[StevenT]

I have a 330xi. Up until a week ago, if I turned my car off while the headlights were still on (in normal "on" mode, not auto mode), the lights would remain on and the car would chime/buzz to indicate that the lights were still on. Every other car I've owned has worked this same way.

Last week I took my car in to the dealer because my BMW assist has never worked (doesn't transmit any car data). They obviously ran a bunch of computer diagnostics and I think tried to reprogram the computer (and still were unsuccessful in fixing the assist problem, but I digress).

Since they worked on my car, the operating behavior of my headlights has changed. If I leave the headlights in normal "on" mode and turn off the car, the headlights also go off. No more chime or warning to indicate that the headlights are still on (because they aren't).

So now if I leave my headlights in the normal "on" mode (not auto mode), they turn on and off with the car. Thus, they are effectively functioning as daytime running lights (note: I have iDrive in my car, but do not have daytime running lights activated). Of course, this also means that it is impossible to turn the headlights on when the car is not on.

Two questions:
1) Could this new operating behavior possibly be normal and the result of new software? The dealer had no idea and are supposed to be looking into it.
2) If not normal behavior, would you want to correct it? I admittedly like how they function now. It's dark most of the time in SW Michigan during the winter (usually overcast most days), and people tend to drive with their headlights on most of the time. I was previously using the lights in auto mode, but even when placed in "sensitive" mode, experienced some times where the lights would remain off even though I would have liked them to be on.

Any and all comments/insight appreciated.

[06graphite]

If you like the behavior, I'd say leave it be.

How do you place the lights in "sensitive" mode? Is that an iDrive thing?

[StevenT]

Yes, iDrive allows you to adjust the sensitivity of the auto-on headlights (3 sensitivity levels).

[Broken1]

I remember a family members old 330i (e46) did this. It was a dealer setting thing!! I think it's quite cool...it allows you to leave your lights on permanently,without having to worry to turn them on/off and gives you versatility. If you needs your lights on when the car is off, there is always accessory mode or the follow me home lights (where you flash the brights and they stay on for 45seconds)

I would leave it :-)

[Bimmerista]

If you like it-keep it.

Sounds like your headlights off feature is now the same as on Auto mode.

[saalim]

My car is a Sep.'05 production and the headlights turn off [when in manual on mode] when I switch off the car. I think I prefer this behavior. Just one less thing to worry about.

[timzerofive]

I was hoping this would be possible as I've left the light on several times on manual mode. Especially if you just have parking lights on, sometimes you might forget. Once I sat in a restaurant eating and admiring my car out the window, then after about 20 min of staring, I realized, hey is my light on?

[dude007]

Hey, you can use angel eyes instead of DRL and don't have to worry about switching them off when you park.

[espo]

My 330xi has done the same thing since day 1. If yours didn't I wonder if there is in fact an option someplace in the menu structure that sets this functionality.

[NPinUK]

My cars a November production picked it up 1st december. I can tell you that my cars headlights switch off when I exit the car instead of that stupid beeping sound when i leave them on. I think BMW must have updated this, does't sound like a fault to me. Any way I like it! The car is just Amazing!

[StevenT]

Thanks for the replies. This "new" feature must be the result of a software update that the dealer apparently did when they were trying to fix my BMW assist problem.

[Driv3r]

does anyone know how long it would take for the angel eyes to drain the battery? i always end up leaving it on

[Tova]

What would be really nifty fot the NA models is the ability to do angel eyes only, without the parking lights having to be on (like the Euro models). Now that's a software change I'd like to see. Unfortunately, I don't think it complies to regulations here in the States.

[Dgunsuh]

That's what my car does, I just got mine 3 weeks ago and there is no chime when I leave the lights on in "on" mode and shut the car off, the lights turn off.

[rebelfocus]

I got my car 2 weeks ago and...

- the lights turn of automatically only in Auto mode
- in manual on position, when you exit the car you get a beep and a warning in the display

The lights are adaptive xenons, I have comfort access and do not have iDrive.