I pulled out of a well lighted gas station at night and my instrument panel lights come on automatically so i assumed my headlights were also on .as i proceeded to rt 50 and made the right turn, it was pitch black except for the dash lights which were fully lit .the problem was i couldn't find the switch to turn on the headlights because with the headlights off, the switch wasn't illuminated. i was now in a serious panic. i was moving slow but couldn't see the road or where i was in the road! i finally came to a complete stop. i was afraid someone was going to hit me from behind. my wife and i could have been killed! i finally found the switch after about a minute. this has also been a problem while driving at dusk and the dash lights come on automatically and as it gets darker you don't realize your headlights aren't on. one time a friend was following us and called us on the cell phone to let us know our lights weren't on! note: we drove a 2000 caravan for 14 years and knew to turn on the headlights when we couldn't see the instrument panel. same with all my veichles before that. we've been conditioned , that's how it works.
I purchased the vehicle on 10-30-14 and took it to the dealer service dept. on 1-13-15 with the complaint the radio function / station /time display is so dim that it can not be readily be seen in daylight unless it happens to be shaded . on a bright sunny day, it is almost impossible to read it, even the time display is hard to read. i was surprised when the dealer told me it was normal. the safety issue is very clear to me. in order to even see the time, a driver has to take their eyes off the road and look at it for a longer than normal time. same for seeing the radio function or station. also a driver may shade the display with the right hand in order to see it. gm vehicles all have a bright clear display that can be seen in the strongest sunlight. i can say for sure that accidents are going to happen because people will be taking their eyes off the road and right hand off the wheel to see these radios. i consider this to be not only a major design defect , but a lack of common sense. thanks *tr