[obtix]

So I wanted to post this here before calling the dealer tomorrow. Car is still new, 500 miles on it and I noticed that the adjusting headlights will turn to the passenger side when turning the wheel (and passenger fog turn on) but when turning back toward the driver side the lights stop at the center, turning all the way will still turn on the driver side fog light.

[xDrive35i]

Originally Posted by obtix

So I wanted to post this here before calling the dealer tomorrow. Car is still new, 500 miles on it and I noticed that the adjusting headlights will turn to the passenger side when turning the wheel (and passenger fog turn on) but when turning back toward the driver side the lights stop at the center, turning all the way will still turn on the driver side fog light.

If you have xenons on a US spec car, you have the adaptive headlights with cornering lights. When the headlights are on, turning the wheel left pivots the lights left and turns on the left fog light. Turning the wheel right pivots the lights right and turns on the right fog light. Reversing with the headlights on will turn on both fog lights. If you manually turn on your fog lights, they will both remain on no matter which direction the wheels are turned.

Do not call your dealer. This is not a cause for concern, rather for your safety.

[obtix]

I don't think you understood me. Turning the wheel clockwise turns the headlights to the passenger side and turns on the passenger fog (works fine). Turning the wheel counter clockwise does NOT turn the headlights to the driver side but does turn on the fog. It's like the driver side headlight is stuck.

[xDrive35i]

Originally Posted by obtix

I don't think you understood me. Turning the wheel clockwise turns the headlights to the passenger side and turns on the passenger fog (works fine). Turning the wheel counter clockwise does NOT turn the headlights to the driver side but does turn on the fog. It's like the driver side headlight is stuck.

I know what you are talking about. It often seems like the headlights pivot less to the left than they do to the right, but it is all about driver position. The headlights are designed to pivot to a lesser degree to the left on left-hand-drive cars, and less to the right on right-hand-drive cars. If the driver's seat was placed in the middle of the car, the lights would be designed pivot to the same degree in both directions.

If you place the car in front of a white wall and turn on your headlights, notice that the right side of the beam is higher than the left side. This is the "auto-leveling" function which, in its default position, lowers the left headlight just enough to stay out of the eyes of oncoming traffic. That might be contributing to the illusion that the headlights do not pivot enough to the left.

[RxCritical]

I understand your point and noticed the same thing on my car. But my completely unscientific observation also noticed that this was with the car stopped. If I was moving I did notice more left side turning of the lights. So I think this might be intentional to prevent blinding oncoming traffic when you are stopped waiting to turn left. Drive slow (with no traffic of course) and start turning left, I think you will see your lights respond left (more so than your actual turn is).
YMMV,
Paul

[Zirenz2006]

Originally Posted by obtix

I don't think you understood me. Turning the wheel clockwise turns the headlights to the passenger side and turns on the passenger fog (works fine). Turning the wheel counter clockwise does NOT turn the headlights to the driver side but does turn on the fog. It's like the driver side headlight is stuck.

If you are stopped it is supposed to be this way so you don't blind oncoming traffic if you are pulled over to the side of the road and decided to turn your wheels to the left.

[Nahoa]

Originally Posted by RxCritical

I understand your point and noticed the same thing on my car. But my completely unscientific observation also noticed that this was with the car stopped. If I was moving I did notice more left side turning of the lights. So I think this might be intentional to prevent blinding oncoming traffic when you are stopped waiting to turn left. Drive slow (with no traffic of course) and start turning left, I think you will see your lights respond left (more so than your actual turn is).
YMMV,
Paul

+1

[cadman50]

Originally Posted by juddholland

If you have xenons on a US spec car, you have the adaptive headlights with cornering lights. When the headlights are on, turning the wheel left pivots the lights left and turns on the left fog light. Turning the wheel right pivots the lights right and turns on the right fog light. Reversing with the headlights on will turn on both fog lights. If you manually turn on your fog lights, they will both remain on no matter which direction the wheels are turned.

Do not call your dealer. This is not a cause for concern, rather for your safety.

Let me get this straight. If your foglights are off and you turn your wheel in either direction, the foglight in that direction turns on? So when you straighten the wheel the foglight turns off.... right? So there must be a threshold for how far you have to turn the wheel in either direction otherwise the foglights will be turning on and off like crazy because you are always turning the wheel. Roads are not that straight (at least around here).

[obtix]

I've been away from the car for a day. I'll test more tonight. My original tests were at a standstill against a shiny metal dumpster. I'll need to try it moving.

Originally Posted by cadman50

Let me get this straight. If your foglights are off and you turn your wheel in either direction, the foglight in that direction turns on? So when you straighten the wheel the foglight turns off.... right? So there must be a threshold for how far you have to turn the wheel in either direction otherwise the foglights will be turning on and off like crazy because you are always turning the wheel. Roads are not that straight (at least around here).

It looks like the fog lights are dimable and get brighter the harder I turn but it's hard to tell. I'm not 100% sure of the threshold but I think the wheel needs to be turned pretty hard and only at certain speeds?

I also noticed that the fog lights turn on when the parking system engages. I don't don't my fog lights on 24/7 like most people, it's annoying to other drivers and just turn them on when conditions need them. I kind of like how the car doesn't remember to turn them back on.

[xDrive35i]

Originally Posted by obtix

I've been away from the car for a day. I'll test more tonight. My original tests were at a standstill against a shiny metal dumpster. I'll need to try it moving.

It looks like the fog lights are dimable and get brighter the harder I turn but it's hard to tell. I'm not 100% sure of the threshold but I think the wheel needs to be turned pretty hard and only at certain speeds?

I also noticed that the fog lights turn on when the parking system engages. I don't don't my fog lights on 24/7 like most people, it's annoying to other drivers and just turn them on when conditions need them. I kind of like how the car doesn't remember to turn them back on.

The foglights do not dim. They illuminate on at 1/4 turn in either direction, respectively.

Pressing the foglight button on the headlamp control panel overrides the on and off tendency of the foglights, because they're already on.

All xenon equipped BMWs (regional discrepancies aside) have some form of active corner illumination; SAVs use foglights and the rest use the inner bulb of the headlamp cluster. On the X3, the inner bulb is a dummy and does nothing. All of the outer bulbs of xenon equipped BMWs are, well, xenons, and all of those xenon bulbs pivot with respect to the direction of the wheel. The pivoting motor behind the xenon bulb is more sensitive to steering input than the foglights. The foglights only turn on as cornering lights to alert you of the ill-lit corner that may be hiding a pedestrian or an animal or debris.

Note that active corner illumination is only functional when the headlights are switched ON or when activated in auto mode.

[cadman50]

Originally Posted by juddholland

The foglights do not dim. They illuminate on at 1/4 turn in either direction, respectively.

Pressing the foglight button on the headlamp control panel overrides the on and off tendency of the foglights, because they're already on.

All xenon equipped BMWs (regional discrepancies aside) have some form of active corner illumination; SAVs use foglights and the rest use the inner bulb of the headlamp cluster. On the X3, the inner bulb is a dummy and does nothing. All of the outer bulbs of xenon equipped BMWs are, well, xenons, and all of those xenon bulbs pivot with respect to the direction of the wheel. The pivoting motor behind the xenon bulb is more sensitive to steering input than the foglights. The foglights only turn on as cornering lights to alert you of the ill-lit corner that may be hiding a pedestrian or an animal or debris.

Note that active corner illumination is only functional when the headlights are switched ON or when activated in auto mode.

I was thinking of driving a curvy country road and wondering if everytime I moved the wheel the foglights would come on....sort of like a police cruiser with flashing foglights if the road was really curvy. I don't usually use the auto function with my FX but maybe the X3 has better sensors. So if I don't use the auto function, it seems like that disables the fog cornering lights only....right? Not the turning of the Xenon's. I've never noticed that active illumination on BMW's before but I'll have to pay more attention to it now.

[xDrive35i]

Originally Posted by cadman50

I was thinking of driving a curvy country road and wondering if everytime I moved the wheel the foglights would come on....sort of like a police cruiser with flashing foglights if the road was really curvy. I don't usually use the auto function with my FX but maybe the X3 has better sensors. So if I don't use the auto function, it seems like that disables the fog cornering lights only....right? Not the turning of the Xenon's. I've never noticed that active illumination on BMW's before but I'll have to pay more attention to it now.

Whenever the headlights are on, the active illumination is, well, active. So that means in AUTO when it's dark enough for the headlights to be on and in the ON position. There's no switch to turn on or turn off the articulating and auto self-leveling function, nor is there such a switch to turn off the foglight corner illumination. There is an option on the X3 for auto high beams, but the auto leveling happens regardless of checking this option.

[jk]

according the manual, on the '12 x3 35i the adaptive function of the headlights only occurs on the auto headlight setting, not when you manually turn to "on". [p.82 of the manual]