We should start a "What's this light?" sticky

Because there are a fair number of service lights that aren't in the manual (at least, they're not in mine), and it's a pain to go digging though the multiple posts looking for what one means (unless you're willing to ask and put up with the "Google is your friend" posts ).


I'm happy to throw in a couple of mine that are currently on and not in the manual.



From Left -> Right above
State inspection / roadworthyness / emissions check due (based on time since last one)
Brake fluid replacement due (based on time since last change)
Estimated miles to front brake replacement
Estimated miles to rear brake replacement




And one that's in my manual, but not with the real explanation


Miles until 30,000 mile inspection due



Images from others:


Sunroof anti-trap inactive (hold sunroof button "Up" until roof runs through full range of motion to reset) [via Zeichen]





Edit: If we want, I'll keep adding in as people post

I'd volunteer the snowflake but being southerly, I probably won't see it again before you do.

This one crops up now and again but is easy to (attempt to) fix on one's own before visiting the dealer (forgive the image quality--not my photo):

It means the sunroof anti-trap function has been deactivated. In most cases this easily corrected by re-initializing the sunroof as described here and here (short version: press the center of the sunroof button [vent position] and hold for 30 seconds).

Couldn't we just post the manual.

(Or the relevant pages from the manual that show the lights.)

Originally Posted by cwinter

Couldn't we just post the manual.

(Or the relevant pages from the manual that show the lights.)

As I said in my first post, the first 4 images that I show aren't in my manual.

Originally Posted by Zooks527

As I said in my first post, the first 4 images that I show aren't in my manual.

Interesting, are you using the paper provided manual? I just looked through the downloaded PDF for my model (2009 3-series, no iDrive) and found all the lamps.

I think the confusion comes in when separating the service lights from the indicator lights. Some of the pictures you posted are on the the "Indicator Lamps" section towards the back of the manual, while others are under "Settings and Information --> Service Requirements" towards the front. In the PDF, the indicator lamps with general service warnings refer to the Service Requirements section. Since you can click on it, it makes it quite easy to find the PDF.

Originally Posted by cwinter

Interesting, are you using the paper provided manual? I just looked through the downloaded PDF for my model (2009 3-series, no iDrive) and found all the lamps.

I think the confusion comes in when separating the service lights from the indicator lights. Some of the pictures you posted are on the the "Indicator Lamps" section towards the back of the manual, while others are under "Settings and Information --> Service Requirements" towards the front. In the PDF, the indicator lamps with general service warnings refer to the Service Requirements section. Since you can click on it, it makes it quite easy to find the PDF.

I've got the same downloaded manual you have. Spent 10 minutes looking through it this morning for the "roadworthiness" icon and never found it. Looking where you point, yup, there they are.

I will, however, challenge you to find a description of what the car-on-lift means. Even where you pointed, it's just denoted as "service requirements". If you didn't have a heads up that it was the 30k inspection, where could you find out what it wants you to do, net of a visit to the dealer? Similarly, the "roadworthiness" test ends up being used by dealers to remind you that a state inspection is due, but I can't find that in the manual either.

Originally Posted by Zooks527

I've got the same downloaded manual you have. Spent 10 minutes looking through it this morning for the "roadworthiness" icon and never found it. Looking where you point, yup, there they are.

I will, however, challenge you to find a description of what the car-on-lift means. Even where you pointed, it's just denoted as "service requirements". If you didn't have a heads up that it was the 30k inspection, where could you find out what it wants you to do, net of a visit to the dealer? Similarly, the "roadworthiness" test ends up being used by dealers to remind you that a state inspection is due, but I can't find that in the manual either.

First off, I just wanted to say I was mostly joking about just posting the manual, clearly people come here regularly wondering about certain lamps and a sticky is useful.

That being said, I recall seeing a lot of explanations about car on lift in the indicator lamps section. In most cases, it was paired with other warning lamps indicating specific service needs. There were a lot of cases though, so clearly this can get confusing quickly. BMW's answer is likely: Just take it to the dealership and they'll make it go away.

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SOLID