What are the inner headlights for?
 

I've always assumed that the inner headlights on my X5 were for the high beams (I have the xenon lights). But the other night, I got out of my car while the high beams were on and noticed that they weren't lit up.

So...when do they turn on?

They are the daytime running lamps. They are also the flash to pass lamps.

Is this a post-facelift thing?

My inner lights are "flash to pass" and high beam (with outer lights too).

They don't light up all, though. Is there a DRL setting somewhere? Something I need to use a computer and BMW programming software to do?

I can try to have my wife hit the "flash to pass" on the control stalk while I watch. But they weren't lit up when the high beams where just turned on (control stalk flipped forward).

You might have an issue with the LCM.

They don't come on with the high beams, they are separate. Your X5 may have the daytime running lights coded off, which is not unusual for the US. They are mandatory in Canada.

Yeah, my DRLs are coded off.

Yes. Face lift headlights are bi-xenon. That means a mirror activates when high beams are chosen by pushing the stalk back, towards the dash. The mirror changes the light pattern for a longer distance.

Just as in the pre-face lift models, pulling the light stalk towards the driver- in a 'flash to pass' situation, the inner lights will activate.

Ditto PropellerHead...when you have the face lift bi xenon head lamps...the halogen inner lights only illuminate when you flash or if you pull and hold the stalk for temporary extra illumination (if you don't have the DRL feature turned on).

BTW, some of the roads home are unlit, and curve through wooded and field areas. I find the flash & hold feature illuminates the area I need to view better than the high beams when Im scouting for woodland creatures that may jump out in the roadway (deer, opossums, raccoons, etc)...especially when combined with the driving lights (that don't turn off during "flash")....again illuminating down low and off to the side of the road where these creatures usually jump out from.

The HID bulb in the bi xenon headlamps is both the low & hi beam bulb.