Does ANYONE Know what this is?

NYF32DRIVER · 07-28-2012, 12:36 PM

I recently had my discolored/scraped (not by me) iDrive screen replaced (under Warranty, thanks to the persistence of some great employees at BMW of Bayshore) and when I picked it up I noticed that the trim panel to the right of the iDrive screen had what looked to be a small button on it (it isn't) which was not there before. I needed to get back to work so I did not take the time to mention this to the SA. I have since seen some other 2012 models which have this. Upon doing some research on the web, I have found that other F10 owners are puzzled as well. Some cars have it, others don't and there seems to be no rhyme or reason. I thought of calling BMW NA to ask but before I do that... do any of YOU have the answer ?

Thanks.

Biogeny · 07-28-2012, 12:38 PM

I assume it's an ambient light sensor for the screen brightness

NYF32DRIVER · 07-28-2012, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biogeny

I assume it's an ambient light sensor for the screen brightness

That's what I (and others) have thought... BUT covering it up with your finger seems to make no difference. Also, why do some have it and other do not from the same production period ?

joey5622 · 07-28-2012, 12:55 PM

The dot returns! Haha honestly don't know what it's for tho..

ibimmer954 · 07-28-2012, 12:57 PM

There's a whole thread on the dot! Short answer: My car has it. Others don't.

BigKutta · 07-28-2012, 01:17 PM

BMW puts it there for customers who bug them too much and have stuff replaced. They have put in an eye (camera) so they can see what damage you are doing to the car.

No seriously, as you have seen, this is a huge mystery that only some engineer in Munich can clarify

joey5622 · 07-28-2012, 01:33 PM

I wonder if we'll ever really know what this is for haha

gatoman39 · 07-28-2012, 02:58 PM

joey5622 · 07-28-2012, 03:35 PM

so does this mean us without the dot won't be able to have this feature? i'll try to find a dark area tonight and try this out haha

BigKutta · 07-28-2012, 04:00 PM

Nice Gatoman. What does it mean for those of us without the dot? Obviously we have a sensor somewhere else, right?

gatoman39 · 07-28-2012, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigKutta

Nice Gatoman. What does it mean for those of us without the dot? Obviously we have a sensor somewhere else, right?

Those without the Dot will be forlorn. Forever living in the shadows, and destined to a life of infinite emptiness.

NYF32DRIVER · 07-28-2012, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gatoman39

This works! My mistake was trying to see if I could get it to dim in the light rather than the opposite !

Mystery solved.

Thank you for posting.

NYF32DRIVER · 07-28-2012, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gatoman39

Those without the Dot will be forlorn. Forever living in the shadows, and destined to a life of infinite emptiness.

But that's already a perfect description of my existence.

delvek · 07-29-2012, 12:53 PM

Luckily I do not have the dot, I hate being watched!

gatoman39 · 07-29-2012, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by delvek

Luckily I do not have the dot, I hate being watched!

You have what's called "Dot Envy". Symptoms include telling people you don't have the Dot and couldn't imagine living with said Dot. However, secretly in private wishing to for at least for a brief moment ride the earth with the Dot, just to see how it would feel.

delvek · 07-29-2012, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gatoman39

You have what's called "Dot Envy". Symptoms include telling people you don't have the Dot and couldn't imagine living with said Dot. However, secretly in private wishing to for at least for a brief moment ride the earth with the Dot, just to see how it would feel.

haha, nice!

Does BMW offer a help line for such secretly envious people?

ipso_facto · 07-30-2012, 03:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by delvek

haha, nice!

Does BMW offer a help line for such secretly envious people?

1-800 DOT DENIAL

vdubturbo · 07-30-2012, 07:06 AM

DOT. Urgh.

SomeRandomer123 · 07-30-2012, 11:35 AM

Interesting! Not found a dot in my F30...

GIANITALY · 08-01-2012, 09:13 PM

Interesting! Not found a dot in my 2012 M SPORT F10...

Sharbotcom · 08-04-2012, 11:17 AM

It turns out there are two moulds for the iDrive screen cowlings and one set has a defect in it - thus the DOT. It is purily random which cowlings you end up with. The QA engineers have noticed it but decided not to repair the defective mould because of all the laughs they are getting from reading these forums.

07-28-2012, 12:36 PM	#1
NYF32DRIVER Lieutenant 131 Rep 556 Posts Drives: 2016 428i X Drive Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Long Island, NY, USA iTrader: (0)	Does ANYONE Know what this is? I recently had my discolored/scraped (not by me) iDrive screen replaced (under Warranty, thanks to the persistence of some great employees at BMW of Bayshore) and when I picked it up I noticed that the trim panel to the right of the iDrive screen had what looked to be a small button on it (it isn't) which was not there before. I needed to get back to work so I did not take the time to mention this to the SA. I have since seen some other 2012 models which have this. Upon doing some research on the web, I have found that other F10 owners are puzzled as well. Some cars have it, others don't and there seems to be no rhyme or reason. I thought of calling BMW NA to ask but before I do that... do any of YOU have the answer ? Thanks. Attached Images __________________ 2016 428i X Drive. Mineral Gray Metallic. Born 2/2016, Munich Factory. Member BMW CCA Since 2008 Last edited by NYF32DRIVER; 07-28-2012 at 08:47 PM..
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07-28-2012, 12:38 PM	#2
Biogeny Private First Class 21 Rep 130 Posts Drives: F36 430i GC Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Surrey iTrader: (0)	I assume it's an ambient light sensor for the screen brightness
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07-28-2012, 12:55 PM	#4
joey5622 First Lieutenant 32 Rep 363 Posts Drives: 535xi Join Date: May 2011 Location: vancouver bc iTrader: (0)	The dot returns! Haha honestly don't know what it's for tho.. __________________ 2012 535xi Imperial Blue Oyster interior 2012 Lexus CT200h Star fire pearl Ivory interior 2008 Infiniti G35x Aspen pearl Graphite interior - you are missed my friend
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07-28-2012, 12:57 PM	#5
ibimmer954 Major 138 Rep 1,424 Posts Drives: '23 i4 M50, '15 M3, '18 911 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: San Diego, California, USA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2015 BMW M3 [9.75] 2023 BMW i4 M50 [0.00] 2018 Porsche 911 C4S [0.00] 2019 BMW X4 M40i [0.00]	There's a whole thread on the dot! Short answer: My car has it. Others don't.
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07-28-2012, 01:17 PM	#6
BigKutta Brigadier General 3895 Rep 4,046 Posts Drives: 2020 M2C, 2019 330xi, 2017 Q7 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Washington DC Burbs iTrader: (1) Garage List 2019 330xi [0.00] 2017 Audi Q7 3.0 [0.00] 2020 M2C [0.00]	BMW puts it there for customers who bug them too much and have stuff replaced. They have put in an eye (camera) so they can see what damage you are doing to the car. No seriously, as you have seen, this is a huge mystery that only some engineer in Munich can clarify
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07-28-2012, 01:33 PM	#7
joey5622 First Lieutenant 32 Rep 363 Posts Drives: 535xi Join Date: May 2011 Location: vancouver bc iTrader: (0)	I wonder if we'll ever really know what this is for haha __________________ 2012 535xi Imperial Blue Oyster interior 2012 Lexus CT200h Star fire pearl Ivory interior 2008 Infiniti G35x Aspen pearl Graphite interior - you are missed my friend
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07-28-2012, 02:58 PM	#8
gatoman39 Major 116 Rep 1,346 Posts Drives: 2011 E92 335 M-Sport Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: LA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2011 E92 335i M Sport [1.00]	__________________
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07-28-2012, 03:35 PM	#9
joey5622 First Lieutenant 32 Rep 363 Posts Drives: 535xi Join Date: May 2011 Location: vancouver bc iTrader: (0)	so does this mean us without the dot won't be able to have this feature? i'll try to find a dark area tonight and try this out haha __________________ 2012 535xi Imperial Blue Oyster interior 2012 Lexus CT200h Star fire pearl Ivory interior 2008 Infiniti G35x Aspen pearl Graphite interior - you are missed my friend
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07-28-2012, 04:00 PM	#10
BigKutta Brigadier General 3895 Rep 4,046 Posts Drives: 2020 M2C, 2019 330xi, 2017 Q7 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Washington DC Burbs iTrader: (1) Garage List 2019 330xi [0.00] 2017 Audi Q7 3.0 [0.00] 2020 M2C [0.00]	Nice Gatoman. What does it mean for those of us without the dot? Obviously we have a sensor somewhere else, right?
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07-29-2012, 12:53 PM	#14
delvek Major 32 Rep 1,134 Posts Drives: 2014 550i Msport Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Tampa, FL iTrader: (0)	Luckily I do not have the dot, I hate being watched! __________________ 2014 550i M-sport
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07-30-2012, 07:06 AM	#18
vdubturbo Second Lieutenant 42 Rep 299 Posts Drives: E90, E36, 997 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ATL iTrader: (0)	DOT. Urgh.
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07-30-2012, 11:35 AM	#19
SomeRandomer123 Colonel 303 Rep 2,612 Posts Drives: F30 328i Luxury - Sport Auto Join Date: May 2011 Location: Lancashire, North West England, UK iTrader: (0)	Interesting! Not found a dot in my F30... __________________ Gone: 2006 BMW E60 520d SE 6MT Gone: 2009 BMW E90-LCI 330d SE 6MT Current: 2012 F30 328i Luxury 8AT On Order: 2015 Audi A6 Avant Ultra, Black Edition (sorry!)
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08-01-2012, 09:13 PM	#20
GIANITALY Private First Class 38 Rep 158 Posts Drives: 2016 X6 M/MPPK Join Date: May 2012 Location: SPAIN iTrader: (0) Garage List [0.00]	Interesting! Not found a dot in my 2012 M SPORT F10... __________________ 2016 X6 M PACK/MPPK RACECHIP BLACK GTS RACECHIP XLR Last edited by GIANITALY; 08-01-2012 at 09:18 PM..
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08-04-2012, 11:17 AM	#21
Sharbotcom First Lieutenant 28 Rep 396 Posts Drives: 2011 535xi M Sport Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Sharbot Lake, Ontario iTrader: (0)	It turns out there are two moulds for the iDrive screen cowlings and one set has a defect in it - thus the DOT. It is purily random which cowlings you end up with. The QA engineers have noticed it but decided not to repair the defective mould because of all the laughs they are getting from reading these forums.
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