Did you know this about your car?

[bloominguez]

Something I didn't know until recently but it's probably in the manual I didn't read, if you dim the instrument panel with the wheel, there are some night modes with reduced information and less clutter.

That's more of a bug than a feature. Horrible design, in my opinion. I don't like bright gauges (or overly bright cell phones, for that matter), I find them distracting. So I dimmed the display, just like I do in any other car. Daytime: Gauges look fine. Evening: You suddenly lose (almost) the whole damn display.

I actually called OnStar support to find out why my whole dash suddenly went dark. Happened one evening when the ambient light dropped. Happened driving into a parking structure as well. I thought something was wrong with the infotainment system. Ridiculous.

Figured this out along the way. Present state: Brightness dialed *almost* all the way down, but not so low that the above happens.

If that is truly meant to be a feature, then why not "simplify" the display both when it's light out and when it's not? Why different behavior in different ambient conditions?

 

[Jameson's Viggen]

Something I didn't know until recently but it's probably in the manual I didn't read, if you dim the instrument panel with the wheel, there are some night modes with reduced information and less clutter.

That's a feature they got from having Saab, they called it Night Mode to deal with eye fatigue.

 

[668LT4]

That's more of a bug than a feature. Horrible design, in my opinion. I don't like bright gauges (or overly bright cell phones, for that matter), I find them distracting. So I dimmed the display, just like I do in any other car. Daytime: Gauges look fine. Evening: You suddenly lose (almost) the whole damn display.

I actually called OnStar support to find out why my whole dash suddenly went dark. Happened one evening when the ambient light dropped. Happened driving into a parking structure as well. I thought something was wrong with the infotainment system. Ridiculous.

Figured this out along the way. Present state: Brightness dialed *almost* all the way down, but not so low that the above happens.

If that is truly meant to be a feature, then why not "simplify" the display both when it's light out and when it's not? Why different behavior in different ambient conditions?

Amazing how 2 people can view things so differently. I see it as a great "feature". I can turn off everything except the most basic information. If I want dim lights, I barely turn the adjuster wheel up. Brighter lights, keep turning. Not sure how they could make it any easier.

 

[GTANotch88]

It took me almost 1000 miles to realize I don't need to push the parking brake button to release it.

 

[Tall Steve]

Hahahahahahahahahahaha, how many of you guys read the owners manual? I must be a geek because I always read it.......

 

[Joespenard]

Hahahahahahahahahahaha, how many of you guys read the owners manual? I must be a geek because I always read it.......

Regularly. I need to. I'm the steam gauge type. Started study n that lil book 3 months prior to the check ride .

 

[bloominguez]

Amazing how 2 people can view things so differently. I see it as a great "feature". I can turn off everything except the most basic information. If I want dim lights, I barely turn the adjuster wheel up. Brighter lights, keep turning. Not sure how they could make it any easier.

Pretty simple. They could make it easier by not having a setting that sometimes displays one thing and other times another thing, in the same situation.

Example: Drive into a parking structure, display goes dark. Drive back out and the display doesn't go back. So while you're in the light: same setting, different result. History matters here. I don't think it should. Good UX shouldn't work like that in my opinion.

Why not just have the dial dim/simplify the display in the light, too, same as it does as in the dark? Maybe you want that feature during the day, too. Even if you don't, that's much more clear. That's how you make it easier.

Having said that, I might take advantage of the feature in the future. Just because I don't like the UX design won't preclude me from using it.

About the manual...
The "Instrument Panel Illumination Control" section of the manual doesn't mention Stealth Mode. The "Display Themes" section does talk about it, but doesn't mention that Stealth Mode only comes on when it gets a bit darker outside the car, and won't turn off when back in the light--at least not soon enough that I saw that happen.

 

[rubberduck]

The manual in general is poorly written with few and nearly useless illustrations compared to my last vehicle (Mercedes).

 

[M2Cto4BW]

The manual in general is poorly written with few and nearly useless illustrations compared to my last vehicle (Mercedes).

Ya they obviously put it together pre-production and haven't touched it since.
Would take not a lot of time to update actual errors (like where the SD card goes) and they cannot even be arsed to fix that.

 

[burn813]

Hahahahahahahahahahaha, how many of you guys read the owners manual? I must be a geek because I always read it.......

Just like instructions, I only read it when shit hits the fan....

 

[dribs15]

Just like instructions, I only read it when shit hits the fan....

Don't let Kramer hear about this...

 

[M2Cto4BW]

Pretty simple. They could make it easier by not having a setting that sometimes displays one thing and other times another thing, in the same situation.

Example: Drive into a parking structure, display goes dark. Drive back out and the display doesn't go back. So while you're in the light: same setting, different result. History matters here. I don't think it should. Good UX shouldn't work like that in my opinion.

Why not just have the dial dim/simplify the display in the light, too, same as it does as in the dark? Maybe you want that feature during the day, too. Even if you don't, that's much more clear. That's how you make it easier.

Having said that, I might take advantage of the feature in the future. Just because I don't like the UX design won't preclude me from using it.

About the manual...
The "Instrument Panel Illumination Control" section of the manual doesn't mention Stealth Mode. The "Display Themes" section does talk about it, but doesn't mention that Stealth Mode only comes on when it gets a bit darker outside the car, and won't turn off when back in the light--at least not soon enough that I saw that happen.

TBF that sounds like a bug or a problem with the sensors that detect the ambient light, in regards to the dash not lighting up again once you've gone back into the light. How long did it remain dark? For miles? However much longer you were out and about?

I've not tried it yet, as it's summer still, but I guess I could hit a tunnel or something and see.

 

[Finally-a-V]

I always read the book. Actually, if you skip the 587 pages on seatbelts, it's not that bad. There's some good stuff in there and it'll answer some basic questions.

 

[ClassaxV]

I'm confused because the manual covers both the simplified display AND night mode. If you don't like it switching to night mode why not just go one detent up on the brightness and bingo you have the most dim display preset for all occasions? "Stealth Mode is enabled when the Instrument Panel Illumination Control is set to the minimum level. See Instrument Panel Illumination Control" or simply not put any additional tiles in tour mode for a more simplified view.


I've always preferred the simplicity of GM's owner manual format to others. Most people never read them and when they do they don't want to have to go through War and Peace to figure things out. BMW and Mercedes manuals are the WORST, not just because of how they are written but because I typically want my car to be... well.... a car, not a gas-powered Rube Goldberg Machine.

 

[M2Cto4BW]

I always read the book. Actually, if you skip the 587 pages on seatbelts, it's not that bad. There's some good stuff in there and it'll answer some basic questions.

Ya I normally do it, during the - yeah getting a new car but waiting period.
Since I kinda whim'd this purchase, I've only gone in for the good stuff.

That said, the general CTV Quick Guide and specific V series Quick Guide are good and there's a page in a half that lays out the display options, explicitly including 'Simplified', 'Stealth'/'Night'.

Edit: I mean 'Convenience & Personalization Guide' oof, lol

 

[Tall Steve]

Let me see a show of hands of guys that really like the BW's...... I'm sorry but some of the things a have read on here are, well, just ridiculous.... I freaking love mine and find no fault in them... Maybe it's because I have never owned a rich mans car before......

 

[Finally-a-V]

Let me see a show of hands of guys that really like the BW's...... I'm sorry but some of the things a have read on here are, well, just ridiculous.... I freaking love mine and find no fault in them... Maybe it's because I have never owned a rich mans car before......

I think I hear Elvis....".....in the ghetto"..........

Sorry, I couldn't resist......you know I jest

 

[Tall Steve]

I think I hear Elvis....".....in the ghetto"..........

Sorry, I couldn't resist......you know I gest

 

[bloominguez]

TBF that sounds like a bug or a problem with the sensors that detect the ambient light, in regards to the dash not lighting up again once you've gone back into the light. How long did it remain dark? For miles? However much longer you were out and about?

I've not tried it yet, as it's summer still, but I guess I could hit a tunnel or something and see.

I don't remember, will have to try again.

 

[bloominguez]

I'm confused because the manual covers both the simplified display AND night mode. If you don't like it switching to night mode why not just go one detent up on the brightness and bingo you have the most dim display preset for all occasions? "Stealth Mode is enabled when the Instrument Panel Illumination Control is set to the minimum level. See Instrument Panel Illumination Control" or simply not put any additional tiles in tour mode for a more simplified view.


I've always preferred the simplicity of GM's owner manual format to others. Most people never read them and when they do they don't want to have to go through War and Peace to figure things out. BMW and Mercedes manuals are the WORST, not just because of how they are written but because I typically want my car to be... well.... a car, not a gas-powered Rube Goldberg Machine.

That's what I do now, once I figured it out.