[AlanHo]

I have a suspicion that the brightness of my satnav screen is slowly deteriorating. I guess that if you have a gradual failure of something - a little each day - things have to get a lot worse before you really notice and I may have reached that point.

When I first bought the car just over a year ago I had to use the auto brightness setting to use the night display after sunset - if the day setting was on, the screen was far too bright and dazzled.

Last evening I was out in the car and suddenly realised that it was dark, the satnav was on day display set to maximum - and it didn't blind me as it used to.

Today when driving the car I took more notice than usual of the display and am half convinced that the reverse camera and satnav display were not as bright as they used to be. I checked the settings and the display was set to maximum brightness.


Has anyone met this before?

[Johnno]

Can't say I've noticed but I don't use the car that much, other half uses it most of the time.

But one thing i've noticed with the reverse camera is the marker lines sometimes don't display

[rustynutz]

Are you sure it's not your eyesight that's failing, Alan?   

[AlanHo]

Are you sure it's not your eyesight that's failing, Alan?   

If it was - I wouldn't have noticed any difference.......

[Wingerdave]

I had the same thing last week.

(click to show/hide)

...then i took my sunglasses off and all was well 

[rustynutz]

Are you sure it's not your eyesight that's failing, Alan?   

If it was - I wouldn't have noticed any difference.......

 

[AlanHo]

In order to determine whether it was the recent map update that had caused the problem, I decided to reinstall last years map update. Fortunately I had retained the HERE memory stick and the activation code.

Before doing so I used my Lumix camera to measure the brightness of the screen with the car in the garage, with the garage door shut to avoid any extraneous light presence. The satnav daytime screen at high setting measured 80 lumens.

I then reinstalled last years map and firmware update - which took a total of 92 minutes. I didn't need to use the camera to see that the screen was now much brighter. So - car back in the garage, door closed, and in identical circumstances the screen display measured 250 lumens. Quite a difference.

In order to pinpoint whether it was the map update or firmware update that had caused the problem, I downloaded the latest firmware update from KIA and installed it. This is a 1.37 GB file and it took 24 minutes to install. I then checked the screen brightness again and it had remained at 250 lumens - thus suspicion fell on the map update.
 
I then reinstalled the latest map update - which also includes the firmware update already installed (this year they are the same version). Thus using up yet another 90 minutes of my life.

To my surprise when I checked the screen brightness again - it had remained at 250 lumens - so although the procedure had rectified the problem - I have no idea what caused it in the first place.

[Dazzler]

One of the now 8 great mysteries of the universe! 

Very frustrating, but a happy ending...( I like happy endings) 

[AlanHo]

I like happy endings 

Provided there isn't a thumb in the way.........................

[Dazzler]

I like happy endings 

Provided there isn't a thumb in the way.........................

True.. That is thumbthing I hope never happens!

[eye30]

Was the camera calibrated correctly and did you alter any settings after taking the first reading?

[AlanHo]

Was the camera calibrated correctly and did you alter any settings after taking the first reading?

Yes and No respectively. The comparisons are correct

On each occasion I took 3 readings and they were consistent. My garage has no windows and with the door closed it is like the black hole of whatsitsname. Hence there was no extraneous light to spoil comparative accuracy.

[eye30]

Was the camera calibrated correctly and did you alter any settings after taking the first reading?

Yes and No respectively. The comparisons are correct

On each occasion I took 3 readings and they were consistent. My garage has no windows and with the door closed it is like the black hole of whatsitsname. Hence there was no extraneous light to spoil comparative accuracy.

Thanks.

Just wanted to confirm and as usual you apply consistent parameters to your testing.

[AlanHo]

AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!

I spoke too soon.

I just got back from a trip in the car during which I was sure the screen had dimmed again.

When I got home I did another check and it is back to 80 lumens again.

I have Emailed KIA Customer Services about the saga.

[Dazzler]

 

[eye30]

I just got back from a trip in the car during which I was sure the screen had dimmed again.

When I got home I did another check and it is back to 80 lumens again.

Is it diming as a battery saver mode?

[AlanHo]

I just got back from a trip in the car during which I was sure the screen had dimmed again.

When I got home I did another check and it is back to 80 lumens again.

Is it diming as a battery saver mode?

I'm sure it isn't - it stays dim when I rev the engine

[Phil №❶]

Does the screen dim when your lights are on 

Are your lights on 

[Dazzler]

Does the screen dim when your lights are on 

Are your lights on 

Mine does, but I'm sure Alan would have factored that in...

[AlanHo]

With the Venga - when you switch sidelights or headlights on the screen changes to night mode. In previous cars day and night modes were decided by a light sensor so when you entered a dark tunnel the night mode would be activated (When set to auto).

The problem I have is that both the day and night modes are dimmer than previously.

I am now beginning to think that I may have a problem with the head unit - because today the screen was brighter for a short while when we drove into town. We parked up for 2 hours and on the return journey it was dim again.

Don't you hate intermittent problems, knowing full well that if I take it to the dealer it will not misbehave and I will politely get treated like the village idiot who sees ghosts.

[Dazzler]

Don't you hate intermittent problems, knowing full well that if I take it to the dealer it will not misbehave and I will politely get treated like the village idiot who sees ghosts.

Yep, they are one of my pet hates... Mathew is proving to be an intermittent problem! 

[AlanHo]

My local KIA dealer collected the car today to check the satnav.

Two hours later they phoned to confirm that the satnav is faulty and will be replaced under warranty.

They have ordered the replacement and will let me know when it will be available for fitting.

[John B]

Thats good Alan, I bet your pleased that is sorted .Nothing worse than those intermittent problems.

[Dazzler]

Thats good Alan, I bet your pleased that is sorted .Nothing worse than those intermittent problems.

 

Hopefully you will get up to date maps too... 

[AlanHo]

Thats good Alan, I bet your pleased that is sorted .Nothing worse than those intermittent problems.

 

Hopefully you will get up to date maps too... 

I have already purchased the latest maps - it was installing them that I originally believed to be the cause of this saga because I noticed the screen was dim immediately afterwards.

However, after reinstalling the old maps and then installing the new ones a couple of times, I was able to convince myself that the timing was a fluke. As the days have gone by the screen has been inconsistent - some days being brighter than others - but never as bright as original.

As you know I have car cameras front and back which I left in the car when they collected it. The technicians did not switch them off, so I have a record of their conversations in the car.

First a technician sat in the car and you can hear him from the beeps playing with the settings. I can see the headlights going on and off and the climate control being put on on full power - presumably to put load on the battery.

After 8 minutes he leaves the car with the ignition switch on the power notch because the cameras were still on but the engine off. He is away for 8 minutes before returning with a sheaf of papers in his hand. Again there is much playing with controls for 4 minutes and he leaves the car. He returns 3 minutes later with who I assume to be the service manager and they both get in the car. The technician says, I did as you said and searched the f**king hot line for the problem but it aint bin reported before. A second voice says "Shush - the camera's running". The technician says "I know that". They then have a chat in hushed tones with the radio on - I can't hear what they are saying until one of them says "We've wasted enough time - the bloody things definitely faulty"

More anon.

[Phil №❶]

 

[eye30]

A second voice says "Shush - the camera's running". The technician says "I know that". They then have a chat in hushed tones with the radio on - I can't hear what they are saying until one of them says "We've wasted enough time - the bloody things definitely faulty"

Now wonder if the camera being on influenced their prognosis

[Dazzler]

Thanks for sharing that little gem Alan 

What is that saying? "Wish I had been a fly on the wall.." You were... 

[AlanHo]

Next time I will affix a black card to the camera screen so they cannot see it is on.

Another advantage of the camera is that I was able to monitor the driver's journey - on both the collection and return journeys he took the shortest route, drove smoothly and kept to speed limits.

I must say that my local KIA dealer is very professional and more than equal regarding customer service to any other dealership (including Audi and Toyota) I have had dealings with over the past few years.

[Dazzler]

Good idea and  Alan...