Question about mystery BMW headlights

"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg) 02/11/2016 at 10:37 • Filed to: None

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This is the headlight on our X3. This headlight setup has quite a few functions. When it is “off” you have the LED “angel eye” running lights, a favorite detail of mine. You have turn signals. You have fog lights below the headlights, which also come on during cornering or when the turn signals are activated. Then, you have the headlights themselves. The outside bulb, which I have circled in blue, serves as the normal headlights. It is also an adaptive headlight, so it swivels as you turn and goes up and down as you crest hills and big bumps. The high-beams are simply a brighter setting on that same bulb. It’s not uncommon on cars with HIDs to have the high-beams be another setting on the existing lights. But here’s the weird bit: unlike most HID cars, the X3 still has an inside set of bulbs, which I circled in red. On a normal car, this is the high-beam bulb. On the X3, I cannot seem to do anything to get this inside bulb to activate. As far as I can tell it’s not even a bulb, but a glass bulb lookalike to give the angel eyes something to wrap around. Tell me, Oppo, what do these mysterious lights do and how are they activated?

ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 02/11/2016 at 10:42

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**Circled in red.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper 02/11/2016 at 10:44

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Yeah, fixed.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 02/11/2016 at 10:47

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According to this diagram, there isn’t anything in there...

The Halogen ones use that an the high beam but it’s a false housing on the xenons. Just BMW doing their classic dual circle headlights even when they don’t need them..

Leadbull > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 02/11/2016 at 10:51

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Haha, you walked right BMW’s trap!

Matt Nichelson > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 02/11/2016 at 11:03

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On my 328, that is where the cornering lights are housed. Not sure why BMW decided to use the fogs for this function and leave that housing empty.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Leadbull 02/11/2016 at 11:03

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Oh?

TheNeonDriver - Now with More BMW! > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 02/11/2016 at 11:11

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I feel like these are my DRL on my 3 series... I may be wrong, I will check it out tonight...

ArmadaExpress drives a turbo outback > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 02/11/2016 at 12:10

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In the E60 5-series, the 2009+ models had a reflector in there that illuminated when you used your turn signal and were actively turning. The idea was to help illuminate the near corner you were turning into. The headlights were also actively steered.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > ArmadaExpress drives a turbo outback 02/11/2016 at 13:16

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Like I said, I know that the headlights (outer beam) swivel in corners, and the fog lights come on as cornering lights if they aren’t already on. I’ve had someone put the car in drive and turn the wheel while I stand in front of it, and there’s still nothing from those inside beams.

ArmadaExpress drives a turbo outback > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 02/12/2016 at 13:15

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Im saying for my 535 those inside lights activated with the turn signals. You’re car might not do anything. I’d check the BMW Forums.

GE90man > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 02/12/2016 at 20:07

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I may be wrong but in the faceligted verison of the x3, the interior bulbs are actually high beams along with the low beams which are bi function