Inner Two Headlights ??

OK,
We have s 2012 X5 and under the category of no dumb questions; how do I turn on the inner headlights?

I have tried all of the settings on the switch and have read through the owners manual and can not find a reference to these lights. Are they part of a special option or package?

Appreciate any hints.

Thanks,
Gary

The inner lights are non functional. Only the outer lights function. They contain both the low and high beams.

They aren't real headlights

Thanks Yardbird.
It does beg the question as to why are they there if not functional.
Just curious.

Gary

Originally Posted by Luscombe1940

Thanks Yardbird.
It does beg the question as to why are they there if not functional.
Just curious.

Gary

Packaging, And costs. BMW like any mfg, tends to evolve the packaging of cars. Every year they get smaller, more efficient. This is the case with the headlights.

I would think that is also an historical styling element. BMW's traditionally (at least in the past few decades) had two headlights per side. The kidney grills and hofmeister (sp) kink are other styling elements.

Originally Posted by NoI4plz

Packaging, And costs. BMW like any mfg, tends to evolve the packaging of cars. Every year they get smaller, more efficient. This is the case with the headlights.

I'm not sure because I bet back in 2007 when the E70 came out, the LCI was already finalized and ready to go. Actually, I bet the LCI of the next gen X5 is already ready to go

I think they come on when you put the car into reverse. They aren't high/low beams because both are a one-piece unit in the main Bi-Xenon lamp.

I know in my e60 the inner lights come on when turning to light up the road in the direction you are turning. Is that not the case on these cars?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Bimmer App

Originally Posted by Wreckless

I know in my e60 the inner lights come on when turning to light up the road in the direction you are turning. Is that not the case on these cars?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Bimmer App

No. In the post-LCI E70, the fog lights serve that purpose.

They are not headlights, at least in the US.

In countries where halogens are standard and Xenons are an option, the inner "lights" are the high beams (what you are no doubt expecting).

In the early iterations of Xenons, the bulbs took a while to warm up to operating temps, and their lifespan was shortened dramatically by using them as "flash-to-pass" high beams. So the inner lights were halogen high beams, and used solely for the flash to pass role. The current bi-xenons don't have this issue, so they are used for low, high and flash-to-pass.

IIRC, the pre-LCI E70 used the inner lights for DRL's. The angel eye halos now serve that purpose. And the inner lights were also the cornering lights, but that function is now served by the fogs. (It's been 2 years since we said good-bye to our 2008, so my memory may be faulty on those two roles).

The bottom line: The inner lights on your 2012 are much like male nipples. An interesting indicator of the evolutionary past, but pretty darn useless today.

The bottom line: The inner lights on your 2012 are much like male nipples. An interesting indicator of the evolutionary past, but pretty darn useless today.[/QUOTE]


Well, I like this answer the best.

I will twst the lights in reverse and see what happens.
We do have the adaptive head lights that turn when the car turns but I do not know if they are the outers or inners. I'll see if I can cipher that out this weekend

Thanks for the coments.
Gary

Originally Posted by quackbury

They are not headlights, at least in the US.

In countries where halogens are standard and Xenons are an option, the inner "lights" are the high beams (what you are no doubt expecting).

In the early iterations of Xenons, the bulbs took a while to warm up to operating temps, and their lifespan was shortened dramatically by using them as "flash-to-pass" high beams. So the inner lights were halogen high beams, and used solely for the flash to pass role. The current bi-xenons don't have this issue, so they are used for low, high and flash-to-pass.

IIRC, the pre-LCI E70 used the inner lights for DRL's. The angel eye halos now serve that purpose. And the inner lights were also the cornering lights, but that function is now served by the fogs. (It's been 2 years since we said good-bye to our 2008, so my memory may be faulty on those two roles).

The bottom line: The inner lights on your 2012 are much like male nipples. An interesting indicator of the evolutionary past, but pretty darn useless today.

This is the best write up on the thing I have seen, especially the male nipples part
I myself asked that question as soon as got the car. And I do have mixed feelings about it - on one hand if it is not used, then it should be removed. But then it will not look like a bmw - their style works so well with the double lights that it is hard to imagine a bmw without it. I like the way it looks. Bart Simpson's paradox?