[timmahh]

Curious if anyone else thinks their ambient lights in the door panel are really dim. The only thing I have to compare it to is the light output in the other half's 428 (venetian beige) and my 328 loaner (oyster), both are turned up to the max via the dial next to the HL switch and in iDrive, and they are bright as hell. They VERY much stand out.

My car is black inside, and they are barely visible at night. I noticed if I turned it all the way down in iDrive and then back up really fast it actually was a bit brighter than when previously at the max, but it still pales in comparison to the other two cars.

My assumption is that my interior is black and that's why, but it still just seems super dim. I like things that light up. I am a simple person, and it makes me happy.

Does anyone else have black interior that can chime in? Whether I have it set to white/orange it pretty much dimly accents the door handle and that's it. Footwell, cup holder area all stay pretty dark.

[AstonKarim]

Yes It is dim on mine as well, I tend to keep it on the White sport setting as it's more prominent at night.

[USC2000]

After keeping my lights set at white for a year and hardly noticing them, I switched to the red/orange. Now it seems much more noticeable.

But yes, they are dim with a black interior.

[crono06]

I can confirm that the white light looks more dim than the red. I keep mind on red since it matches well with the lighting in the dash/clusters.

[tboooe]

Originally Posted by crono06

I can confirm that the white light looks more dim than the red. I keep mind on red since it matches well with the lighting in the dash/clusters.

You can change the color??? How does one do that???

[crono06]

Originally Posted by tboooe

You can change the color??? How does one do that???

It's under Vehicle Settings > Lighting > and then choose Classic for red and Sport for white.

[JTMurphy92]

Go into settings on your idrive, then its under lights I think... You can then change it from ambient to sport mode. Ambient being the reddish colour, sport being the white LED.

However, not everyone has this function...

[JTMurphy92]

Ah, It seems I am old news...!

[tboooe]

Originally Posted by JTMurphy92

Ah, It seems I am old news...!

But still appreciated!

[philiper1]

They are awful, not sure what is wrong with them as all the other ambient lights pics from other cars in the range, look way sharper! I even asked the same question when BMW UK shared a photo of the ambient lighting on the new X6 and got no replies!!!!

[JTMurphy92]

There seems to be some sort of difference between models.

When I showed one of the guys in my office mine (lights...!), he looked particularly upset that his were not as bright and I dont think he had the option to change them either...

I copy the email correspondence between my colleague and his SA:

Email to SA

"I have one question on the car index xxxxxx now xxxxx: There are LED strip down-lights in the door cards. Should these work on my specification? These’s an option in settings / lights / interior (“Interior” text is greyed out) to alter the brightness and to toggle between “classic” or “sport mode” but these’s nothing obvious in terms of a turn-on. A work colleague was demo’ing the door card lights on his newly delivered 428i M Sport coupe and they worked ok. He did specify the LED (as opposed to xenon) upgrade driving lights so maybe they’re part of that package?



If mine had to be a selected option, is it possible, for a fee, to have the lighting enabled; I guess it’s just a software thing?"

Response from SA:

"Just had the same question from another customer, since the dark nights of started, people are asking the question, the extended lighting is not standard on the 3 series M Sport, if you feel along the strip it will feel rugged, when the lighting kit is fitted it’s smooth to the touch."

[JTMurphy92]

Originally Posted by tboooe

But still appreciated!

No worries!

Oops one too many...

[philiper1]

So, you have the led strip on top of the door card, but they don't work?

[JTMurphy92]

Is that a response to me?

[philiper1]

Originally Posted by JTMurphy92

Is that a response to me?

Yes

[timmahh]

I definitely have the lights.. if I look up at the strip I see it lit up, it's just super dim.

Also I was reading the original F30 new-vehicle sales pitch stuff [in one of the main threads as a sticky], and it notes "B Pillar lightning" for both sport and luxury lines. Certainly don't have that!

[smithf80]

They suck on black interior, I can confirm that for you. They are not very noticeable on black but it all other colors it really stands out and I love the cool factor.

Well, whatever I guess.

[USC2000]

Also if I remember correctly, there are two adjustments to make them brighter. One for the ambient lighting which I set as bright as I can and the other which adjust all the lighting in the car, which I also set to max.

[philiper1]

Originally Posted by USC2000

Also if I remember correctly, there are two adjustments to make them brighter. One for the ambient lighting which I set as bright as I can and the other which adjust all the lighting in the car, which I also set to max.

Mmm interesting, didn't consider that, will try it later

[timmahh]

Originally Posted by USC2000

Also if I remember correctly, there are two adjustments to make them brighter. One for the ambient lighting which I set as bright as I can and the other which adjust all the lighting in the car, which I also set to max.

Yeah, that's when I was able to get mine a little brighter

-Set the dial by the headlight switch to max brightness
-Go into iDrive settings > Lightning, select the brightness. Turned it all the way down then gave the wheel a good spin to max and it was brighter than previously when at the max setting.

[JTMurphy92]

Originally Posted by philiper1

Yes

No no, mine work in both ambient and sport mode. It was my colleugue who was having hte difficulty. The BMW SA said something about feeling the strip to see if it was smooth to the touch or rugged.

His was rugged yet he doesn thave the option of ambient or sport. Very inconclusive but hey, thats all I can say!

[philiper1]

Originally Posted by JTMurphy92

No no, mine work in both ambient and sport mode. It was my colleugue who was having hte difficulty. The BMW SA said something about feeling the strip to see if it was smooth to the touch or rugged.

His was rugged yet he doesn thave the option of ambient or sport. Very inconclusive but hey, thats all I can say!

Thanks for the explanation