Quick answer: on a Nissan Qashqai, X-Trail or Ariya, the HUD has its own switch, and once it’s turned off it stays off even after a restart. Its settings menu is locked until you switch it back on, which is the most common cause. On a Peugeot, first check which kind you have: the older 3008, 5008 and 508 have a small strip that pops up from the dashboard, while newer i-Cockpit models call their raised digital instrument panel the “head-up display” and have no projector at all.
This guide covers the factory systems. For a plug-in aftermarket unit, see the aftermarket HUD troubleshooting guide.
Nissan Qashqai, X-Trail and Ariya
The Qashqai (J12, 2021 on), X-Trail (T33, 2022 on) and Ariya project a 10.8-inch (Ariya around 11.5-inch) image onto the windscreen, on higher trims (for example Qashqai Tekna in the UK, Ti in Australia). The manuals mark it “where fitted”.
Turning it on
- “To turn the HUD on, push the HUD switch. To turn the HUD off, push the switch again.” The switch is among the driver-side controls.
- “If the HUD is turned off, it will remain off even if the vehicle is restarted.”
- “If the HUD is turned off by the HUD switch, the [Head-Up Display] menu in the vehicle information display cannot be operated.” If the HUD item looks greyed out in Settings, press the HUD switch first.
- Ariya only: with Driving Aids content enabled, the HUD comes on with ProPILOT Assist even if the HUD switch is off.
- Emergency information can appear even with the HUD switched off.
(Source: Nissan UK owner’s manuals for the Qashqai, X-Trail and Ariya.)
Adjusting it
With the HUD on, use the scroll dial on the steering wheel to open Settings > Head-Up Display in the instrument display. You can set Brightness, Height, Rotation (for a tilted image), Contents selection (Navigation where fitted, Driving Aids, Traffic Sign, Audio, Telephone) and Reset. Missing navigation arrows? Check that Navigation is ticked under Contents selection and that the car has built-in navigation.
Why the image is hard to see
- Polarised sunglasses: Nissan says to raise the HUD brightness or take them off.
- The light sensor is covered: brightness adjusts automatically from a sensor in the HUD; “If you block the sensor with an object, the display will darken.”
- Weather: rain, snow or bright sunlight can make it hard to read.
- Objects on the dashboard over the projector opening.
Cleaning: use a soft, clean, dry cloth, slightly dampened with water if needed. Never use alcohol, benzine, thinner or solvents, and never spray liquid onto the projector lens.
Distorted image and windscreen replacement
Nissan’s manuals say the HUD uses a special windscreen and that a replacement “should be completed by a NISSAN dealer or qualified workshop” (Ariya: a Nissan certified electric vehicle dealer). If the image looks distorted, Nissan recommends having the system checked. The windscreen also carries the camera for lane keeping and traffic-sign recognition, which needs checking after a replacement.
We found no HUD recall for these models. Owners commonly report an intermittent HUD on some Qashqais (working on some starts but not others); if pressing the HUD switch and a restart don’t fix it, see a Nissan dealer. A weak 12-volt battery can also cause electrical glitches.
Peugeot: which “head-up display” do you have?
| Model | What it is |
|---|---|
| 3008 Mk1 (2009–2016), 5008 Mk1 (2009–2016) | Real HUD: a transparent strip rises from the top of the dashboard (some trims) |
| 508 Mk1 (2011–2018) | Real HUD: a smoked strip deploys from the dashboard (optional or standard by trim) |
| Traveller / Expert (2016 on) | Real HUD on a smoked “projection blade” (if equipped) |
| 3008 / 5008 Mk2 (2016–2024), 508 Mk2, 2008 Mk2, Rifter | No projector. “Head-up digital display” is Peugeot’s name for the raised i-Cockpit instrument panel |
Pop-up strip models (3008 / 5008 Mk1, 508 Mk1, Traveller)
- The system only works with the engine running.
- 3008 / 5008 Mk1: the HUD buttons (on/off, brightness, height) are in the centre of the switch panel. “The strip is activated by pressing one of the buttons.” The on/off state is remembered after a restart.
- 508 Mk1 and Traveller: press the on button to deploy the strip; press and hold the off button to retract it. Brightness uses the “sun” and “moon” buttons; height has its own buttons.
- 508 Mk1 memory seats store the HUD settings too, so recalling another driver’s memory position moves the image.
- Keep the strip’s recess clear: Peugeot says objects there can stop it deploying or working correctly.
- Peugeot notes that sunglasses, glasses or polarised lenses, and extreme weather (rain, snow, bright sun) can make it hard to read.
- Cleaning: the strip is organic glass with an anti-reflective coating. Use a clean, soft spectacle or microfibre cloth; never a dry or abrasive cloth, detergent or solvent.
(Source: Peugeot 3008 handbook; Traveller/Expert handbook.)
Strip rises but stays blank: on the 3008 and 5008 Mk1 the HUD shares fuse F33 (10 A) with Bluetooth and air conditioning. Owners commonly report a blank or clicking unit; if a restart doesn’t help, have a garage check the fuse and the HUD unit, which specialists can often repair.
Strip won’t rise after a new windscreen: although the image isn’t projected on the windscreen, owners report that a replacement screen with a slightly different curve can block the strip from rising. A genuine-spec screen solved it.
i-Cockpit models (3008 / 5008 Mk2, 508 Mk2, 2008 Mk2)
If the “head-up” display is dark, it’s the instrument panel itself. Check the panel brightness on the touchscreen (Settings > Brightness, or Settings > Screen configuration > Brightness, depending on the system) and the instrument panel lighting button. Change the display mode with the thumbwheel on the left of the steering wheel, with the car stationary. Adjust the steering wheel so it doesn’t hide the panel. Peugeot’s 2024 3008/5008 handbook mentions an “extended head-up display” only in a settings list, depending on version.
Check recalls for your car at the DVSA vehicle recall checker (UK).
No factory HUD? A plug-in head-up display is an alternative; see factory vs aftermarket HUD.
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Frequently asked questions
Why is my Nissan Qashqai head-up display not working?
Most often the HUD switch has been pressed off. Nissan’s manual says the HUD stays off even after a restart, and its settings menu can’t be used until you press the switch again. Also check brightness, that nothing covers the light sensor, and that you aren’t wearing polarised sunglasses.
Why is the Head-Up Display menu greyed out in my Qashqai or X-Trail?
The HUD is switched off with its switch. Press the HUD switch to turn it on, then the Settings > Head-Up Display menu becomes available.
Why won’t the head-up display on my Peugeot 3008 come up?
On the first-generation 3008 (2009–2016) the strip rises only with the engine running and when you press one of the HUD buttons on the switch panel. Make sure nothing is in the strip’s recess. If it still won’t rise or stays blank, have a garage check fuse F33 and the HUD unit. Newer 3008s have no pop-up HUD.
Does the Peugeot 3008 (2017 on) have a head-up display?
Not a projected one. Peugeot calls the raised i-Cockpit digital instrument panel a “head-up digital display”. If it’s dark, check its brightness on the touchscreen and the instrument lighting button.
Does a new windscreen affect the Nissan HUD?
Yes. Nissan says the HUD uses a special windscreen that should be replaced by a Nissan dealer or qualified workshop, and to have the system checked if the image looks distorted.