HUD Brightness
Thread Starter
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,962
Likes: 28
From: Van Buren Arkansas
Wounded Warrior Escort '11
HUD Brightness
Looking for thoughts from those who have had this issue and comments please. In my '99 Coupe, the HUD has had a long and great career in my car, is getting dimmer, slowly but surely. It appears that at night however, it is at its normal brightness. I already know the sensor in the DIC control buttons will tell the BCM how bright it is inside and the BCM will then supposedly tell the HUD and various other indicators, how bright to run.
I did some research last night and it appears they(HUD) cost $197-$250 from GM online parts dealers. I may elect to do the easy way first and replace the DIC button selector that contains the light sensor and see if it fixes it.
Anyone else ever had this issue and if so, what did you do to fix?
I did some research last night and it appears they(HUD) cost $197-$250 from GM online parts dealers. I may elect to do the easy way first and replace the DIC button selector that contains the light sensor and see if it fixes it.
Anyone else ever had this issue and if so, what did you do to fix?
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 4,933
Likes: 29
From: San Rafael CA
The HUD has a sensor in it that looks at how bright it is outside the car (amount of ambient light entering the windshield) and adjusts the brightness of the display accordingly. If it is working properly you should not need to adjust the HUD brightness as the light outside changes.
There have been problems with the sensor working loose from the circuit board, which then causes the HUD to display at its "default" brightness, and that is not bright enough for daytime applications.
There are two fixes for this:
1) Replace entire HUD projector
2) Fix the unit yourself (requires a soldering iron).
Some folks with Pontiac Grand Prix's have discovered the fix, and their HUD projector is basically the same as the C5 Corvette projector. You could try their fix, and worst case, if it doesn't work, then replace the HUD.
For instructions on the fix see ...
http://www.clubgp.com/newforum/tm.as...=single&cookie
HTH
There have been problems with the sensor working loose from the circuit board, which then causes the HUD to display at its "default" brightness, and that is not bright enough for daytime applications.
There are two fixes for this:
1) Replace entire HUD projector
2) Fix the unit yourself (requires a soldering iron).
Some folks with Pontiac Grand Prix's have discovered the fix, and their HUD projector is basically the same as the C5 Corvette projector. You could try their fix, and worst case, if it doesn't work, then replace the HUD.
For instructions on the fix see ...
http://www.clubgp.com/newforum/tm.as...=single&cookie
HTH
Last edited by BlackZ06; Mar 1, 2007 at 06:28 PM. Reason: Fix URL
Thread Starter
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,962
Likes: 28
From: Van Buren Arkansas
Wounded Warrior Escort '11
If I cover the DIC button sensor, the display does get darker. I didn't know there was a different light sensor inside the HUD itself...hmmm... I certainly know how to use a soldering iron and my electronics. I haven't removed the HUD before so this will be a challenge to get to it without removing the windshield. Obviously the cluster will come out first. My thought is to go ahead and have a new HUD ready to go in place just in case I can't fix the exisiting one.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 4,933
Likes: 29
From: San Rafael CA
If I cover the DIC button sensor, the display does get darker. I didn't know there was a different light sensor inside the HUD itself...hmmm... I certainly know how to use a soldering iron and my electronics. I haven't removed the HUD before so this will be a challenge to get to it without removing the windshield. Obviously the cluster will come out first. My thought is to go ahead and have a new HUD ready to go in place just in case I can't fix the exisiting one.
Take a look at the pictures that are posted on that Grand Prix site. Study what the sensor looks like, then go out to your car with a flashlight, and from outside the car, shine the light down into the HUD area. You should be able to see the same sensor as shown in the pictures. Unless Chevy changed the HUD unit during the C5 run, I'm 99 percent certain you'll see that photo electric cell down in there.
Maybe this will help you in getting to the HUD without removing the windshield. It is instructions for installing a HUD, but it'll help ya in getting in there.
http://joshker99.home.comcast.net/hudinstall2.htm
HTH
Thread Starter
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,962
Likes: 28
From: Van Buren Arkansas
Wounded Warrior Escort '11
Good write-up on the accessing. Too bad I have to remove the pad. Huge price difference now too...from over $1100 down to $197. I just ordered one from Gmpartsdirect.com. Will probably just replace it and fix the original if it can be fixed and hang onto as a spare. Thanks again for the references to the other site...major help.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 985
Likes: 0
From: Cumming Georgia
PaceThis is another great resource for HUD
Josh Meeks (PaceThis on the forum) was fantastic! I bought my HUD retrofit kit from him, and with his direction, the whole thing went very well.
Tim Glover
Tim Glover
