VF Light Sensor Removal and Fix Reversing Camera too dark

[Stingraynut]

Over a few years the reversing camera screen became impossible to see in daylight except on very sunny days. The tolerances in the light sensor had changed over time and it wasn’t reading the light level correctly

I posted on this forum and speedrye kindly gave me a link to a US SS Forum with the info on how to fix this problem.
https://www.ssforums.com/threads/ambient-light-sensor-fix.124090/
I discovered a couple of things not in that post, plus a couple of images are missing, so I’ll list here what I did. Please read the other thread as well for more info and photo’s

This was a complete fix, I can see the reversing camera screen in daylight again and it still dims at night.

The job is quite easy - remove the light sensor in the dome which is center of the dash, forward of the speaker grill, pull off the white silicone that fills the dome and is stuck to the light sensing circuit and replace the dome.

My car is a 2014 VF1 Calais V Sportswagon.

1 Remove the central speaker grill to get access under the dome. Use a plastic trim remover tool and prise under the sides and front of the grill. NOT the back which has locating lugs

1.A Remove the two 7mm bolts holding the speaker and remove the speaker – my wagon had no speaker! (from new)

2 The dome is held in by a lug in a notch and the pressure of a thin piece of plastic which is part of the dome moulding.
Apply firm upward pressure to the sensor and twist CLOCKWISE, looking from above. I used a tyre lever through the speaker hole and under the sensor, pushing UP. The sensor turns about 5mm and comes free.

3 Either remove the bezel around the sensor and pull the sensor upwards out of the dash, or as I did, pull the sensor out from underneath. Note: The bezel won’t come loose until the dome is removed.

4 Disconnect the plug

5 There are only two plastic pieces to the sensor. There is the dome and top cover to the pins, and a bottom cover to the pins. Unclip the bottom on both sides and use a flat screwdriver to lever the dome off from the OPPOSITE side to the plug connecting pins.

6 Pull the circuit board out firmly but gently with small needle nose pliers. Mine came out with the white silicone firmly stuck to the electronic parts at the top of the circuit board

7 The white silicone is firm but sticky. I applied a slow pull, the silicone stretched then slowly broke away and gradually came free, leaving a few small bits of white on the electronic parts, which I left. Make sure that there’s none on the top of the light sensing part.

8 Put everything back together.

This has been a complete fix for me. Possibly the circuit will wander more over time and eventually I’ll need to replace the sensor.

 

[Skylarking]

Don’t forget that the reverse camera brightnesss/contrast can be manually adjusted when in reverse and showing a rear view..

I’m not 100% sure but I think it’s by pressing the tune/menu button when a reverse camera view is being displayed and then a sliding scale overlay pops up on the screen. Then turn the left dial one way or another to increase or decrease the camera view‘s brightness/contrast.

 

[Z31na]

Good write up and answered questions I originally had about doing this.

 

[stooge]

this mod could also extend the life of the headlights because they will not be switching off and on a million times a day.
i notice a lot of vf commies driving around in the middle of the day with the headlights on so i would guess that the crap they put in that sensor degrades/gets worse over time.

 

[Z31na]

Anyone thats done this. Has there been a audible double tick come from the sensor when you start the car since taking the white schmo out?
Parents complained about their mylink going dark too often so I went and got a 2nd hand sensor to finally try this trick out. I don't think they are fazed by the ticking and they are pleased with the screen staying bright now. I’m just sus that maybe I bought a faulty sensor…

 

[3rspecB]

Anyone thats done this. Has there been a audible double tick come from the sensor when you start the car since taking the white schmo out?
Parents complained about their mylink going dark too often so I went and got a 2nd hand sensor to finally try this trick out. I don't think they are fazed by the ticking and they are pleased with the screen staying bright now. I’m just sus that maybe I bought a faulty sensor…

No ticking since I done mine.

 

[Sam_100]

No ticking on my on mine since I did the mod last year. I only removed the goop covering the ambient light sensor. The auto lights function is much more stable as it does not turn on and off and the slightest shade hitting the sensor. I also purchased a spare sensor from the Ebay (US) at the same time just in case I stuffed the the original one. It was about $60 with about 80% of that being delivery.

 

[Aussiecritters]

Over a few years the reversing camera screen became impossible to see in daylight except on very sunny days. The tolerances in the light sensor had changed over time and it wasn’t reading the light level correctly

I posted on this forum and speedrye kindly gave me a link to a US SS Forum with the info on how to fix this problem.
https://www.ssforums.com/threads/ambient-light-sensor-fix.124090/
I discovered a couple of things not in that post, plus a couple of images are missing, so I’ll list here what I did. Please read the other thread as well for more info and photo’s

This was a complete fix, I can see the reversing camera screen in daylight again and it still dims at night.

The job is quite easy - remove the light sensor in the dome which is center of the dash, forward of the speaker grill, pull off the white silicone that fills the dome and is stuck to the light sensing circuit and replace the dome.

My car is a 2014 VF1 Calais V Sportswagon.

1 Remove the central speaker grill to get access under the dome. Use a plastic trim remover tool and prise under the sides and front of the grill. NOT the back which has locating lugs

View attachment 244404

1.A Remove the two 7mm bolts holding the speaker and remove the speaker – my wagon had no speaker! (from new)

2 The dome is held in by a lug in a notch and the pressure of a thin piece of plastic which is part of the dome moulding.
Apply firm upward pressure to the sensor and twist CLOCKWISE, looking from above. I used a tyre lever through the speaker hole and under the sensor, pushing UP. The sensor turns about 5mm and comes free.

3 Either remove the bezel around the sensor and pull the sensor upwards out of the dash, or as I did, pull the sensor out from underneath. Note: The bezel won’t come loose until the dome is removed.

4 Disconnect the plug

5 There are only two plastic pieces to the sensor. There is the dome and top cover to the pins, and a bottom cover to the pins. Unclip the bottom on both sides and use a flat screwdriver to lever the dome off from the OPPOSITE side to the plug connecting pins.

View attachment 244406View attachment 244405

6 Pull the circuit board out firmly but gently with small needle nose pliers. Mine came out with the white silicone firmly stuck to the electronic parts at the top of the circuit board

View attachment 244408

7 The white silicone is firm but sticky. I applied a slow pull, the silicone stretched then slowly broke away and gradually came free, leaving a few small bits of white on the electronic parts, which I left. Make sure that there’s none on the top of the light sensing part.

View attachment 244409

View attachment 244410

8 Put everything back together.

This has been a complete fix for me. Possibly the circuit will wander more over time and eventually I’ll need to replace the sensor.

Thanks mate. Had the same issue. Literally took 15 minutes to take the sensor out and clean it. No more issue. Great post!