I’ve recently purchased a 2005 Honda Accord LX 4-C Auto

I’ve noticed the backlight for the clock/radio only seems to come on at night when it’s very dark. I have not found any way to manually control, or trigger the backlighting. I’ve tried playing with the dash dimmer and headlights, checking manual for and references and I haven’t found anything.

The main reason I ask is that sometimes in the evening as it starts getting dark it can be very hard to read the clock/radio because backlight has not turned on. It almost seems like it only comes on in accordance with sunlight sensor + clock time? I’ve tried covering whatever sensor is on top of dashboard by windshield but it did not make any difference.

I’d love to know if someone knows what the expected behavior should be and if there is any way to manually control the backlight.

Other lights on dash and center console for hvac, stereo, etc all do light up fine when headlights are turned on

 

The clock is part of the radio. Probably a fault with the circuit board in the audio unit.

 

What then would be the expectation?

Should backlight always come on when headlights turn on? Or is there some sort of sensor related to night / time of day?

 

On a 2005, only EX-L and V6 models had a sunlight sensor (which were used for the climate control system, not for auto headlights (which started with certain 2008 models). Your LX has what Honda considers manual HVAC, not climate control (auto). The sunlight sensor on equipped 2005 models had nothing to do with lighting.

On the audio unit, like some dash and console components, backlight comes on when the headlights are switched on.

Certain components are also dimmable by turning the **** on the instrument panel. The audio unit backlighting is dimmable.