I downloaded the user manual for the D3 from the link on this site (thank you) and I remember reading someplace where the unit is supposed to dim and the map is supposed to change color when the headlights are on.

Is this true?

My unit does not do that. At night the display is BLINDINGLY bright. Anybody know where my installer F'd up? So I can explain to him how to wire the unit correctly.

Everything else seems to work, vechicle dynamics, the speedo on the map, etc. But the brightness would be very cool and would save me a minute (and even an accident) if it did it automatically.

he didn't f it up... just didn't connect the orange illumination or dimmer wire.. what kind of vehicle is it?

Ford F250 2006

I appreciate your help.

yeah that means he didnt connect the illumination wire. It is usually orange in color. All it does is send 12volts when your head lights are on, and 0volts when they are off.

You may have to do extra steps.

I have a 2006 lincoln zephyr(ford)

It has analog circuit for steering wheel control, dimmer and illumination.

Meanin two wires. So he might have hooked up the dim line and the illumination line. Which is what I did and that alone is not enough. I believe you are going to have ground the (dim -, and illum -) lines. Either by getting the wire on your aftermarket connector or if there not there than inline clips on the cars harness side.

Anyone correct this if its wrong. I had to do this on my (SWC -) for the PAC steering wheel control.

Burn

Does the map turn black when you turn on your headlights? If not, he didn't do it correctly

Not turn black. No dim.

for the ford you only have to connect the ill. wire on the wire harness. many installers, that i have seen, dont connect this because so many stupid customers come back bitching about how the radio is connected wrong and goes dim when the lights are turned on, not knowing that is how it is designed and is actually useful.

Yup get customers like that all the time. I rip the ill wire out of the smart harnesses. The only time I leave it is with nav systems or eclipse radios.

Went back to installer, explained to him that radio doesn't "dim" when the lights come on and he told me that people hate it when that happens, so he never does it and never asks. Took him 5 minutes, badabing, now when the lights come on the radio dims.

This site kicks ass.

glad to hear it all worked out!

I am having the same issue as above. Does anyone know anything about qhich wire I would connect the Illimunation wire to in a 2003 Sequoia? Is it directly behind the stereo/included in the harness/color? Thanks in advance!

just read this thread, typical wire harness colors have been noted.