Display issue

nancyhw

I have a 2006 HHR and have an issue with the display. It is barely visible during the daytime regardless of my having pushed the dimmer switch maximumly to the right, which should make the displays readable. The visibility of the display is erratic. I took the car to my regular mechanic and he ordered a new mechanism which he thought should have resolved the issue. It seemed to, but only for a few weeks, if that long. I see where other HHR owners have had the same issue but I have not noticed how the problem was resolved, nor whether the source of the problem was identified. Anyone, including GM customer service?? Is this a recall issue?

imidazol97

What happens when you turn off the daytime running lights? On my Cobalt, I rotate the turn signal stalk to the off/on for the automatic lights.

Pull up to a wall or garage door where you can see the headlight beams on the area. In broad sunshine, you should just have the parking lights on or the bright headlight beams on low amperage so they serve as running lights for others to see your car. If you push the turn signal stalk forward, the lights will switch from low beam to high beam if the night headlamps are on. If that's the case, the dimmer switch is controlling brightness of itnerior panel.

The sun sensor that's on the top of the dash of my Cobalt is slow to switch from regular headlamps to DRL lamps as the sun gets brighter. In even it switches early. When the regular headlamps are on, the dimmer control on the dash controls the brightness of the panel and radio.

The sun sensor is in front of the driver, in front of the raised portion of the instrument panel and about 2 inches back from glass. It's a small plastic dome about 3/4 inch in diameter. Is something over it? Papers? Maps? A dash pad of some kind?

You can always use the turn signal stalk and rotate it counter-clockwise which goes to the OFF/ON switch for auto headlights if the sun sensor isn't working properly.

nancyhw

Thanks, I’ll try that.

imidazol97

To make clearer, I suspect the sun sensor isn't turning off the regular headlamps for night driving.

In bright sunshine!!!
If you are able to change the beams from low to high by pushing forward on the turn signal stalk,
that tells you for sure the night headlamps are on.

If you not able to change the beams from high to low and back, then you are on daytime running lights (doing this in bright sunshine).

Is something on top of the sun sensor in front of the driver blocking it? That would keep the setting on night headlamsp and that puts the interior dimmer in control of the brightness of the dash lights and radio lamp.

You can turn the headlamps to daytime by rotating the end of the turn signal to the clockwise direction to the circle with the line in it. (I said that wrong the first time).

IF that fixes your interior brightness, that may be what you need to do because repairing the light sensor is likely not efficient.

nancyhw

Well, I’ll try that next because adjusting the headlights did not work. I did take more notice today that the display got bright as I shut off the car. How stupid is that?!