No. They are meant to be operated by feel not by sight.Charged in The OC said:
switches on steering wheel
Are the switches on the steering wheel supposed to light up at night? Mine don't.
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THAT seems like an aftermarket opportunity (backlit buttons). There have been so many comments asking for backlit buttons on FBuzz, it seems like for a "reasonable" price there would be a market. It would have been great if Fisker had designed them in from the start, though.
I don't think this is a design oversight since even the cup holders have lighting. I think it was a deliberate choice to prevent distracting the driver.siliconkiwi said:THAT seems like an aftermarket opportunity (backlit buttons). There have been so many comments asking for backlit buttons on FBuzz, it seems like for a "reasonable" price there would be a market. It would have been great if Fisker had designed them in from the start, though.
My cup holders do not light up when driving at night. They only light up when the door is open and the inside lights are on. Is that normal, or another software glitch?
Fabulist said:I think it was a deliberate choice to prevent distracting the driver.
Hehe... that made me laugh.
I get a headache driving at night because of all of the glare from the bright dash and command center screens, which, by the way, don't auto-dim for night driving.
-Brian
That's how mine work too. [hr]VegasKarma said:My cup holders do not light up when driving at night. They only light up when the door is open and the inside lights are on. Is that normal, or another software glitch?
The console dimming function not working is a bug and should be fixed, but do you really think that the Fisker design team opted to save $1 / steering wheel by getting the non-lit version or that they forgot about this entirely? Unlike some of the other parts of the Fisker, the steering wheel is (most likely) bespoke and it was specified without illumination for a specific reason. We may not agree with the reason, but there was a reason.brian said:Fabulist said:I think it was a deliberate choice to prevent distracting the driver.
Hehe... that made me laugh.
I get a headache driving at night because of all of the glare from the bright dash and command center screens, which, by the way, don't auto-dim for night driving.
-Brian
Fisker engineers opt not to have the switch's light up it wasn't an over site I posed that questions to the support team I deal with .It may be a production change on the model change of the Karma and from what I understand the Karma's being built now or the ones on the road Can't be retrofitted I thought about taking off the steering wheel and looking at the switches to see if the had bulbs and sockets all ready in them I was told don't bother .Fabulist said:That's how mine work too. [hr]VegasKarma said:My cup holders do not light up when driving at night. They only light up when the door is open and the inside lights are on. Is that normal, or another software glitch?
The console dimming function not working is a bug and should be fixed, but do you really think that the Fisker design team opted to save $1 / steering wheel by getting the non-lit version or that they forgot about this entirely? Unlike some of the other parts of the Fisker, the steering wheel is (most likely) bespoke and it was specified without illumination for a specific reason. We may not agree with the reason, but there was a reason.brian said:Fabulist said:I think it was a deliberate choice to prevent distracting the driver.
Hehe... that made me laugh.
I get a headache driving at night because of all of the glare from the bright dash and command center screens, which, by the way, don't auto-dim for night driving.
-Brian
Id pay for a retrofit. I hate not being able to see them at night...
The switches look damn similar to the ones GM uses in the Cadillacs, which IIRC do light up. However if there is no illumination circuit, then there is no light. a retrofit will most likely require a new circuit to be added, as well as a new column airbag harness.
You hit the nail on the head including who made the switches one of the first things I did when I found out they didn't light up i was looking into a way to make them light up . Engineers told me don't bother that the switches have no holes in them for the lights then you also have to consider how to run wires which can only be done using the SRS contact reel way to much work .Nimisys said:The switches look damn similar to the ones GM uses in the Cadillacs, which IIRC do light up. However if there is no illumination circuit, then there is no light. a retrofit will most likely require a new circuit to be added, as well as a new column airbag harness.
Looking into this some more: the GM switches use an internal non-replacable LED, but they are driven off a PWM circuit by the BCM. On the Karma, all the switch lighting is on a non-dimmable circuit off of the DSU. I have not had the oppertunity to remove the wheel yet, but i suspect the SRS coil is also a GM part number, which means there is a good chance the illumination circuit is already present in the coil as well as in the switches. It may be as simple as splicing a circuit between the gas/trunk/park brake illumination circuit upto the srs coil in the column. However, since GM uses different interior lighting colors between applications, you could easily end up with one switch pack white and another red.
perhaps if i get some time and the oppertunity, i can play with it some.
perhaps if i get some time and the oppertunity, i can play with it some.
Please do. I think many of us would really appreciate it!Nimisys said:Looking into this some more: the GM switches use an internal non-replacable LED, but they are driven off a PWM circuit by the BCM. On the Karma, all the switch lighting is on a non-dimmable circuit off of the DSU. I have not had the oppertunity to remove the wheel yet, but i suspect the SRS coil is also a GM part number, which means there is a good chance the illumination circuit is already present in the coil as well as in the switches. It may be as simple as splicing a circuit between the gas/trunk/park brake illumination circuit upto the srs coil in the column. However, since GM uses different interior lighting colors between applications, you could easily end up with one switch pack white and another red.
perhaps if i get some time and the oppertunity, i can play with it some.
Ditto that comment. It would be awesome if this could be done
As long as they are not connected to the same lighting circuit that provides the Disco PRDN effect. Having the steering wheel switches flash randomly would be more annoying than no light at all, IMHO.bigdaddyo811 said:Ditto that comment. It would be awesome if this could be done
The buttons should light up. Do any of you have or had any other car with steering wheel controls that don't light up? I've never seen any. Even my lowly Jeep lights up.
If they want switches that work by feel, then they need to place them like GM products or older Chrysler products. On the back or with easy to us toggles inbetween the wheel and airbag.
This really is a user interface issue because there is no way to use those buttons at night. You might learn to switch stations, but that's about it. And if you loan the car to someone else they won't have a clue at night. Or if you have several cars, it won't be intuitive to use them.
I wish it had them.
If they want switches that work by feel, then they need to place them like GM products or older Chrysler products. On the back or with easy to us toggles inbetween the wheel and airbag.
This really is a user interface issue because there is no way to use those buttons at night. You might learn to switch stations, but that's about it. And if you loan the car to someone else they won't have a clue at night. Or if you have several cars, it won't be intuitive to use them.
I wish it had them.
... or not.Nimisys said:It may be as simple as ....
pulled a switch pack out today to take a closer look. the switch pack itself has the proper 8 pins in comparison to other GM switches, and the connector is the same. the wiring between the SRS coil and switches does not appear to support an illumination circuit and it has an empty cavity in the connector for the switch pack and a couple of empty cavities to the coil connecter. it would be possible to add wires within the steering wheel. I then took the Fisker switch and put it in a GM car that i know does light up it's switches and has the full compliment of wires going into the switch pack. Unfortunately the Fisker switch did not light up. whether this is because it was wholly uncompatible (ie different pinouts) or if the fisker switch does indeed lack the internal LED, i do not know yet. I DO know however GM switches off a steering wheel in this shape will fit, but the silk screened logos will be in the wrong orientation. Because the wiring diagrams with resistance values haven't been released yet, i can not compare the internal circuitry either.
SO at the minimum the switches will need to be swapped, and a circuit added to the harness inside the steering wheel.
still need to investigate the srs coil
This would be very cool if you figure it out. I'd be first in line to pay you for the instructions.Nimisys said:... or not.Nimisys said:It may be as simple as ....
pulled a switch pack out today to take a closer look. the switch pack itself has the proper 8 pins in comparison to other GM switches, and the connector is the same. the wiring between the SRS coil and switches does not appear to support an illumination circuit and it has an empty cavity in the connector for the switch pack and a couple of empty cavities to the coil connecter. it would be possible to add wires within the steering wheel. I then took the Fisker switch and put it in a GM car that i know does light up it's switches and has the full compliment of wires going into the switch pack. Unfortunately the Fisker switch did not light up. whether this is because it was wholly uncompatible (ie different pinouts) or if the fisker switch does indeed lack the internal LED, i do not know yet. I DO know however GM switches off a steering wheel in this shape will fit, but the silk screened logos will be in the wrong orientation. Because the wiring diagrams with resistance values haven't been released yet, i can not compare the internal circuitry either.
SO at the minimum the switches will need to be swapped, and a circuit added to the harness inside the steering wheel.
still need to investigate the srs coil
Thanks!
There seems to be a number of owners who have not found the background lighting settings to illuminate the cup holders and accent lights on the doors and in the center pannel as well as the floors. These add a great feeling inside the car. Go to Settings and Select "Interior" move to lighting the accent is under "Parade" you can then increase the lighting to your particular tastes.
In my experience, the lighting brightness adjustment only operates when the headlights are on. Otherwise, the buttons don't do anything. This is another software glitch, I presume.Al J said:There seems to be a number of owners who have not found the background lighting settings to illuminate the cup holders and accent lights on the doors and in the center pannel as well as the floors. These add a great feeling inside the car. Go to Settings and Select "Interior" move to lighting the accent is under "Parade" you can then increase the lighting to your particular tastes.
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