[Potatohead-M2]

Hi guys,

Apologies if this is a noob question but I have searched all over with no resolution.

Just picked up a 2021 X3M Comp a few days ago. Tonight I noticed the high beam assist will not turn on at all, I can’t even get the green light on the dash to come on. The BC button on the stalk works fine, and the headlight switch is in the auto “12 o’clock” position. The manual high beams work fine as well, and I don’t see a setting for the auto high beam in IDrive either.

Any ideas? I am in Canada if that matters.


Thanks

[thestimp]

IF its dark out and your headlights are on, the button ABOVE the BC is the auto headlights. It will only activate if its dark enough to work. You have to enable anti-dazzle for it to be in on in lighter conditions. If its not turning on at all and its dark out (no street lights/city lit environment) then thats a whole difference problem...

[Potatohead-M2]

Above the BC? I only have the BC and high beam assist buttons on the stalk and the BC is on the top? Pressing the button does absolutely nothing. I can't figure it out, unless the previous owner coded it out or something but I have no idea why someone would do that.

[Qsilver7]

If you have the two buttons built into the turn indicator stalk…as you wrote in your post above, when you press the LOWER button in…it should activate HBA and the green icon should appear in your instrument cluster’s display.

If ambient lighting is too bright…then only the green light will be illuminated…and if traffic or location is correct for your high beams to be turned on…they will illuminate, then the BLUE icon will illuminate in your cluster’s display.

If you are in low light areas, your headlight switch in in the Auto position, and there’ no oncoming or cross traffic…again, the green icon should illuminate if you’ve activated HBA…and the high beams should turn on if the situation allows for them (speed/ambient lighting/traffic/etc).

Does the HBA option code appear on your decoded VIN build sheet? Or do you have the original MSRP label that lists all your options?

If you’ve never decoded your VIN…here’s a site (free)…just paste or type your 17 digit VIN: www.mdecoder.com

[Potatohead-M2]

The vehicle I believe has virtually every option, even down to all the carbon exterior bits and strut brace and ionizer and scents and what not. It also does have the HBA logo on the stalk.

Here's what the VIN decoder says... I suppose this could have been something omitted because of chip shortage? Vehicle was built in summer of 2020.

[Qsilver7]

Hmmm…when the description of an option code is preceded with the word decoding…that means that the option is deactivated (or coded off).

You can see the VIN sheet below from my F15 X5…it has the HBA option (circled in red)…but the VLD (variable light distribution) feature has been “decoded” (doesn’t work like it does in Europe and other markets). This is the option code circled in green…which means that this option has been decoded (turned off/deactivated).

HBA (5AC/high beam assist) & VLD (5AP/variable light distribution) work in conjunction with each other in the markets where VLD is allowed. But it appears you don’t have HBA (unless option code 5AC is listed elsewhere on your build sheet):

[pyo]

Originally Posted by Qsilver7

Hmmm…when the description of an option code is preceded with the word decoding…that means that the option is deactivated (or coded off).

You can see the VIN sheet below from my F15 X5…it has the HBA option (circled in red)…but the VLD (variable light distribution) feature has been “decoded” (doesn’t work like it does in Europe and other markets). This is the option code circled in green…which means that this option has been decoded (turned off/deactivated).

HBA (5AC/high beam assist) & VLD (5AP/variable light distribution) work in conjunction with each other in the markets where VLD is allowed. But it appears you don’t have HBA (unless option code 5AC is listed elsewhere on your build sheet):

I don't have 5AC listed but have HBA. 5AP is decoding of Anti-Dazzle. If you got the button on the stalk you should have HBA.

[Potatohead-M2]

Yeah, I really don't know. This obviously isn't rocket science to operate but I can't even get the light on the dash to come on. I really do wonder if it was a Covid omission thing. Next time it goes to the dealer I will bring it up and they can look into it.

[thestimp]

Originally Posted by Potatohead-M2

Yeah, I really don't know. This obviously isn't rocket science to operate but I can't even get the light on the dash to come on. I really do wonder if it was a Covid omission thing. Next time it goes to the dealer I will bring it up and they can look into it.

Nah, mine has done the same thing, i just forget how I fixed it... there was a setting or something that needed checked. just go through all the options in idrive.

[Potatohead-M2]

Originally Posted by thestimp

Nah, mine has done the same thing, i just forget how I fixed it... there was a setting or something that needed checked. just go through all the options in idrive.

I'll take a look again. I don't recall seeing it in the exterior lighting menu nor driver assistance menu... But I'll double check the whole thing lol

[Qsilver7]

If you open the owners manual embedded in iDrive…and go to the USER HELP selection (where you can see a list of embedded videos)…do you have a video for High Beam Assistance?

I ask, because the iDrive owners manual is VIN specific…and will skip past features/options that are not installed.

Or you can type in HIGH BEAM ASSIST in the KEYWORD search to see if HBA is covered.

[Potatohead-M2]

Originally Posted by Qsilver7

If you open the owners manual embedded in iDrive…and go to the USER HELP selection (where you can see a list of embedded videos)…do you have a video for High Beam Assistance?

I ask, because the iDrive owners manual is VIN specific…and will skip past features/options that are not installed.

Or you can type in HIGH BEAM ASSIST in the KEYWORD search to see if HBA is covered.

Yes, I have the HBA in the help section. I searched through all the menus again and didn’t find anything. Unless it’s not in the “car” section of idrive which I doubt. I have no idea.

[Potatohead-M2]

So today I noticed my BC button is also not working now. I reset idrive and restarted the vehicle and same result. I last used it maybe a week ago. So I think the actual switches in the stalk are not working right.

[Th3Walrus]

Take it to the dealer, you have a 2021 and should still have warranty.

[thestimp]

Has to be dark out, and going a certain speed.

[Patrick Hogan]

Hi,
I have the same issue on a 2020 745e. I have had it in the dealers 5 times since Oct 2023. Kafas replaced, nosolution. Windscreen replaced, no solution. Auto lights working, laser lights working. No auto headlight symbol on dash. Took the car back last Friday in frustration. At wits end. In Limerick, Rep of Ireland.

[Potatohead-M2]

I took it in and sure enough they had to replace the signal stalk. Both the auto high beams and the BC button work now.

Originally Posted by Patrick Hogan

Hi,
I have the same issue on a 2020 745e. I have had it in the dealers 5 times since Oct 2023. Kafas replaced, nosolution. Windscreen replaced, no solution. Auto lights working, laser lights working. No auto headlight symbol on dash. Took the car back last Friday in frustration. At wits end. In Limerick, Rep of Ireland.

Oof. I hope they can figure it out, that's frustrating.