So, after reading many old threads about i-Drive brightness issues, I seem to have the opposite problem everyone else has had. I use my car in the same conditions 4 days per week, so what I am seeing is consistent with night vs. daytime i-Drive screen brightness, on a day-to-day basis.

During the day, brightness is fine and consistent. I have it set slightly below middle in the "Display" brightness setting in the i-Drive. I do notice the screen dims as it should when I go through tunnels, etc. However, I am having issues at night. Many others have stated that the fluorescent bulb behind the i-drive screen take time to warm up and gets brighter as it warms, however my screen brightness is perfectly bright when I start my car, even when it's 14 degrees out like tonight. After about 15 minutes of night time driving, my screen dims to where I can barely make out the radio stations. I've never had to made any major adjustments in my i-Drive settings or with my dash light "rolling-button thingy" until recently. So, tonight, having the same issues with the dim screen 15 minutes after driving, I went through a bright tunnel on the way home. While in the tunnel, I went into the i-Drive brightness adjustment and rolled the knob right and left as far as it would go, a few times. I then left it perfectly centered, before exiting. After I got out of the tunnel, my brightness was perfect all the way home for the next 12 miles! What the hell? I even had to turn it down a bit, to where I usually have it, slightly below center.

It's almost as if the i-Drive had to re-learn the brightness settings with my back and forth rolling of the dial, to learn where true left and right was...like they do during a front-end alignment. I guess I'll have to wait till tomorrow to see if it's truly back to normal. If not, it's time for a software upgrade on Friday during my inspection/emission.

Anyone else have this issue or comments???

 

I've noticed some odd behavior with my iDrive brightness too. In the morning when i start the car up it is fine but after a little driving it gets really dim! Like night time dim... but this is around 7-8 am... and sometimes its cloudy... so I think or at least I'm hoping its because the sensor is not picking up enough "sunlight" so its dimming the iDrive screen thinking its dark outside... but you being in the tunnel and fully at night doesnt sound right... I hope its not the light sensor going bad...

 

Well, it appears my dimness issues are truly gone....had a full drive today, to work and back home tonight (in 2 inches of snow), without having to adjust my screen brightness at all. I guess my "system" explained above must have reset the i-drive brightness settings back to normal. We'll see how long it lasts.

 

HUmmm I might have to try that then... so left all the way and then right all the way then back to the middle?

 

Do it a few times, right and left all the way...and then leave it around the center setting. Wait till the screen is warmed up first. Let me know if you notice any difference.