Auto Headlamps – Not a problem, Just curiosity

[blktoptrvl]

Originally Posted by fatboyoz

Automatic low beam switched on in bright conditions
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E39, E46, E53, E65, E66, E85, R50, R53 with rain sensor and automatic low beam control (option 521)
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Thanks, very informative.

[dkl]

Originally Posted by fatboyoz

Don't know who provides their hardware. My wife's VW Golf also has auto lights and they definitely work better than the BMW's.
Regards Colin.

It's not a hardware issue. It's the default setting for the sensor that BMW picked to ensure that it will work properly the majority of the time. They would rather have the headlights come on early than never at all - safety issue.

[jpnut]

Thanks for the auto light switch topic! I won't ever touch that switch again!

[sam48is]

I have to disagree with those who think relying on autoDL is just being lazy. I wish ALL cars had it! How many times have you seen people drive at night completely oblivious to the fact that their lights are OFF and are causing danger to themselves and others? You might not be lazy about it but many other people are.

Oh and to answer the original post, you can set the car sensor's sensitivity to light as a car-memory option at the dealer but they might charge you for it.

[TwinsPoppa]

Originally Posted by sam48is

How many times have you seen people drive at night completely oblivious to the fact that their lights are OFF and are causing danger to themselves and others? You might not be lazy about it but many other people are.

I actually believe majority of those people choose to have their lights off - really dumb! Not talking at sunset even, I mean completely dark.

[faz]

I have had my 2005 X5 (45k miles) california car for a few months now, and frankly, with variety of sensors that have gone crazy on it so far, I have almost lost all confidence in anything electrical on this car. That is why I was worried a few days ago when I noticed that in bright sunny day, driving my daughter to her daycare, that the lights are ON and do not want to turn themselves off. I said to myself... great, another sensor gone.

The direction of my travel to daycare is away from the sun. I arrived at the daycare, and parked the car facing sun (happened to), and when I returned and started the car, the lights didn't come on (auto-headlight worked.)

I did some search and found out this is a common issue (if you can call it an 'issue'). I moved to California from Canada, where all cars have daytime running lights, and frankly, I think it is safer to drive in daytime with your lights on anyway (I ride a motorcycle that has by default headlight on all the time.) Anyhow, this behavior of auto-headlights in X5 does not bother me.

I must say though... every car that I have had (including 10+ year old shitty ones to newer 2002 Mercedes) that have had auto headlight, didn't seem to suffer form this kind of problem, and could detect (very very reasonably) whether it was light out or not, and would turn on/off while passing under the bridges and such in a very acceptable manner. It seems like BMW is either trying to separate itself from others, or simply doesn't care about getting this thing right (like their many other electrical/sensor issues that I and every other person I happen to talk to who has owned a BMW complains about.) I have not noticed this behavior in my wife's 328i though... I would not be surprised if that behaved the same... I just don't drive that car enough to notice these things.

[sam48is]

I believe the sensor for the lights is where the rain sensor is (i.e. attached to the rear view mirror). I saw the dealer cover up that part of the windshield to get the xenons to turn on in day light (I had a problem with the igniters). The point is that maybe a dirty windshield lets less light through so the sensor thinks it's kinda dark although to your eyes it's bright out....?

[faz]

We are talking sunny california where you wash the car once and it stays clean for 6 months!

Joking aside, we are talking a clean car fresh off of a car wash.