Mysterious Vent in D3 Dashboard

[BSM]

I've always been puzzled by the function of this vent in the dashboard of my D3 directly below the windscreen. The button seems to do nothing. Can anyone shed some light?
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[jonesy63]

The grill is the cover for the centre speaker (if you have a Logic 7 stereo) and the "knob" is a light sensor.

[Ean Austral]

I always thought it was a speaker.

Cheers Ean

[BSM]

The grill is the cover for the centre speaker (if you have a Logic 7 stereo) and the "knob" is a light sensor.

Ahh Thanks. I just have the low-line stereo so that'd explain why no sound comes out of mine. Does the light sensor control the Auto headlight function?

[Rich84]

Possibly... I think first and foremost it is the sun sensor for the climate control.

[oldsalt]

I've got my dash covered with a dash-mat - my "sun sensor" (if that's what it is) must think I'm driving around on a very cloudy day...

[101RRS]

I've got my dash covered with a dash-mat - my "sun sensor" (if that's what it is) must think I'm driving around on a very cloudy day...

The correct dash mates have a hole in them for the climate control sun sensor. The sun sensor makes the inside temp a tad warmer than set when overcast and a tad colder when in full sunlight.

Garry

[BSM]

The sun sensor makes the inside temp a tad warmer than set when overcast and a tad colder when in full sunlight.

Pretty clever these LR engineers I reckon.

[oldsalt]

FULL SUNLIGHT in the U.K. - they start dropping like flies when the temp hits the mid 20's...

[SuperMono]

Pretty clever these LR engineers I reckon.

Sun load sensors as feedback into A/C has been a standard feature in many cars since the 90s.
First I recall (in a car I owned) was a 94 Mitsubishi Verada.