (visible in daylight, as bright as a turn signal indicator) in the gauge cluster to let you know that your parking or headlights are on.

That sounds like a reasonable thing to do, and probably not one that I would use. But I can understand why it would be desireable.