HUD intermittent problem

Summerbj · February 7, 2023

Has anybody experienced this:

HUD intermittently dims to the point where it's almost impossible to see. I have tried many things via the settings option:

Turn off completely and back on again (sometimes works)

Adjusted brightness to max. (no effect)

Re-started car (sometimes works)

It's currently occurring about 1 in 10 times that I start the car.

I wondered if sunlight could have an effect on the display.

Just thought I would post this to see if anybody has got any ideas before I start the process of contacting the dealer.

As you know faults have a habit of magically disappearing when to attempt to show your dealer the problem.

NemesisUK · February 7, 2023

Not experienced this on my 2020 RX, although the HUD does dim slightly when in Park.

I think it's a fault that needs dealer intervention..

Eggie · February 7, 2023

I have had no issue of this sort on my NX 350h f-sport. As Nemesis (Peter) says it sounds like a dealer visit.

HMT · February 8, 2023

10 hours ago, Summerbj said:

Has anybody experienced this:

HUD intermittently dims to the point where it's almost impossible to see. I have tried many things via the settings option:

Turn off completely and back on again (sometimes works)

Adjusted brightness to max. (no effect)

Re-started car (sometimes works)

It's currently occurring about 1 in 10 times that I start the car.

I wondered if sunlight could have an effect on the display.

Just thought I would post this to see if anybody has got any ideas before I start the process of contacting the dealer.

As you know faults have a habit of magically disappearing when to attempt to show your dealer the problem.

You ask if sunlight has an effect - yes in strong sunlight it does make it fade and also the type of sunglasses you wear, polarized glasses can make the display almost disappear

but in “normal” daylight the display should be clear, and not dimming at all.

hintonwood · February 8, 2023

No problem with fading and I have done 10k miles, a lot of it in sun. I do agree with HMT that polarised Sunglasses make it appear faded.

RXtoNX · February 8, 2023

Could it be when the headlights come on during daylight, assuming you have them set to auto?

Sometimes, in bright sunlight, they will come on for a short time depending where the shadows are due to refraction caused by the sun.
Of course, if set to auto the headlights will come on momentarily when going under bridges etc.

Summerbj · February 8, 2023

Thanks for all those pointers. I will investigate further. Failing that I guess it's the dealer.

Harrier Man · February 8, 2023

Page 14 of the multimedia manual reads,

The screen may appear dark or hard to see if you wear polarized sunglasses.

This is referring to the main display but perhaps it is true for the HUD too?

Andy B · February 8, 2023

No dimming on my 1 year old NX350h.

I agree with others about the effect of sunlight though - especially during these winter months when the sun is relatively low in the sky.

I also find that the HUD is dimmer when I'm stuck in traffic behind a white high-sided vehicle like a van, which makes the "backdrop" bright and therefore the colour contrast with the HUD graphics is affected.

Harrier Man · February 8, 2023

10 minutes ago, Andy B said:

No dimming on my 1 year old NX350h.

I agree with others about the effect of sunlight though - especially during these winter months when the sun is relatively low in the sky.

I also find that the HUD is dimmer when I'm stuck in traffic behind a white high-sided vehicle like a van, which makes the "backdrop" bright and therefore the colour contrast with the HUD graphics is affected.

A Tesla crashed and the driver killed in 2019 for something similar to this, "... Autopilot’s cameras did not notice the white truck because the “brightly lit sky” ..."

Full article at: tu-auto.com/teslas-autopilot-fatally-doesnt-see-another-truck/

hintonwood · February 8, 2023

5 hours ago, Harrier Man said:

Page 14 of the multimedia manual reads,

The screen may appear dark or hard to see if you wear polarized sunglasses.

This is referring to the main display but perhaps it is true for the HUD too?

I only have the dimming when wearing polarised glasses on the HUD. Not the main display.

Harrier Man · February 8, 2023

1 hour ago, hintonwood said:

I only have the dimming when wearing polarised glasses on the HUD. Not the main display.

Okay, I don't know the answer but I still wouldn't rule this out completely (at least for some people, even if i's not related to Brian's original problem). An LCD main display is different to a projected head-up display so it is possible the effect of wearing polarised glasses is different for the two displays. I seem to remember at school an experiment where we turn a polarised lens through 90 degrees to get darker and lighter shades. Are there any photographers out there who use a polarising filter that could offer some insight? I seem to remember the sun and reflections changing as the bezel was rotated.

HMT · February 8, 2023

1 hour ago, Harrier Man said:

Okay, I don't know the answer but I still wouldn't rule this out completely (at least for some people, even if i's not related to Brian's original problem). An LCD main display is different to a projected head-up display so it is possible the effect of wearing polarised glasses is different for the two displays. I seem to remember at school an experiment where we turn a polarised lens through 90 degrees to get darker and lighter shades. Are there any photographers out there who use a polarising filter that could offer some insight? I seem to remember the sun and reflections changing as the bezel was rotated.

With me the polarised glasses only dim the HUD and have no effect on the main display other than the effect of normal sun glasses. The better quality of the polariised glasses the greater the effect on the HUD.

you are correct on the effect of 2 polarised lenses turning at 90 degrees do increase the darkness.

Stubeeef · October 20, 2023

Seems to be a large spot that appears and grows then goes away. Tried to get a picture. At the dealer today about it. 2021 RX350

1Michael · June 30

Brian,

I am experiencing the same exact conditions with the HUD on 2023 RX, dims by itself to the point you can barely see it. Always working okay when checked by dealer. Did you get your HUD repaired?

Michael

Summerbj · June 30

No Michael, I did nothing and the problem went away about a month after I first noticed it and it's not re-appeared since. During that month I played around increasing & reducing the brightness, this seemed to work now and then. I resulted in turning off the HUD completely for about a week, turned it back on and it's been OK ever since. Beyond that I can't give you anymore info I'm afraid.