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Auto headlights staying on early morning/evenings

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Old Oct 12, 2007 | 07:39 AM
  #1  
JStraw's Avatar
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From: Chicagoland (US)
My Ride: 2005 545i with Sport Pkg, Nav, HUD, Cold Weather Pkg, Rear Shades
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I always keep my headlights on "Auto". Seems like lately (or mayby I am just noticing it), my xenons stay on when there is sunlight in the early morning around 7:00am. Those from Chicaga Area will know how much sunlight there is at that time of the day, it definately is not dark, but the light is a little bit yellow. The same happens in the evening around 5:00pm too when it is quite sunny outside. Granted, it is that time of the year when the sun is lower in the sky, therefore not as bright as summer time.

When I mentioned this to my SA, he checked with the BMW Tech rep who indicated that the auto headlights are not just based on light intensity, but also based on colorization of the light. This is why they come on early in the morning, and in the evening.

I didn't know that colorization played a role here. Can anybody confirm this??

Also, is there an adjustment for sensitivity on the headlights??
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Old Oct 12, 2007 | 07:46 AM
  #2  
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From: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Don't know about colourization, but Rudy posted a great explanation in a similar question I had here:
http://forums.e60.net/index.php?showtopic=38693&hl= (Click on the link to post #4 in this thread).

That said, my auto lights have been acting even more erratic than they were during that thread - much like yours are now. See my description of the current situation at http://forums.e60.net/index.php?showtopic=44432&hl=

The car is going in at the end of the month for a service, plus a list og niggles I want them to look at, and this is one of them. Some more information may come back from BrummyGit in this thread too: http://forums.e60.net/index.php?showtopic=45905
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Old Oct 12, 2007 | 07:50 AM
  #3  
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My Ride: '04 545iS 6 spd, bought new via eBay, 11/05; Blk/Gry, Cold, L7, PDC, BMW Rear seatcover for pets. First "Bumwa" was a new 1971 2002. High performance 5s since 1987. Beamer motorcycles too, currently on an 07 BMW K1200 GT; also a Moto Guzzi 1000 SP III.
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Originally Posted by JStraw' post='480668' date='Oct 12 2007, 11:39 AM
I always keep my headlights on "Auto". Seems like lately (or mayby I am just noticing it), my xenons stay on when there is sunlight in the early morning around 7:00am. Those from Chicaga Area will know how much sunlight there is at that time of the day, it definately is not dark, but the light is a little bit yellow. The same happens in the evening around 5:00pm too when it is quite sunny outside. Granted, it is that time of the year when the sun is lower in the sky, therefore not as bright as summer time.

When I mentioned this to my SA, he checked with the BMW Tech rep who indicated that the auto headlights are not just based on light intensity, but also based on colorization of the light. This is why they come on early in the morning, and in the evening.

I didn't know that colorization played a role here. Can anybody confirm this??

Also, is there an adjustment for sensitivity on the headlights??
This was long ago discussed and I can't recall details, but it seems as though the sensor measures infrared or something and reacts.

Almost counter-intuitively, the early models needed to have the sensor turned UP so that it was more sensitive to remaining rays of light and kept the lights OFF longer.

Bottomline is that fall is upon us and the sun's angle is sinking rapidly and they will operate more often.
Ray
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Old Oct 12, 2007 | 07:55 AM
  #4  
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Originally Posted by MacSid' post='480674' date='Oct 12 2007, 10:46 AM
That said, my auto lights have been acting even more erratic than they were during that thread - much like yours are now. See my description of the current situation at http://forums.e60.net/index.php?showtopic=44432&hl=
I think this whole global warming thing has something to do with it...
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Old Oct 12, 2007 | 08:01 AM
  #5  
JStraw's Avatar
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From: Chicagoland (US)
My Ride: 2005 545i with Sport Pkg, Nav, HUD, Cold Weather Pkg, Rear Shades
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Originally Posted by Ray Hull' post='480675' date='Oct 12 2007, 10:50 AM
This was long ago discussed and I can't recall details, but it seems as though the sensor measures infrared or something and reacts.

Almost counter-intuitively, the early models needed to have the sensor turned UP so that it was more sensitive to remaining rays of light and kept the lights OFF longer.

Bottomline is that fall is upon us and the sun's angle is sinking rapidly and they will operate more often.
Ray

Thanks Ray... Just read the other posts on this issue. Don't know how I missed it.
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