Inner Headlights, always off!

[rori zahr]

Hi,

I'm a new 1 series coupé owner "125i Europe" my car got Bi-xenon headlights, no adaptive HL system.
I noticed that the inner lights never comes on. some in this forum pointed out that they turn on when in reverse or when cornering, not mine. There's a bulb in there though!!!
any idea?

[imdanomite]

day time running light? try accessing your car/key memory option and enable it.

[warmtoes]

The inner light does come on briefly when you signal left or right.

[j8smith]

Mine are the same, Bi-xenon without adaptive cornering lights. The inner projectors on mine don't light up either, I believe the bulb you see is the one for the halo rings.

[imdanomite]

^^shit, you're right. i forgot about that.

[rori zahr]

I don't think the inner headlight bulb has anything to do with the Halo lights "daylight"
they are 2 different light systems. I still can't believe they are there, loaded with a bulb just like their outer brothers and yet they do not turn on!!! I have Daylight active, they look great.

[warmtoes]

Read my post above. They do turn on when you signal left or right.

[AtomiK]

OP, just curious as to why you made two threads on this.

Other thread:
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=226228

[j8smith]

Originally Posted by warmtoes

Read my post above. They do turn on when you signal left or right.

warmtoes, the original poster was asking about the non-adaptive system available on the 125/128 which is different than the adaptive system on the 135i . The non-adaptive xenon system doesn't have the H3 cornering light. the only light bulbs in the headlamp housing are the turn signal, the xenon high/low and the H8 halo bulb.

rori zahr,

The H8 bulb sits directly behind the clear lens of the inner lamp, but it does not light it as there is no reflector in there. The H8 bulb you see though the lens is on whenever the parking/daytime/halo lights are on. The H8 bulb has a painted tip and emits light 360 degrees radially. If used as a headlamp this requires a reflector to focus the light forward and out through the headlamp. Instead there are light tubes around the H8 that transfer the light into the halo rings. The light tubes are like fiber optic cables; clear plastic rods that are used to carry light. If you take the back cover off the headlamp, you can see them.

Anyway, the point being the inner lamp on the NON-adaptive xenon headlamps is only cosmetic and doesn't light up.

[warmtoes]

Got it. I didn't even know the 1 came without adaptive headlights.

[m7ammed]

Originally Posted by j8smith

warmtoes, the original poster was asking about the non-adaptive system available on the 125/128 which is different than the adaptive system on the 135i . The non-adaptive xenon system doesn't have the H3 cornering light. the only light bulbs in the headlamp housing are the turn signal, the xenon high/low and the H8 halo bulb.

rori zahr,

The H8 bulb sits directly behind the clear lens of the inner lamp, but it does not light it as there is no reflector in there. The H8 bulb you see though the lens is on whenever the parking/daytime/halo lights are on. The H8 bulb has a painted tip and emits light 360 degrees radially. If used as a headlamp this requires a reflector to focus the light forward and out through the headlamp. Instead there are light tubes around the H8 that transfer the light into the halo rings. The light tubes are like fiber optic cables; clear plastic rods that are used to carry light. If you take the back cover off the headlamp, you can see them.

Anyway, the point being the inner lamp on the NON-adaptive xenon headlamps is only cosmetic and doesn't light up.

Can you point out which bulb your talking about in the picture?

[rori zahr]

Thanks J8 for such a perfect explanation, Now I got it.

[m7ammed]

doesn't that light light up when you used the high beam?

[MOCKBA]

Is the pic without adaptive headlights? Mine look different.

[rori zahr]

No, High beam use the same outer headlight enclosure. it seems that in non adaptice headlight system, the inner bulb is there as a light source for the corona.

[Thud]

Originally Posted by warmtoes

Read my post above. They do turn on when you signal left or right.

They also come on when you're turning (regardless of signal). Actually only one will light up at a time though.

[UmpChap]

Originally Posted by j8smith

Anyway, the point being the inner lamp on the NON-adaptive xenon headlamps is only cosmetic and doesn't light up.

I think this lamp lights only when you use the flasher -- the turn signal lever pulled toward you.

[m7ammed]

Originally Posted by UmpChap

I think this lamp lights only when you use the flasher -- the turn signal lever pulled toward you.

Yup thats what I meant when I said high beam I was talking about the flasher. Like when you flash somebody with the lights

[UmpChap]

Originally Posted by adood84

Yup thats what I meant when I said high beam I was talking about the flasher. Like when you flash somebody with the lights

Only one problem -- they don't do that! Last night in traffic, I was stopped close to the guy in front so I could see the reflection and tried the high beams (turn signal pulled toward me, not pushed away). High beams came on but not from the inner set of lamps.

My E46 330Ci inner set of lamps did flash but the 135 does not. Seems the inner set on the 1 series is decorative -- halos and little else. Don't know about the adaptive lights. I don't have that feature.

[m7ammed]

Originally Posted by UmpChap

Only one problem -- they don't do that! Last night in traffic, I was stopped close to the guy in front so I could see the reflection and tried the high beams (turn signal pulled toward me, not pushed away). High beams came on but not from the inner set of lamps.

My E46 330Ci inner set of lamps did flash but the 135 does not. Seems the inner set on the 1 series is decorative -- halos and little else. Don't know about the adaptive lights. I don't have that feature.

So if you flash someone when the Xenon lights are off they will come on and then go back off? doesn't that wear them more and make them more pron to failure?