NHTSA Complaint #10366370 — 2007 BUICK LUCERNE

DASH CLUSTER IS VERY HARD TO READ DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS UNLESS BACKLIT BY LIGHT SENSOR ON THE DASH. DURING THE DAY THE DASH CLUSTER IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE AND READ WITH OR WITHOUT SUN GLASSES. I HAVE TO TAKE MY EYES OFF OF THE ROAD FOR MORE THAN 2 SECONDS TO SEE MY SPEED, TACK, GAS GAUGE OR OTHER ACCESSORIES, WHICH TAKES MY CONCENTRATION AWAY FROM DRIVING AND COULD RESULT IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I HAVE HAD THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER SUSS PONTIAC TWICE. FIRST TIME THEY REPLACED THE ENTIRE CLUSTER. THE SECOND TIME WAS FOR THE SAME REASON. THE DASH CLUSTER CANNOT BE READ DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS. THE SECOND TIME BACK I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER AND BUICK THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT IT, THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PUT UP WITH THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALER ADMITTED THAT OTHERS HAVE ALSO COMPLAINED OF THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM. IF I COVER THE LIGHT SENSOR ON TOP OF THE DASH, THEN THE NIGHT-TIME LIGHTS WILL COME ON AND I CAN SEE, BUT THIS DIMS THE RADIO SO THAT IT CAN'T BE READ. COVERING THE LIGHT SENSOR IS NOT A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM. BUICK NEEDS TO MAKE THE FACE OF THE DASH CLUSTER ANY OTHER COLOR THAN DARK BLUE OR BACK LIGHT IT. THE SERVICE REQUEST NUMBER WITH BUICK WAS 71-849515366.