[PodBimmer]

I was playing around with the headlights on my new 330i tonight and noticed that both the low and high beam Xenons are on the outside two lights (via two bulbs in the same light) of the four headlights. The inside two lights look like they are halogen not Xenon but they only light up when I pull the turn signal/lights stalk to flash the lights. They don't go on with any other setting. So naturally I figured that they might be daytime running lights that need to be enabled by the dealer (as has been the case in the past) but I checked the manual and the section on DRL just says to turn your low beams on for DRL's. What am I missing? What's the purpose of these extra headlights. I can't image they were put on just to flash oncoming drivers.

[deutschmann59]

Actually, yes, for right now, all indications point in the direction that they are just to flash other drivers, say when you get to a stop sign at night and need to give the right of way to another driver, or when you're on the highway and give the okay to let another driver get in front of you (you can't do this with xenons as the high beams may not be that noticable because they are bi-xenon). Actually, daytime running lights will be available on the E90 soon, but you can't get them anywhere yet. From what I know now, these inner halogen lights will be used as DRLs. The DRLs will need to be set up at the dealer via some kind of software update (I think). However, you can't get them now in the US and there's no word on when you can set this up.

[PodBimmer]

Thanks for the info. This is consistent with what I've heard elsewhere. I guess we just wait until the dealers get the new software.

[RedStripe]

Originally Posted by PodBimmer

I was playing around with the headlights on my new 330i tonight and noticed that both the low and high beam Xenons are on the outside two lights (via two bulbs in the same light) of the four headlights. ....

Are you sure there are two HID bulbs in that cylindrical housing? That doesn't sound right to me. I think there was a post on another thread that specified the bi-xenon light was a single D1S bulb, and the differentiator between high and low beam was an aperature like device that opened partially for low-beam and opened fully for high-beam. Someone please confirm, deny, or correct. Thanks.

[Armen52]

RedStripe, you're correct. As has been stated elsewhere on the board and in my reply to PodBimmer's same question on bimmerfest, there are two xenon lights on the car left/right and they just open wider or use some reflector to angle the beam even higher for high beams.

[E90Fleet]

One D1S bulb on each side of the car, flap opens for full beam

[PodBimmer]

Sorry. The two previous posts are correct. One bulb with the apperture.