737 Max Cockpit Light Behind the Pilot Issue

DuskMagician976 · March 26, 2025, 7:22am

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One for aircraft (start typing in your aircraft name in the tag section and pick correct option)

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ISSUE DESCRIPTION

There are cockpit lights behind both the co-pilot and pilot. The co-pilot light is connected to its dial and can be turned off, but the light behind the pilot is not connected to the corresponding dial and stays brightly illuminated.

If applicable, which aircraft is experiencing this issue: 737 Max

[PC Only] Did you remove all your community mods/add-ons? If yes, are you still experiencing the issue?

Not related to addons

FREQUENCY OF ISSUE

How often does this occur for you (Example: Just once, every time on sim load, intermittently)?

It’s an issue with the aircraft, so occurs all the time.

REPRODUCTION STEPS

Please list clear steps you took in order to help our test team reproduce the same issue:

Spawn into the 737 Max at night
Shift camera view to look behind the pilot toward the ceiling of the aircraft
Light is not connected to its corresponding dial

YOUR SETTINGS

If the issue still occurs with no mods and add-ons, please continue to report your issue. If not, please move this post to the User Support Hub.

N/A

What peripherals are you using, if relevant:

N/A

[PC Only] Are you using Developer Mode or have you made any changes to it?

No

[PC, MSFS 2020 Only] Are you using DX11 or DX12?

Issue is with coding of the aircraft and not related to DX

[PC Only] What GPU (Graphics Card) do you use?

MSI 3060 Ti

[PC Only] What other relevant PC specs can you share?

Not a performance issue related to PC

MEDIA

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DuskMagician976 · April 12, 2025, 8:36pm

Using the template below will greatly help the team reproduce the issue and ease the process of fixing it. Before posting, search for an existing report. If you are not sure it’s a bug, please first report in User Support Hub.

3 tags are required - add them in the tag section next to the title above:

One for iteration (msfs-2020 or msfs-2024)
One for platform (ms-store, steam, xbox, or xcloud)
One for aircraft (start typing in your aircraft name in the tag section and pick correct option)

Feel free to delete this quote section after adding your appropriate tags.

ISSUE DESCRIPTION

Description of the issue:

The overhead light behind the pilot is disconnected from the switch again and can’t be turned off. This was fixed at one point in the Beta but has somehow broken again.

If applicable, which aircraft is experiencing this issue:

737 Max - both variants

[PC Only] Did you remove all your community mods/add-ons? If yes, are you still experiencing the issue?

N/A

FREQUENCY OF ISSUE

How often does this occur for you (Example: Just once, every time on sim load, intermittently)?

Every Time

REPRODUCTION STEPS

Spawn into any airport on the runway with the 737 Max at night. You will notice 2 overhead lights, one behind the pilot and one behind the co-pilot. When you switch the switch on the overhead panel to either bright or dim, both lights should be on. But when you move the switch to the off position, only the co-pilot light goes out. The light behind the pilot stays on. Causes some undesirable glare on the windshield at night.

YOUR SETTINGS

If the issue still occurs with no mods and add-ons, please continue to report your issue. If not, please move this post to the User Support Hub.

What peripherals are you using, if relevant:

N/A

[PC Only] Are you using Developer Mode or have you made any changes to it?

N/A

[PC, MSFS 2020 Only] Are you using DX11 or DX12?

N/A

[PC Only] What GPU (Graphics Card) do you use?

N/A

[PC Only] What other relevant PC specs can you share?

N/A

MEDIA

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[END OF FIRST USER REPORT]

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DonVito2112 · April 19, 2025, 8:15pm

Do you have the same issue if you follow the OP’s steps to reproduce it?
•

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DuskMagician976 · May 2, 2025, 3:59pm

Asobo claimed to have resolved the issue with the overhead light on the Pilot side staying on. There is still an issue with it. Ran a test by going through cold/dark start and monitoring the light. The light functioned normally until I started the #1 engine (Pilot side). As soon as I started this engine the light turned itself on and I was unable to turn it off. Hope this helps in solving the problem.

DuskMagician976 · May 26, 2025, 12:31am

ISSUE DESCRIPTION

The interior cabin light in the 737 Max located above the pilot is still broken, even though a previous update claimed to have fixed the issue. If you pay attention closely to it at startup, the light is out (with overhead switch in the off position) until you start the #1 engine (pilot side). As soon as that engine spools up and starts supplying power to the aircraft, the light will automatically come on and cannot be extinguished. It does not respond to the switch on the overhead panel.

If applicable, which aircraft is experiencing this issue:

737-Max specific

[PC Only] Did you remove all your community mods/add-ons? If yes, are you still experiencing the issue?

Not an addon conflict issue.

FREQUENCY OF ISSUE

How often does this occur for you (Example: Just once, every time on sim load, intermittently)?

Issue occurs each time you start the #1 engine on the 737-Max

REPRODUCTION STEPS

Please list clear steps you took in order to help our test team reproduce the same issue:

Spawn into the 737 at a parking spot cold/dark
Go through the startup process, paying attention to the light above and behind the pilot as you perform each step of the engine start
Prior to starting the #1 (port) engine, notice the light is out (with overhead switch in off position). Start the #1 engine and check the light again. You should now notice that the light has come on and cannot be turned off.

YOUR SETTINGS

If the issue still occurs with no mods and add-ons, please continue to report your issue. If not, please move this post to the User Support Hub.

Not a settings related issue - happens with all settings

What peripherals are you using, if relevant:

Not relevant

[PC Only] Are you using Developer Mode or have you made any changes to it?

No

[PC, MSFS 2020 Only] Are you using DX11 or DX12?

DX12 to the best of my knowledge

[PC Only] What GPU (Graphics Card) do you use?

3060 Ti

[PC Only] What other relevant PC specs can you share?

None that are relevant

MEDIA

Please add a screenshot or video of the issue occurring.

[END OF FIRST USER REPORT]

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Do you have the same issue if you follow the OP’s steps to reproduce it?
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hispdtortoiz · May 27, 2025, 12:38pm

Do you have the same issue if you follow the OP’s steps to reproduce it?
•
Yes
Provide extra information to complete the original description of the issue:
•
Happens in career mode flights in the B737. Can’t be switched off from the overhead panel.
If relevant, provide additional screenshots/video:
See pilot side light is on:

nalfylatino87 · May 29, 2025, 12:15am

Having the exact same issue. Cannot turn off that light at all. Using the latest stable build.

OldpondGL · September 9, 2025, 9:31am

Still present in SU4 Beta.

DuskMagician976 · September 9, 2025, 10:47pm

Yes, issue still persists. Running the latest version of the Beta. My fear is that the developer falsely believes they cured the issue in a previous update and are going to completely ignore the fix. It used to be on all the time. They then announced it had been fixed. After the “fix”, it was out when you switched off the switch - same as the co-pilot - but it comes on automatically as soon as you start up the #1 engine and can’t be turned off after that. Very annoying.

Zadma · October 6, 2025, 5:46am

ISSUE DESCRIPTION

Description of the issue: Once the no.1 engine spools up, the dome light on the back wall of the flight deck (above the jumpseat) is permanently illuminated regardless of the position of the cockpit dome light switch (or any other switch that I’ve found in the aircraft).

FREQUENCY OF ISSUE

How often does this occur for you (Example: Just once, every time on sim load, intermittently)?

Everytime

REPRODUCTION STEPS

Please list clear steps you took in order to help our test team reproduce the same issue:

Start at a gate or parking spot in Free Flight with the Asobo 737 MAX 8 (preferably at night)
Follow the provided checklist to start up the engines
Observe the light above the jumpseat turning on as soon as engine 1 is running
This is not reversible by any means

YOUR SETTINGS

If the issue still occurs with no mods and add-ons, please continue to report your issue. If not, please move this post to the User Support Hub.

What peripherals are you using: n/a

[PC Only] Are you using Developer Mode or have you made any changes to it? No

[PC Only] What GPU (Graphics Card) do you use? AND Radeon RX 7900 GRE

[PC Only] What other relevant PC specs can you share? n/a

MEDIA

(Note - this light is not the cockpit dome light as controlled on the overhead, but no other operable switch has been found for this light.)

ogu1271 · October 6, 2025, 7:01am

7 months later and not even a ‘bug logged’ tag yet ?

ZeekR5430 · October 7, 2025, 5:54am

My eyes! Also seems impossible to turn off. (SU4 Beta)

ShakerKitty10 · October 8, 2025, 4:34pm

I also have this problem with SU4 beta 1.6.13.

Problem is exactly as described post 9.

DementedCorn327 · October 20, 2025, 5:32am

Can replicate:

BragRaindrop933 · October 20, 2025, 5:59am

Same here, it’s very annoying. Please fix. This light seems to be linked to starting the engines. As soon as I flip the engine start then fuel on switch on ENG1 (after already starting ENG2) this ‘spotlight’ comes on and no switch can turn it off again. It ruins the night time experience. Dome light switch doesn’t work on this light. Nothing does (that I can find) except the engine/fuel cutoff switch.

REPRODUCTION STEPS

Please list clear steps you took in order to help our test team reproduce the same issue:

Spawn in the 737 Max at night cold and dark (parking)
Start engines from cold and dark
Notice cabin illuminates brightly from this lamp when you start 2nd engine
Try dome light switch, note that it doesn’t control this light
Try to find any other switch to turn this off, it’s not linked to any so stays illuminated during flight

DementedCorn327 · October 20, 2025, 6:19am

My understanding is that it is the dome light switch that controls both copilot & pilot lights, so it does not work as expected.

BragRaindrop933 · October 20, 2025, 6:24am

Reliably comes on with the ENG start/fuel cutoff switch. I start ENG2, then start ENG1, and as soon as I flip ENG1 fuel cutoff switch to run, (so ENG1 isn’t yet started) that spotlight comes on.

Seems like it definitely should be a dome light switch controlled light. Seems crazy that this isn’t bugged logged yet. Reported since March, and there have been a few 737 patches out since then.

BragRaindrop933 · October 20, 2025, 7:13am

Interestingly this dome light is controlled by the dome light switch but only after engine shutdown, but not while engines are running, so there is definitely something amiss with the dome light logic/wiring when engines are started.

Engines OFF, dome switch ON, lights ON

Engines OFF, dome switch OFF, lights OFF

This doesn’t happen with engines ON.

ENG 2 started. Engine 1 start procedure and ENG1 fuel cutoff switch flipped to ‘run’ and instantly the pilot side dome light comes on. Even with the dome light switch set to OFF as shown below.

PurpleGodSteve · October 24, 2025, 10:29am

I have exactly the same issue and can not fly at night with this bright light around the cockpit.

In VR is even worse.

Is there any workaround or mod to solve it??

ShakerKitty10 · October 24, 2025, 12:17pm

Yes, you can add a key bind to CABIN LIGHTS ON and CABIN LIGHTS OFF. In my case, I used my Honeycomb Bravo toggle switch to turn them on and off.

Note that the cabin illumination turns on and off with this switch, but if you turn around and look at the light, it will always be on.

But the distracting cabin illumination can be controlled.