Stupid questions hour.

[2012_135i]

Ok, time for our stupid questions hour. I'll start.

When we say "angel eyes", which eyes do we mean? The inner two around the headlamps, the outer 2 around some other kind of lampy looking bulbs, or all four?

What are the lampy looking bulbs surrounded by the outer "angel eyes"? Do they light up? If so, how? If not, what's their purpose? Ive seen these lit on a 3 series (unless it was a dream I mistook for reality, which has been happening more and more lately) but I can't get them to light up in my 1er. If they're not supposed to light, that would explain why.

[.b0link]

Ok I got next...

I can't find the fog lights ANYWHERE on my 135...where are they?

[daixloxbmw]

Originally Posted by 2012_135i

Ok, time for our stupid questions hour. I'll start.

When we say "angel eyes", which eyes do we mean? The inner two around the headlamps, the outer 2 around some other kind of lampy looking bulbs, or all four?

What are the lampy looking bulbs surrounded by the outer "angel eyes"? Do they light up? If so, how? If not, what's their purpose? Ive seen these lit on a 3 series (unless it was a dream I mistook for reality, which has been happening more and more lately) but I can't get them to light up in my 1er. If they're not supposed to light, that would explain why.

Angel Eyes are the lighted rings that surround all four of your bulbs.

The inner bulbs are your Cornering Lights, they only come on when your light switch is set to Auto mode and you turn the steering wheel. If you turn your steering wheel to the left, your left Cornering Light will light up the area to your left.

The outer bulb is your Bi-Xenon Headlights, both High and Low Beams are combined into this one bulb.

[daixloxbmw]

Originally Posted by .b0link

Ok I got next...

I can't find the fog lights ANYWHERE on my 135...where are they?

The 135i does not come with Fog Lights. It is replaced by a cooling duct for your brakes. Only the 128i comes with Fog Lights.

[BrokenVert]

those rings were originally called Halos - angel eyes sortof sprung out as a coloquialization of that.

No thats probably not a word - and yes its al 4 rings

[.b0link]

I did know that but thought I would take the opportunity to ask the question that Im sure makes most of you slap yourself in the forehead lol.

[2012_135i]

Originally Posted by .b0link

Ok I got next...

I can't find the fog lights ANYWHERE on my 135...where are they?

Ha ha! Good one. I posted the same question a few months ago when I first got my 1er. I was perplexed that there was no switch for them where the manual showed it was supposed to be. It never occurred to me to actually look at the front end to see if the car had fog lights, I just assumed they were there somewhere. Turned out only the 128i comes with fog lamps because the 135i needs that space for extra cooling. The manual is for both cars and doesn't point out the differences very well.

[2012_135i]

Originally Posted by daixloxbmw

Angel Eyes are the lighted rings that surround all four of your bulbs.

The inner bulbs are your Cornering Lights, they only come on when your light switch is set to Auto mode and you turn the steering wheel. If you turn your steering wheel to the left, your left Cornering Light will light up the area to your left.

The outer bulb is your Bi-Xenon Headlights, both High and Low Beams are combined into this one bulb.

That's weird. My inner bulbs come on when I put the light switch in all modes except just parking light mode which gives me only the angel eyes and eyebrows. The inner bulbs are also my high beams. The outer bulbs never come on no matter what position my light switch is in. Guess maybe I have a service issue? Honestly, I'm not dreaming or hallucinating this one.

[TiM235i]

Originally Posted by 2012_135i

Ha ha! Good one. I posted the same question a few months ago when I first got my 1er. I was perplexed that there was no switch for them where the manual showed it was supposed to be. It never occurred to me to actually look at the front end to see if the car had fog lights, I just assumed they were there somewhere. Turned out only the 128i comes with fog lamps because the 135i needs that space for extra cooling. The manual is for both cars and doesn't point out the differences very well.

While I did know my 135 had no fog lights, I had a G35 for a while that I drove several months before I found its fog lights. There was a switch, but the fog lights were literally just another bulb in the headlight cluster -- and I had some trouble finding them!

[ken1137]

....

[1speedbike]

Originally Posted by BrokenVert

those rings were originally called Halos - angel eyes sortof sprung out as a coloquialization of that.

No thats probably not a word - and yes its al 4 rings

Whatever happened to "corona rings" ?

[Section147]

Originally Posted by 1speedbike

Whatever happened to "corona rings" ?

Coasters have eliminated nearly all of them.

(Sorry.....it's late).

[daixloxbmw]

Originally Posted by 2012_135i

That's weird. My inner bulbs come on when I put the light switch in all modes except just parking light mode which gives me only the angel eyes and eyebrows. The inner bulbs are also my high beams. The outer bulbs never come on no matter what position my light switch is in. Guess maybe I have a service issue? Honestly, I'm not dreaming or hallucinating this one.

Huh? If your inner bulbs are high beams, it sounds like you don't have Bi-Xenon headlights.

My old E46 330i had halogen high beams as the inner bulbs and Xenon low beams as the outer bulbs but to my understanding, BMW only does this with non-Xenon headlights now in the base models: 128i and 328i.

EDIT, unless that changed with the LCI headlights.

[Venom]

Originally Posted by Section147

Coasters have eliminated nearly all of them.

(Sorry.....it's late).

Lol

[2012_135i]

Originally Posted by daixloxbmw

Huh? If your inner bulbs are high beams, it sounds like you don't have Bi-Xenon headlights.

My old E46 330i had halogen high beams as the inner bulbs and Xenon low beams as the outer bulbs but to my understanding, BMW only does this with non-Xenon headlights now in the base models: 128i and 328i.

EDIT, unless that changed with the LCI headlights.

Apparently I was hallucinating, or more accurately, got mixed up as to which sets of light were on and which were off. The outer lights (Xenon beams) go on no problem, it's the inner (cornering) lights that don't. At a stand still pointed straight ahead and without turning the wheel, when I turn the headlights on in any light switch position the inner cornering lights remain off. When I turn the headlamps on and then turn the wheel, the inner lights will go on and turn in the direction of the wheel. When I return the wheel to straight ahead the cornering lights turn back to straight ahead and go off. Is that the way they're supposed to work? On only when turning? Seems weird to me if so. I mean, I know they're for cornering, but why not have them on when going straight ahead as well? Always turning on and off while you're driving would seem a little distracting not to mention hard on the bulbs. Or do I have a service issue?

[daixloxbmw]

Originally Posted by 2012_135i

Apparently I was hallucinating, or more accurately, got mixed up as to which sets of light were on and which were off. The outer lights (Xenon beams) go on no problem, it's the inner (cornering) lights that don't. At a stand still pointed straight ahead and without turning the wheel, when I turn the headlights on in any light switch position the inner cornering lights remain off. When I turn the headlamps on and then turn the wheel, the inner lights will go on and turn in the direction of the wheel. When I return the wheel to straight ahead the cornering lights turn back to straight ahead and go off. Is that the way they're supposed to work? On only when turning? Seems weird to me if so. I mean, I know they're for cornering, but why not have them on when going straight ahead as well? Always turning on and off while you're driving would seem a little distracting not to mention hard on the bulbs. Or do I have a service issue?

Yes, what you describe is exactly how it is supposed to work. Keep in mind that these Cornering Lights are angled very sharply, something like at a 45 degree angle (I totally made that number up) so it is for low speed driving around corners, like in a parking lot or going around a pole/building. It is only used to illuminate the area immediately in the direction of your steering. If it remained on all the time, you could potentially blind oncoming traffic.

Plus, it won't look as good since it will completely wash out BMW's signature inner Angel Eye. When the Cornering Lights are on, it turns the entire inner bulb into one huge blob of light instead of a distinct ring.

[Section147]

Originally Posted by 2012_135i

When I return the wheel to straight ahead the cornering lights turn back to straight ahead and go off. Is that the way
they're supposed to work? On only when turning?

Just kidding.

According to Page 95:

"The corner-illuminating lamp is switched on automatically, depending on the steering wheel angle or turn signal indicator."

I haven't actually gotten in front of the car to check mine out, but I was under the impression that the way yours are now
functioning is proper. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[2012_135i]

Originally Posted by daixloxbmw

... If it remained on all the time, you could potentially blind oncoming traffic.

Plus, it won't look as good since it will completely wash out BMW's signature inner Angel Eye. When the Cornering Lights are on, it turns the entire inner bulb into one huge blob of light instead of a distinct ring.

Yeah, I did think about the blinding effect, but I've seen other cars with two sets of lights on (4 in total) at night and thought this would maybe be the same. Good point in the washing out of the inner Angel Eye.

[2012_135i]

Originally Posted by Section147

Just kidding.

According to Page 95:

"The corner-illuminating lamp is switched on automatically, depending on the steering wheel angle or turn signal indicator."

I woulda, Mr. Hand, but my dog ate it.

Originally Posted by Section147

I haven't actually gotten in front of the car to check mine out, but I was under the impression that the way yours are now
functioning is proper. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

I think you're right. It all makes sense.