Blank display on start up

[ReddyKilowatt]

Searched for this issue (maybe I am not using the right search terms) and didn't find anything.

I have had my 2015 Spark for just over a year (5,250 miles, 5.2mi/kwh long-term average). About 3 times in the last several months, when I start the car the dash display and the instrument cluster display don't light up. The radio comes on and all the warning lights flash and then go off (as they are supposed to). Twice it has happened during the day about mid-way through multiple errands, once it has happened on start-up first thing in the morning.

If I fiddle with the wheel to dim the display, both displays come back up. The thing is - I DON'T dim the display at night, I pretty much keep it at a 3/4 level display. In starting the car, I haven't touched the dimmer wheel.

I do tend to keep the headlights set on auto, and I am think it is either an intermittent issue with the light sensor for the automatic lights or some glitch in the dimmer wheel. Or some glitch in the LCDs, which would be bad.

Anyone else had this issue? It hasn't affected the performance of the car and it hasn't happened all that often, so at this point it is just a "huh" thing.

 

[NORTON]

I think I read on this forum someone else having issues like yours and it was the dimmer wheel or circuit.
Of course the dealer fixed it under warranty.
Are both displays dim to dark at the same time?

 

[MrDRMorgan]

Searched for this issue (maybe I am not using the right search terms) and didn't find anything.

I have had my 2015 Spark for just over a year (5,250 miles, 5.2mi/kwh long-term average). About 3 times in the last several months, when I start the car the dash display and the instrument cluster display don't light up. The radio comes on and all the warning lights flash and then go off (as they are supposed to). Twice it has happened during the day about mid-way through multiple errands, once it has happened on start-up first thing in the morning.

If I fiddle with the wheel to dim the display, both displays come back up. The thing is - I DON'T dim the display at night, I pretty much keep it at a 3/4 level display. In starting the car, I haven't touched the dimmer wheel.

I do tend to keep the headlights set on auto, and I am think it is either an intermittent issue with the light sensor for the automatic lights or some glitch in the dimmer wheel. Or some glitch in the LCDs, which would be bad.

Anyone else had this issue? It hasn't affected the performance of the car and it hasn't happened all that often, so at this point it is just a "huh" thing.

Interesting! Last night I read this and it sounded familiar. Today, I noticed when I powered up my 2015 Spark EV outside of the garage, the display was dim. I turned off the automatic daytime running lights and the display returned to full brightness. My dimmer control wheel is set to just about minimum. I will have to experiment with this more and also see if my 2014 Spark EV does the same thing.

 

[ReddyKilowatt]

When it happens, it affects both screens - the "infotainment" screen and the instrument cluster screen. Moving the dimmer wheel fixes the problem, which is why I thought there was a relationship. The first time it happened, it was on start-up first thing in the morning and I assumed it was my fault, that maybe I'd left the screens dimmed all the way (not that the screens dim to blank). The next couple of times it happened mid-day and I knew I hadn't done it.

It is only the screens, because at start-up all the correct warning lights flash on the instrument cluster and then shut off as part of the regular start sequence, but the display screens just stay dark. It doesn't affect the starting of the car and the radio comes up.

Now that I have noticed the problem I will keep a log - because when I take it to the dealer they will of course say "we don't see a problem" (which, since it is intermittent, they likely won't). It has happened 3 times over a period of about 4 months, so it isn't a frequent problem.

 

[MrDRMorgan]

When it happens, it affects both screens - the "infotainment" screen and the instrument cluster screen. Moving the dimmer wheel fixes the problem, which is why I thought there was a relationship. The first time it happened, it was on start-up first thing in the morning and I assumed it was my fault, that maybe I'd left the screens dimmed all the way (not that the screens dim to blank). The next couple of times it happened mid-day and I knew I hadn't done it.

It is only the screens, because at start-up all the correct warning lights flash on the instrument cluster and then shut off as part of the regular start sequence, but the display screens just stay dark. It doesn't affect the starting of the car and the radio comes up.

Now that I have noticed the problem I will keep a log - because when I take it to the dealer they will of course say "we don't see a problem" (which, since it is intermittent, they likely won't). It has happened 3 times over a period of about 4 months, so it isn't a frequent problem.

I ran a test on my 2014 Spark EV. The car's default is the daytime running lights are automatically turned on at startup. If the car is in a darkened garage or similar low light environment, the lights will come on and the displays will be dim. But, if the car is parked outside in the sunlight, the daytime light will still go on and the displays will be bright.

I put the car outside in direct sunlight and put a black cap over the light sensor, the one closest to the front window, and let it set for 30 seconds. Then I powered on the car and, walla!, the daytime lights came on and the displays were dim. I removed the black cap, waited 30 seconds and tried again. The daytime lights went on and the displays were bright. There is about a 15 second delay switching between bright and dim.

This is how I would expect the car to work. Note: I have the dimmer wheel set to the lowest light I can get at night. When my wife gets home I will try the same test on my 2015 Spark EV and post my results here.

Update: the 2015 Spark EV worked the same way as the 2014 Spark EV. There is a 20 second delay between when the outside light changes and the displays switch.

 

[Neon]

When it happens take a video. My info screen malfunctioned and the dealer couldn't replicate it. He told me to take a video, which I did, making them a dvd of it, and that did the trick. They replaced the head unit.
Good luck.