my dash appears quite dim at night...can still be read though, but just dim. flicking the brightness switch makes no difference to the light around the speedo/rev counter, just makes the odometer and outside temp gauge displays go bright/dim. is this normal?

 

What car and model year?
Have the dash lights/colour been altered ever?

If the answer to the above is yes, this may be the culprit, wrong colour, or poor colouring can make them quite dim, (for example, someone recently wanted to know why the green dials didn't show up very well when lit red. Errrrrrrrr? Green and red light cancel each other out, green won't reflect red and vice-versa).

If nowt has been done to the lighting, try removing the instruments and replacing all the bulbs, W5W capless, mine were WELL blued over.

Instruments out is two screws in top of binacle, two at bottom and one at top of instruments.

 

Thanks Alcazar...its an 05 sti. afaik the car is standard in every respect other than the ppp. the dials are still easily readable, i assumed that the bright switch would affect the bulbs around the dials also...if it is supposed to then i guess mine might need replacing. cheers.

 

The only thing the bright button does is brighten or dims the temp, mileage and the clock very pointless i know

 

Pointless? The BRIGHT switch? You are a heretic, sir!