[2006bmw]

Lately, my automatic lights seem to not turn themselves off. I drive out of my garage into a bright, sunny morning and the lights stay on for some unknow reason. Not that big of a deal, but the car didn't used to do that. Has this happened to anyone else?

[cdheaven]

did you recently get the software update? maybe you turned on your daytime running lights? im just grabbing for strays here.

[Arkansas3]

if it is so dark in your garage that your lights come, they will stay on. i think that's to prevent damage to the xenons from turning off and on all the time.

try this: before starting your car, turn the lights off from automatic. take the car outside, and then switch to automatic. the lights shouldn't turn on (if it's bright outside)

[poldim]

I think I remember my lights previous turning on, and then if its bright for a sufficient amount of time (half an hour or more) they would turn off.

[billgti]

the same thing happens to my car..altho mine has been doing it since day 1. they will come on when i first start the car since i'm in the garage but once i exit, sometimes it switches off, sometimes it stays on.

[ksfrogman]

Originally Posted by billgti

the same thing happens to my car..altho mine has been doing it since day 1. they will come on when i first start the car since i'm in the garage but once i exit, sometimes it switches off, sometimes it stays on.

bill, u coming to our e90 meet in pasadena february 1st?

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...ht=hurry+curry

[2006bmw]

No, no new software. I swear that the lights used to switch off as soon as I got out of the garage. I'll have to check to see whether I accidently turned on DRL, although I don't think so. Hmmm...

[LEDZEP]

Mine are very sensitive too. I'm not sure how the programming works for turning them off, but it's not uncommon for me to be wearing sunglasses and have my auto lights on.

I asked my dealer to set the sensitivity down for me, and he claimed there is no such setting. Meanwhile, there is. I guess knowing something about BMWs is just considered a "nice to have" option for service personnel.

[E24]

Don't have car yet - obviously. With my 2003 525i - if you had the lamps in the auto position and the foglights in the on position - the entire set would be on 24/7. If you had the lamps in the auto position and the foglights in the off position - they would perform properly. My mom's 03 525 is the same. Stupid I say but that's the way the vehicle was made. Are the E90's the same? It would be nice if the auto-lamp functioned properly regardless of foglamps setting.

[db17k]

is anything blocking the light sensor on the windshield? i doubt this is the source of your problem, but you never know?

[E90Fleet]

There are 3 settings for the light sensor

Seeing as your car is a post September one I would think you can set it yourself.

Set it to the most sensitive position. This means it will be the most sensitive to light and switch off sooner

[JamieA]

My lights usually go off as soon as I leave the garage. They have behaved eratically sometimes though. Once I was driving along a tree lined street and they kept turning on and off. Lately they either don't come on when they should or come on when they shouldn't.

I have tried adjusting the sensitivity, but to no avail, they seem to have a mind of their own... I just go to manual mode, but it kind of defeats the purpose of having something which is supposed to be automatic if it doesn't work reliably.

[Arkansas3]

Originally Posted by E90Fleet

There are 3 settings for the light sensor

Seeing as your car is a post September one I would think you can set it yourself.

Set it to the most sensitive position. This means it will be the most sensitive to light and switch off sooner

is the ability to adjust sensitivity limited to iDrive?

[E90Fleet]

Originally Posted by Arkansas3

is the ability to adjust sensitivity limited to iDrive?

I thought it may be availabe on non-Idrive September 2005 build onwards cars to change on the instrument cluster.

If its not there your dealer can change it via their computer

the settings are

1) Normal
2) Sensitive
3) Very Sensitive


You want sensitive or Very sensitive


Also make shure the area of the windscreen by your interior rear view mirror is clean, since that is where the sensor is

[findtom]

Originally Posted by E24

Don't have car yet - obviously. With my 2003 525i - if you had the lamps in the auto position and the foglights in the on position - the entire set would be on 24/7. If you had the lamps in the auto position and the foglights in the off position - they would perform properly. My mom's 03 525 is the same. Stupid I say but that's the way the vehicle was made. Are the E90's the same? It would be nice if the auto-lamp functioned properly regardless of foglamps setting.

They go on when the foglights are on, but you can't leave the fogs in an "on" position. It's a button you push that resets every time you turn the car off.

[E24]

Originally Posted by findtom

They go on when the foglights are on, but you can't leave the fogs in an "on" position. It's a button you push that resets every time you turn the car off.

Good to know - you can tell I don't have my car yet

[poldim]

Originally Posted by E90Fleet

I thought it may be availabe on non-Idrive September 2005 build onwards cars to change on the instrument cluster.

If its not there your dealer can change it via their computer

the settings are

1) Normal
2) Sensitive
3) Very Sensitive


You want sensitive or Very sensitive


Also make shure the area of the windscreen by your interior rear view mirror is clean, since that is where the sensor is

I thgouht the very sensitive setting turns them on when it gets slightly darker than sunny rather than dark?

[JamieA]

Originally Posted by poldim

I thgouht the very sensitive setting turns them on when it gets slightly darker than sunny rather than dark?

This is my understanding too, there are 3 settings on my iDrive:

1. Sensitive
2. Normal
3. Slow

Sensitive makes them turn on sooner, ie when it is still fairly light. Slow makes them turn on when it is much darker, and normal is in between.

[ksfrogman]

Originally Posted by JamieA

This is my understanding too, there are 3 settings on my iDrive:

1. Sensitive
2. Normal
3. Slow

Sensitive makes them turn on sooner, ie when it is still fairly light. Slow makes them turn on when it is much darker, and normal is in between.

That's amazing. Just goes to show how much I still need to learn about my car.

[3some]

How do you activate DRL's?

[poldim]

iDrive -> vehicle settings -> lighting

Check box for DLR

[E90Fleet]

Originally Posted by JamieA

This is my understanding too, there are 3 settings on my iDrive:

1. Sensitive
2. Normal
3. Slow

Sensitive makes them turn on sooner, ie when it is still fairly light. Slow makes them turn on when it is much darker, and normal is in between.

Its supposed to be how sensitive they are to Infra red light

The more sensitive it is the later they will turn on because it still sees enough light to stay off when it becomes slightly dark