Crystal Lake and Barrington Auto Repair

Why is my dashboard display not bright enough?


On cloudy days it is fine. I have tried adjusting the brightness of the interior lights, which makes no difference. Is there anything that I can do to make the information readable on a bright day?

A. I am not really sure what is going on here with your Malibu. Typically, when you have the headlights turned off, or if it is bright out and the auto headlights are off, your dash lights, radio and heater control will be at its brightest. When the lights are on you should be able to bring the brightness all the way up with the dimmer.

Is the brightness OK on all the other controls? Has it always been like this or did something change?

After a quick search on the Internet it seems several other Malibu owners are having this problem and some have even tried replacing the radio. It sounds like it may be a problem with the programming in the BCM (body control module). It may just need reprogramming, or updating or, worst case, replaced.

Did you ever have the radio replaced? If so, it may not have been properly coded to the vehicle. I suggest you take it to a shop with the ability to reprogram and update the BCM or back to the dealer for some help on this. Good luck and please let us know what fixes it.



Dashboard Lights