Xoutpost.com - Learning by your mistakes

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I think there is another problem (like with the phone) that caused the battery to be low and so drained down very quickly. The lights may well have turned themselves off but it was a very sunny day so I just didnt notice at all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by motordavid

Hmmm...last week when I parked in our golf club p lot, I inadvertently failed to firmly close the upper rear hatch; it was very windy that day and when I came back to the X, 4 hrs later, to discover the rear hatch up/open. Oh, Crap, I thought. But, the upper rear hatch white lights were not "on", and when I sheepishly turned the key, it fired right up. Dunno...

I am still confused if those specific lights "stay on" indefinitely, but mine were off and the 4 1/4 yr old orig batt. worked fine. I would think your "30 mins" deal should not have fried the battery.
BR,md

I think this is just another one of those inconsistent "feature" with BMW...just like the "Parking" LED always staying On in some, but not in others.

I agree with MD that the interior lights will shut off after about 20minutes if any doors (tailgate/hatch included) are left opened...at least on mine, it does that. By the way...my "P" LED also shuts off after 20min :)

Thirty minutes will not kill a viable battery and the X5's computer will turn off the lights after about 15-20 minutes.

Additionally, by pressing the main interior lighting switch while the interior lights are on, and HOLDING IT pressed in for an approximate 3 seconds, all of the interior lights (except the hatch lights) are permanently turned off (regardless of engine starts), until such time as you again press the main switch to turn them on (this is in the manual).

I personally leave mine turned off as they are not needed in the daytime (why waste the bulbs or drain the battery). I also don't usually need them at night since I am familiar with the X5, but do turn them on when others are in the X5.