[John26830]

My 2020 X3 has the dimming problem, I had the dealer tint the front windows 35% and during the day I have to roll the drivers side window down to have the gauges brighten up like they should have, going to be tough doing that next summer here in Arizona with 115 degrees out, so if BMW hasn't got a fix by then will trade this in for another manufacturer poss Cadillac

[clivem2]

What's it like driving at night with front windows and windscreen tinted to 35%. I fully get the daytime issue in really hot/sunny places but driving after dark? It's notable that some countries ban such tints.

[asyvan]

Originally Posted by John26830

My 2020 X3 has the dimming problem, I had the dealer tint the front windows 35% and during the day I have to roll the drivers side window down to have the gauges brighten up like they should have, going to be tough doing that next summer here in Arizona with 115 degrees out, so if BMW hasn't got a fix by then will trade this in for another manufacturer poss Cadillac

This is so funny.

You cover the windows with a 3rd party aftermarket product so the sensor gets less light.

And then you expect BMW to fix it for you?

Good luck. 😂

[WagonR]

I assume John just meant the front side windows; driver and passenger, not windshield. A 35% tint on the front side windows (which comes close to matching the rest of the side windows from the factory) shouldn't be an issue for the car to measure the light in the cabin, get out of here with this "3rd party aftermarket product" bullshit.

Window tint (outside of the windshield) is a very common and normal thing that many a BMW have been able to "handle" without issue for years. BMWs with sensors to auto-adjust the dim level have all managed to get past the magical 3rd party tint. For some reason, the way they set the sensor up in this car is different, and it's not accurate to gauge the actual light the driver sees. It's measuring the lighting in the cabin poorly. If it wasn't, then without regard to tint, it would always adjust to the actual light in the car and provide the correct brightness. Look at the pictures. It's literally clear as day, and the interior is full of light, but the car is dimming the lights like it's a moonless night.

Software is controlling the dimming levels. The ability to adjust sensitivity to darkness should be pretty easy to program or add to idrive. It hardly seems like a big ask for something that dealers have replaced parts under warranty to try to fix. But, f-it. We drive cars where water pumps can't live for more than 60,000 miles, and god forbid you put non-BMW windshield washer fluid into a system that literally stores and spays water. Something that every other manufacture has figured out how to do without issue. Maybe your right, maybe BMW should add OEM tint to the option sheet...

[asyvan]

Oh i completely agree with you on the fact that it should be easy to adjust this in software. In an ideal situation it would be an option in iDrive.

But reality is that tinted front side windows are illegal in a large part of the world due to law enforcement want to be able to see the driver as they approach the vehicle.

I also acknowledge the issue of sun and heat in other parts of the world. Even so it's not necessarily part of BMW's testing of a vehicle prior to launch.

But I do stick with my recommendation that you should not expect BMW to fix this for you.

[suby01]

Originally Posted by asyvan

This is so funny.

You cover the windows with a 3rd party aftermarket product so the sensor gets less light.

And then you expect BMW to fix it for you?

Good luck. 😂

Are you serious? Like you're really making this comment in all seriousness? Or it's just to troll the thread?

[WagonR]

Originally Posted by asyvan

Oh i completely agree with you on the fact that it should be easy to adjust this in software. In an ideal situation it would be an option in iDrive.

But reality is that tinted front side windows are illegal in a large part of the world due to law enforcement want to be able to see the driver as they approach the vehicle.

I also acknowledge the issue of sun and heat in other parts of the world. Even so it's not necessarily part of BMW's testing of a vehicle prior to launch.

But I do stick with my recommendation that you should not expect BMW to fix this for you.

I agree, I wouldn't expect BMW to fix this for an OG G01 owner, but, I'm a bit disappointed that they didn't with the updates with the new infotainment in the 2020 release.

Regarding the legality of the tinted driver windows; sure, and that's why they're not tinted from the factory. That does't change the fact that in other large parts of the world it is allowed (including where they build the SAVs, not that it's where they develop them, and not that it should matter, but tinting side windows isn't somehow new to BMW). And, again, it's not a tint debate. it's the fact that a sensor that measures ambient light does such a piss poor job, that a human's measurement is off by a scale of 10x.

Somehow, cabins that by most people's standards are full of light, are dim. If you tint 2 windows (out of 8 meaningful windows), and allow all of 35% less light to pass through 2 of those windows, the auto adjust in this car is rendered useless. I'm not even sure how you could fuck up light measurement that much, but it's been done. I'm not sure any other BMW model has is this stupid.

Personally, I wouldn't tint the widows if this was the outcome (and I don't own this car). Which is probably your point, so we actually probably agree. However, I'd like the opportunity to put a legal 35% tint on my car, which is allowed where I live (and is far from extreme, it's the same tint as the rest of the car), without it fucking up the functions of the car. And, I think that's a reasonable position.

[asyvan]

Originally Posted by WagonR

Personally, I wouldn't tint the widows if this was the outcome (and I don't own this car). Which is probably your point, so we actually probably agree. However, I'd like the opportunity to put a legal 35% tint on my car, which is allowed where I live (and is far from extreme, it's the same tint as the rest of the car), without it fucking up the functions of the car. And, I think that's a reasonable position.

I agree, it is reasonable.

[prolix21]

Glad I stumbled onto this before tinting my windows - is the issue better or worse if the windshield is not tinted? Or is the sensor primarily reading the driver/passenger side windows?

I was looking to do a ceramic tint, very light, primarily for heat/uv rejection and it seems like everyone around here tints the windshield (70% or so).

[suby01]

Originally Posted by prolix21

Glad I stumbled onto this before tinting my windows - is the issue better or worse if the windshield is not tinted? Or is the sensor primarily reading the driver/passenger side windows?

I was looking to do a ceramic tint, very light, primarily for heat/uv rejection and it seems like everyone around here tints the windshield (70% or so).

I dont have my windshield tinted and it's happening and driving me insane. So I assume with a tinted windshield it would only be worse.

[John26830]

It wasn't a "3rd party tint" job, my BMW dealership offered to tint the front side windows for $0 he has done a hundred just like mine without issues, I roll the drivers side when I park in order to see the display better

[prolix21]

If it's not factory/OEM it's considered third party, and doesn't really mean the quality is better/worse than anything.

The issue here is really more than the sensors are all setup for factory, which is no tint. So the second anyone adds tint, this problem pops up.

[John26830]

I test drove a Cadillac xt4 sport & was bored with the lack of zip, it would drive me nuts missing the BMW, So I'm thinking about removing the tint on the drivers side & see how the dash lights react. Is removing the tint something I could do myself..?.. Hairdryer & razor blade?

[rkx3m40i]

Originally Posted by asyvan

First of all, you have to understand that in order to be able to change display brightness depending on light sitations... the sensor has to sit where the display is. There is no other way to do it, it will then correctly deal with shadows, darkness, light from the front/rear/side whatever.

Secondly, you can't blame BMW for a poor design when you have tinted your front windows. That is not a BMW design, that is a 3rd party aftermarket installation. So loose the tint or find your own solution to the display brightness. It's not BMW's fault.

It is a bad design because there are tons of cars that adjust the brightness of the dash and interior lights and you can still tint the windows and have the sensor work properly. BMW should be able to figure this out if Jeep, Chevy, Honda, Ford and almost every other car maker can.

[nelsonvaz]

That's not correct, Asyvan. My windows aren't tinted. Actually I just handed my G01 yesterday to my BMW dealer for a software update and I got a 2019 G30 for replacement also with no tinted windows. Same issue with fading displays and the sensor is located on the same position as the G01.

What I don't understand is the instrument brightness dial on the left. If this feature is there, and you can adjust it yourself to your preference/needs, what is the purpose of an auto dim sensor that overides it?

BMW Germany answered me back in the meantime. Said they forwarded this issue to their product team. Let's see (or not!).

[asyvan]

Originally Posted by nelsonvaz

What I don't understand is the instrument brightness dial on the left. If this feature is there, and you can adjust it yourself to your preference/needs, what is the purpose of an auto dim sensor that overides it?

Do you have an iPhone? Possibly Android-phones have it as well.
But the screen brightness adjustment you have in your iPhone is also complemented with a light sensor. Exactly like in your BMW. The sensor creates a baseline for the display brightness from which you can adjust up and down with the brightness dial. In your iPhone, and in your BMW.

[ANM8]

My Note 10+ (Android) has the auto screen brightness/dimming but it can be turned off which is what I should be able to do with my X3, although it's more weird than annoying as far as I'm concerned.

[SevM]

Has anyone got a update from bmw NA regarding this issue.. I wish I knew got my x4m comp 2020 made in march 2020 and once I got home started realizing this problem. My car dims too much during the say the back camera is pretty much non existent under shady areas from the dimming. At night the heads up display is bright and my navi screen on carplay goes dim My eyes have a hard time focusing almost crashed 2 times!! Smh got my car 3 days ago and already sitting at the dealership service dept and Bmw NA is reviewing my case to possibly return the car! Its a simple fix let your customers choose what brightness they want in settings and/or option to Turn off auto dimming!! My 1 year old would know that!!!! On top of that the stupid lag in bluetooth or CarPlay I don’t understand why BMW does this to its customers?

[Fast400]

This sounds like a bimmercode solution waiting to happen
The sensitivity most likely can be changed with some coding

[3lucidus]

Originally Posted by JSY

Just out of curiosity, when you turn the brightness wheel next to the headlight control, does it work properly - such and increase and decrease brightness?

was about to ask the same... silly question but you havent bumped the control?

[Rik762]

I suppose the colour of the upholstery may affect things. More light would be reflected round the cabin with a lighter material.

[Alias1431]

I feel like with iDrive 7 out, 6 has been left to gather dust in the corner.