Can I adjust when my headlights come on while in Auto mode?

[Spinner99 55]

Hello

Does anyone know if it's possible to adjust, re callibrate or whatever the automatic headlight system?  It's for my 2006 130i, I feel like the lights come on way too early in the day when in auto mode.  e.g. today about 3pm I was driving in the sun and they were off, but once I got into a shadow a hill had created they came on.  

I've taken a quick look in INPA and I can see the light meter changes it's reading if i stick something over it (paper, hand etc) but I don't really know what spec would be or how to test it more accurately.

TIA

 

[M3AN 4016]

Yes, you can recalibrate the light sensor (and the rain sensor FWIW) using ISTA+, I'm not sure about other software though.

BMW will be able to do it for you of course but I'm sure they'll want you to bend over for that.

 

[Spinner99 55]

Thank you!

I had a play today and did the rain/light sensor initialisation procedure in "Service Functions" - was that what you were thinking of?

I should have googled before I asked (my bad) but I also found this page https://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=571480 so I've enabled the options in the BC menu to adjust the auto headlight sensitivity but I haven't changed it.  It's currently set on 2/3 so I'll turn that down if I find the initialisation hasn't done the trick.

Cheers

Jon

[M3AN 4016]

I think that's the one I used, did it advise you to clean the windscreen and ensure it was dry and you were out of direct sunlight? I think that's the procedure I followed but I can't remember precisely sorry.

I wasn't aware of the BC menu option, I might look into that one also.

I do know that recalibrating (perhaps it was "initialising") my rain sensor worked wonders for my wonky intermittent wipers!

[Spinner99 55]

Yeah that's it!  it wasn't quite the 15 -25 degrees outside it wanted but hopefully it was close enough  

 

[Spinner99 55]

An update from me - the initialisation of the light & rain sensor made my auto wipers much better thank you @M3AN ! I gave them a test on Saturday when it was lightly raining in the 04 and they were much more responsive to moisture on the windscreen.  In the past I've had to bump the wipe stick down to get the car to wipe the windscreen sometimes as it's taking far too long, but on Saturday it was Johnny on the spot.

I *think* the auto headlights are working better (not on as much during the day) - but I might take a bit more convincing.  I noticed that after adding those options to the BC menu they also appear in the iDrive in the "Light" menu (the same one with the triple turn signal setting and the home lights setting).  Its called "Auto Light Control" and the options are "Slow, Normal and Sensitive" which isn't quite what I expected and I've wondered if this setting is more about how quickly the lights turn on/off when transitioning from lighter to darker places rather than the lux level required to turn the lights on or off? e.g. maybe if the lux gets below xxx it waits a few seconds longer on "Slow" than "Normal" before turning the lights on?

Today I was sitting in traffic about 3:45pm and the lights were on.  They had been off for most of my drive. It was overcast but not raining and not what I would consider anywhere near dusk.  I changed the setting to "Slow" while waiting for the traffic lights to change but the headlights didn't turn off, but did a few minutes later. Will see how it goes.

[M3AN 4016]

Glad to hear at least something improved, keep us posted with the headlights, to be honest they're not something I've ever worried about, as long as they're on when I need them.

Heading down to the 04 myself tomorrow at sparrow's fart actually, we've had shitty weather up in the 09 but I'm not looking forward to the chill!!!