BACKLIGHTING ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GAUGES DOES NOT MEET SUFFICIENT CONTRAST REQUIREMENTS. IT'S EVEN WORSE WHEN DRIVING THROUGH SHADED AREAS. TACHOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER APPEAR COMPLETELY DARK AND UNREADABLE. THIS COULD BE AN ACCESSIBILITY ISSUE WHERE CERTAIN DRIVERS COULD HAVE DIFFICULTY READING THE GAUGE DIALS DUE TO IMPROPER CONTRAST. *TR
2017 bmw M2 lighting problems
moderate 15 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $250
Complaints
15
Recalls
0
Crashes
0
Avg fix
$250
What owners are reporting 15 most recent
POOR VISIBILITY OF GAUGE CLUSTER IN LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS. MAKES READING THE TACHOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER NEAR IMPOSSIBLE IN CERTAIN LIGHT CONDITIONS/SITUATIONS. THE 2018 MODELS HAVE A NEW GAUGE THAT SOLVES THIS ISSUE. I THINK IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THE PRE-2018 CARS SHOULD BE RECALLED TO HAVE THIS NEW CLUSTER INSTALLED BY BMW.
INSTRUMENT CLUSTER (SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER) HAS NO LIGHTING DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS. IT IS A DARK SCREEN MUCH OF THE DAY AND I AM UNABLE TO CLEARLY AND QUICKLY SEE THE IMPORTANT GAUGES THERE, AS DESCRIBED. BMW PROVIDES NO WAY (BACK LIGHTING, ETC) TO MAKE THIS AREA VISIBLE DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE.
DAYTIME GAUGE LIGHTING IS VERY DIM. IT IS HARD TO READ SPEEDOMETER TO TELL YOUR SPEED VERY UNSAFE. HAVE ASKED DEALER AND BMW TO NO AVAIL. I HAVE OWNED 8 BMW CARS AND NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM.
DURING CERTAIN DAYTIME CONDITIONS, SUCH AS A CLOUDY DAY OR UNDER SHADE, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FOR SPEED, RPM, ETC. , CAN NOT BE READ. THIS PROBLEM IS MADE WORSE WITH SUNGLASSES.
THE BACKLIGHTING FOR THE TACHOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER BECOMES COMPLETELY UNREADABLE UNDER SOFT DAYLIGHT SITUATIONS. AN EXAMPLE OF THIS WOULD BE DRIVING THROUGH A WOODED AREA IN FULL DAYLIGHT. IT APPEARS THAT THIS ISSUE IS CREATED BE TWO ISSUES. FIRST, THE COLOR OF THE BACKGROUND AND LETTERING ON THE GAUGES THEMSELVES DO NOT CREATE ENOUGH CONTRASTING. SECOND, THE AMBIENT LIGHT SENSOR DOES NOT APPE…
THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GAUGES (SPEED AND RPM) ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO READ UNDER BOTH BRIGHT SUNNY CONDITIONS, AND DARK SHADOW CONDITIONS (IN A TUNNEL, OR IN SHADE). WEARING SUNGLASSES? FORGET SEEING THEM AT ALL. I FIND IT A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN I HAVE TO GLANCE DOWN AT THE GAUGES LONGER THAN NECESSARY AND TAKE MY EYES OFF THE ROAD, AND SQUINT TO DECIPHER WHAT SPEED I'M GOING. THE ONLY WAY TO HELP THIS…
UNABLE TO SEE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING IN BRIGHT DAYLIGHT CONDITIONS
THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DOES NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT BRIGHTNESS AND CONTRAST. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT, SOMETIMES IMPOSSIBLE, TO SEE THE SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER READINGS IN CERTAIN DAYTIME LIGHTING CONDITIONS.
WHEN DRIVING, THE UPPER HALF OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CONTAINING THE SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER IS COMPLETELY UNREADABLE UNDER DARK CONDITIONS SUCH AS GOING UNDER A BRIDGE OR IN AREAS WITH TREE COVERAGE OVERHEAD.
Common questions
How serious is the lighting problem on the 2017 bmw M2?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 15 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $250 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the lighting typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $250 for lighting repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to lighting?
No active recalls currently cover lighting issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities.
Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area.
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