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2010 2011 BMW 5 Series Forum F10 BMW 5-Series (F10) Forums General 5-Series Sedan and Wagon (F10 / F11) Forum Auto lights - always on?
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      10-11-2010, 12:39 PM   #1
lindros2
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Auto lights - always on?

So another oddball situation:

My automatic lights appear to be staying on a lot more often than usual. Even at 8:30am or 2pm with bright sunlight, my lights won't go off.

Anyone either (a) have this issue, or (b) know where the automatic sensor is located?
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      10-11-2010, 01:07 PM   #2
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DRL switched on- Deactivate in i drive-
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      10-12-2010, 06:47 PM   #3
lindros2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by finbrad View Post
DRL switched on- Deactivate in i drive-
Wrong answer (you didn't answer my question).

My full headlights/taillights are staying on, not just the DRL's.

DRL on/headlights off, the headlight icon is OFF in the tach area.

DRL on/headlights on, headlight icon (light green) is on.

So again, (a) where is the auto headlight sensor, and (b) does anyone have any issues with this?
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      10-12-2010, 07:14 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lindros2 View Post
Wrong answer (you didn't answer my question).

My full headlights/taillights are staying on, not just the DRL's.

DRL on/headlights off, the headlight icon is OFF in the tach area.

DRL on/headlights on, headlight icon (light green) is on.

So again, (a) where is the auto headlight sensor, and (b) does anyone have any issues with this?
Do you have the headlight switch in the A position (to the left) or are your lights turned permanently on on the rotary switch (to the right)? Apologies if you already have them in A ! If you do have it in the A position sounds like a trip to the dealer is in order, I don't know for sure but I guess the light sensor is in the rear view mirror assembly that is where it is on the Audi's. Is that area clean?

This thread seams to support my guess its part of the rain sensor / rear view mirror assembly

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho....php?p=2096375

This is a quote from the online US manual page 82.

Automatic headlamp control
Switch position : the low beams are switched
on and off automatically, e.g., in tunnels, in twilight
or if there is precipitation. The indicator
lamp in the instrument cluster lights up.
A blue sky with the sun low on the horizon can
cause the lights to be switched on.
The low beams always stay on when the fog
lamps are switched on.
Personal responsibility
The automatic headlamp control cannot
serve as a substitute for your personal judgment
in determining when the lamps should be
switched on in response to ambient lighting
conditions.
For example, the sensors are unable to detect
fog or hazy weather. To avoid safety risks, you
should always switch on the

Last edited by pmw103; 10-12-2010 at 07:25 PM..
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      10-12-2010, 09:11 PM   #5
topologe
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I have this problem on mine, sometimes it works sometimes it is always on.
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      10-12-2010, 09:29 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by topologe View Post
I have this problem on mine, sometimes it works sometimes it is always on.
Same here
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      10-12-2010, 09:58 PM   #7
CJ
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Mine stay on pretty late on auto as well, clear mornings in Chicago, it can stay on until nearly 9am
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      10-12-2010, 10:24 PM   #8
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I've been trying to get a handle on this as well.
I leave my switch in the "A" position all the time.
Sometimes the little green indicator in the tach area lights up, even in broad daylight, sometimes it doesn't. It would seem odd to me that the headlights would be "on" in broad daylight. The dash lighting is usually not on when the green indicator is displayed. (I know this from driving into my parking garage at work.)
I'll have to get my butt out of the car and see what's going on with the headlights, I guess. Glad I'm not the only one confused.
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      10-13-2010, 05:02 AM   #9
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To those having trouble do you have an after market tint on the windscreen?
If you do could the tint be interfering with the sensor?
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      10-13-2010, 08:54 AM   #10
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I think I too have to jump out and check this. I drive at "A" position all times and the little green light on the dash is always lit - so it needs a look.

My worry is - where to find the day light in Scotland in these days
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      10-13-2010, 03:36 PM   #11
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When I have DRL's activated in I-Drive and the headlamp switch on 0 the angel eyes and rear lights remain switched on.

In Auto the headlights seem to stay on longer when the sun is low. I've noticed that when they are automatically on in low sun the display for the time and fuel consumption is illuminated white. At night or when you enter a dark car park or tunnel the illumination changes to red, even though the lights have been on all the time.
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      10-13-2010, 05:03 PM   #12
lindros2
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To answer an earlier question, with the switch in the "A" position, my headlights come on but the dash illumination does not come on (i.e. backlit gauges, orange numerals [instead of white], and night mode in navigation).

So there are three modes - off (or DRL on) / on-dawn/dusk / on-full night.

Apparently a bunch of us are stuck in the middle mode.

So where exactly is the EXTERIOR sensor for the headlights to flip on?
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      10-14-2010, 09:13 AM   #13
joy5
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Sorry for my ignorance (didn't have a chance to read the book in full yet) when you can set the DRL, what is the number you can set between 0 - 260? and what affect it changes?
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      10-14-2010, 02:58 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PoleApart View Post
When I have DRL's activated in I-Drive and the headlamp switch on 0 the angel eyes and rear lights remain switched on.

In Auto the headlights seem to stay on longer when the sun is low. I've noticed that when they are automatically on in low sun the display for the time and fuel consumption is illuminated white. At night or when you enter a dark car park or tunnel the illumination changes to red, even though the lights have been on all the time.
So doesn't this all make sense? With the low sun the interior should still be in daylight mode. But the headlights should be on to try to compensate for the low visibility you have to others when you have a low sun low sun behind you.

I think this all is a modern sign that the winter is approaching in the north...
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      10-14-2010, 03:56 PM   #15
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Pretty soon we'll start getting the threads about the low outside temperature warning.
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      10-15-2010, 07:48 AM   #16
lindros2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by raleedy View Post
Pretty soon we'll start getting the threads about the low outside temperature warning.
Dude this isn't like "it's dark outside and my lights are on" or "it's 30-degrees and the ice warning is on."

We're talking about BRIGHT SUNLIGHT as I'm driving towards or away from the sunlight.

The challenge is that you can't set (or reset) the sensitivity.

I *believe* something is "tricking" the system, which was the root of my question. "WHERE IS THE SENSOR"?

Oh, and keep the sarcasm for another thread.
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      10-15-2010, 08:09 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lindros2 View Post
We're talking about BRIGHT SUNLIGHT as I'm driving towards or away from the sunlight.

The challenge is that you can't set (or reset) the sensitivity.

I *believe* something is "tricking" the system, which was the root of my question. "WHERE IS THE SENSOR"?
I'll take this issue a bit further. I have also experienced the reverse problem. DRL are on, and go through a long underpass and the headlights don't turn on. In my Audi, the sensitivity was high so the lights would go on immediately, and turn off immediately when back in sunlight. The issue of lights being on in bright sunlight is truly odd. I experience it too, and can't figure out what logic the system is applying at any given time.
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      10-15-2010, 09:44 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Soon ExAudi Guy View Post
I'll take this issue a bit further. I have also experienced the reverse problem. DRL are on, and go through a long underpass and the headlights don't turn on. In my Audi, the sensitivity was high so the lights would go on immediately, and turn off immediately when back in sunlight. The issue of lights being on in bright sunlight is truly odd. I experience it too, and can't figure out what logic the system is applying at any given time.
The lights on in bright sunlight I think is by design as long as the sun is low. This is not for seeing but for visibility in case you have the sun from behind.
If the meeting traffic is blinded by the sun it actually help them to see you if you have head lights on.

Also I think it makes sense not to switch them on and off all the time. Can give wrong signals to ongoing traffic, and I don't think its good for xenons either. But the underpass thing is odd.
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      10-15-2010, 08:17 PM   #19
lindros2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eripers View Post
The lights on in bright sunlight I think is by design as long as the sun is low. This is not for seeing but for visibility in case you have the sun from behind.
If the meeting traffic is blinded by the sun it actually help them to see you if you have head lights on.
Not to point out the obvious, but isn't this the SOLE REASON for "Daytime Running Lights/Lamps" ?

DRL+headlights would be, IMHO, redundant or unnecessary...

Solution = turn headlights off.

===

In other news, when I go from my home garage to outside (with knob in "A" position"), it tends to "behave" better. When it's set to "Off" and I switch to "A" *AFTER* startup, it acts weird (hence my original question).
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      10-16-2010, 04:17 AM   #20
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The headlights are for real visibility and illumination needs. The DRL is for highlighting the BMW rings and satisfy regulations where DRL is mandatory.

This is of course not really necessary, the headlights is enough. But design wise the double headlights with corona rings are a vital part of the BMW design, so getting the light in this strong enough to satisfy DRL requirements is a good idea designwise imo. The rings gets a lot less distinctive if you have the headlights on in addition as you have to on E39/E60 in places wher DRL is mandatory.
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      10-16-2010, 08:20 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eripers View Post
The headlights are for real visibility and illumination needs. The DRL is for highlighting the BMW rings and satisfy regulations where DRL is mandatory.

This is of course not really necessary, the headlights is enough. But design wise the double headlights with corona rings are a vital part of the BMW design, so getting the light in this strong enough to satisfy DRL requirements is a good idea designwise imo. The rings gets a lot less distinctive if you have the headlights on in addition as you have to on E39/E60 in places wher DRL is mandatory.
In Canada, DRLs are mandatory and are satistied by the corona rings. The full power headlights do not have to be on. Most cars run headlights at half power, or LED driving lights are activated, etc. Aside from looks, the corona rings reduce use of the Xenons, which obviously increases their life dramatically.
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      10-17-2010, 01:27 AM   #22
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Yesterday I was in heavy traffic on M6 and I was fancy keeping an Eye on the Lexux just behind me. We were doing around 20 mph at some point and passing so many overhead bridges. Every time when the car (the Lexus) is under a shade of a bridge it puts its head lights On and Off soon after it out of the shadow. It was quite a normal day, but the shade of the bridge got it to work correctly.

Then I tried to see if mine was working the same way and did check the reflections on the front car, eh that didn't seem to be working the same way.

Back to the original question, where is the sensor located on F10 and why my lights don't go off in reasonable sunshine?
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