Instrument panel reflection on windshield

I think that the instrument brightness setting could be improved. In my 2018 CX5 GT, the options are full brightness, or so low that you can barely see the information. An option between those settings would be nice.

I can assure you they are variable. How are you trying to set them?
 
I can assure you they are variable. How are you trying to set them?

I'm using the long black control that is part of the instrument cluster. It seems to have two settings. A turn to the left is very dim and to the right is full brightness. I don't see anything in between.
 
I'm using the long black control that is part of the instrument cluster. It seems to have two settings. A turn to the left is very dim and to the right is full brightness. I don't see anything in between.

I thought the same thing and that is the response I seemed to get when I was playing with the stalk driving in daylight. Last night, I read the manual and it mentioned that the lighting was indeed variable and also mentioned night time and the amount of ambient light in the cabin. I pulled the car out of the garage last night and with headlights on or off, the lighting was fully adjustable from daytime bright to so dim I could barely see it.
 
I thought the same thing and that is the response I seemed to get when I was playing with the stalk driving in daylight. Last night, I read the manual and it mentioned that the lighting was indeed variable and also mentioned night time and the amount of ambient light in the cabin. I pulled the car out of the garage last night and with headlights on or off, the lighting was fully adjustable from daytime bright to so dim I could barely see it.

I've a Canadian 2019 GX since August 30th and am 5'9" and never noticed the reflection until I first read this thread. Now if I can just drop it from my mind all will be well again.
 
If you turn the dashboard illumination knob all the way to the right you*re at full brightness and you cancel auto dimming at night. If you turn knob back to the left slightly you turn off the full brightness and you*re back in auto dim. From there you further regulate dimming turning to the left. Full brightness is way to bright for nighttime driving and if you need that much light on the instrument panel to see it you probably shouldn*t be driving at night, if at all.
If you have it set to normal auto dimming mode the reflection in the top of the windshield is not really noticeable unless you really look for it. I*m 6 ft and am not bothered at all by any reflection.
 
On my cx-9 I can see the reflection if I look up at the top of the windshield. But is is irrelevant to me at 6'1". Don't see anything when driving and looking ahead.
 
If you turn the dashboard illumination knob all the way to the right you*re at full brightness and you cancel auto dimming at night. If you turn knob back to the left slightly you turn off the full brightness and you*re back in auto dim. From there you further regulate dimming turning to the left. Full brightness is way to bright for nighttime driving and if you need that much light on the instrument panel to see it you probably shouldn*t be driving at night, if at all.
If you have it set to normal auto dimming mode the reflection in the top of the windshield is not really noticeable unless you really look for it. I*m 6 ft and am not bothered at all by any reflection.

Perfect account.
 
Have not seen anybody else mention it, but also I would suggest to:

Clean both outside, and INSIDE of the windshield.

There is a lot of outgassing from all of the new plastics in the new car, the interiors of the windows will all develop a haze that needs to be cleaned off.

This interior window HAZE will act just like a projection screen and scatter the light photons, instead of allowing them to pass straight through the glass.
 
If you turn the dashboard illumination knob all the way to the right you*re at full brightness and you cancel auto dimming at night. If you turn knob back to the left slightly you turn off the full brightness and you*re back in auto dim. From there you further regulate dimming turning to the left. Full brightness is way to bright for nighttime driving and if you need that much light on the instrument panel to see it you probably shouldn*t be driving at night, if at all.
If you have it set to normal auto dimming mode the reflection in the top of the windshield is not really noticeable unless you really look for it. I*m 6 ft and am not bothered at all by any reflection.

Ah.....the mist slowly clears. What confused me was that the only change you see in real time is when you go from minimum to maximum brightness or the reverse of that. What I discovered, having read your post, is that if you set the auto-dim in the middle between those two extremes, the desired effect occurs within a short space of time, just not instantly. Thanks.
 
The only way that I could replicate this issue was with my head physically touching the roof of the car. At 5'9, my head is typically four or five inches lower than that which is why I never have a reflection issue. I created a three inch black cardboard mask and placed it under the lip of the instrument panel so that it was protruding out a couple of inches. It was then impossible to see the reflection even with my head touching the roof, and the mask was invisible because it was hidden by the top of the steering wheel. Should Mazda create a slider that achieves the same end result as my crude mask? Absolutely, but in the meantime there is a free and invisible solution.

Hi TDK, can you please post pictures of you setup? You taped the cardboard to the lip of the instrument panel with some scotch tape I presume?
 
I was able to re-create that nightime glare.........by propping up and placing my head touching the headliner. Def nowhere near my regular seating position.
 
iu


Problem solved.
 
No issues with this at all in mine. I am about 5'10". I find it amusing to read the outcry of a major design defect in a car obviously loved by the majority. If this was such a glaring issue, do you think it would get near universal accolades as one the best in its class?
 
Went on a burger run last night and tried to see a reflection from the dash...nothing...now the reflection in the side glass from the chrome air vent trim....
 
No issues with this at all in mine. I am about 5'10". I find it amusing to read the outcry of a major design defect in a car obviously loved by the majority. If this was such a glaring issue, do you think it would get near universal accolades as one the best in its class?
Imagine my disappointment. Btw I put the link in my original post of the glare and several tall people have confirmed it's there.
 
I'm 6 foot 2 and I couldn't see it. Now I'm aware of it I can see it though not as bad as the original poster. I suppose it all depends on angles and glass curvature and the bending of light. (Thought for the day, According to physics If light can only travel in straight lines, why can it be bent?. Hmm)
 
... (Thought for the day, According to physics If light can only travel in straight lines, why can it be bent?. Hmm)

Light bends in two situations: 1) when passing from one medium to another with a different index of refraction and 2) when passing near massive objects that cause a curvature of space-time. In the case of #2, light is still traveling in a straight line, its space-time that's bent.
 
Imagine my disappointment. Btw I put the link in my original post of the glare and several tall people have confirmed it's there.
I don't doubt its there. In fact I was looking around the windshield on my '11 Tacoma as I drove to work last night and could see the reflection of my radio screen at the top of the windshield. I just don't see the big deal. Certainly not enough of an issue to not want to drive the car. It amazes me what some folks will complain about.
 
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