I have no idea why sometimes my headlights seem to stay on after I get out of the car. The lights occasionally stay on, which is far more frequently than I would expect considering the obvious lack of an engine. During the night when they are awake, my neighbors have contacted me a few times.
What might be the root of this? The keys are taken out of the vehicle when I depart since I keep them in my pocket while I drive.
Is the key close enough to the car when it is parked at home to “wake” it up? The lights are always on when I glance at my car in the garage, but that’s only because it activates when the key is nearby (in my pocket). It is set to automatically unlock. It’s always off when I check it without the key in my pocket.
After you’ve locked the doors and stepped out of the car, the lights continue to be on for a while. Headlight courtesy delay feature is how BMW refers to it.
We discovered that the headlights and interior LED lights would stay on for a long period if the driver door was opened before the car was turned off. To see if it helps, try making sure to shut off the engine before opening the driver door.
My machine is programmed to do this, and in the dark garage, it is always on a delay off.
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How to change your BMW’s LCM (Light Control Module)
If the first two remedies don’t work for you, you might want to think about checking and replacing the LCM. Older BMWs only, as modern modules employ what is referred to as a FEM (which we will discuss next). Check out the list of models here if you’re unsure what an LCM is or which models have this module.
This is probably the biggest factor keeping your lights on after turning off your automobile, and it’s rather simple to fix. The LCM is found in the passenger footwell of vehicles like the E39. On other other models, however, it is situated behind the control switch (the E46). To find out where it is, you must verify your particular model.
On versions where the LCM is situated beneath the control switch, you only require the following:
- pry bar
- tool for Phillips screws
The panel covering the control switch must first be removed using the pry tool. To do this, gently pry the panel out of place by lifting it out from all sides. The control switch will then be loosened using the Phillips screwdriver. You will then take the control switch off.
Be aware that the control switch/module is a single unit, and that if it is removed, the complete module must be replaced. It’s also crucial to remember that because the modules are unique to each BMW model, you cannot simply swap them out for another module.
You must match the model numbers on the module with the one on your replacement. It’s important to keep in mind that other BMW models have various controls and lights, so if you replace one with one that wasn’t made for yours, it won’t function. Check out this video if you need a visual assistance to assist you with this tutorial.
I observe that even after I turn off the automobile, the headlight switch and hazard button continue to glow for a while. There seems to be no justification for this, and even a slight energy drain would be superfluous. I’m curious as to why this is being done rather than simply turning them off immediately. Additionally, I’ve seen that occasionally the side top vent can blow at a low fan speed, which causes the glass to fog, or that interior fans may turn on after the car has been turned off. The turbo radiator fan is another issue, but it seems sense that it would turn on after spirited driving. Otherwise, it doesn’t seem to have a regular schedule for when it would turn on. I may have lost some coolant because my coolant cap was a little loose, but I haven’t received a low coolant notice. After turning the car off, it seems like a lot of things happen, but thus far the battery is fine.
Still not in sleep mode is the car. The systems may probably make a few noises (clicks) as they turn off and enter full sleep mode. takes ten to fifteen minutes.
I’ve observed that the 5 series is quieter; I think it must be more insulated or something because it’s probably working. Although this is the F10, I didn’t pay as much care to the lighting.
After turning off the engine, pressing the “Start” button a second time will turn off all electronics. Additionally, you can program your car to turn off all electronics when the engine is turned off and the driver’s door is opened. Electronics continue to run if not for roughly 20 minutes.
Even after you do this, a few dash lights that serve as the hazard/headlight backup illumination remain on for a short while. The same thing occurs if you unlock the car before you even turn the key in the ignition.
It’s a feature for convenience and safety. in particular for the headlights. Every car I’ve had has a light on the headlight switch. Because if it’s dark outside and you want some light to see, you only need to find that one switch.
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I shall exercise my right to put up with the disadvantage and humiliation of slower shifting and reaction times as long as 3-pedals are an option.
bmw325
Given that it also applies to MBZ, I believe this to be a German custom. When parking on a dark road, you are able to leave the parking lights on for better visibility while you are away from the vehicle. Additionally, you’ll see that while the car is off and the turn signals are on, one side of the vehicle will always be lit up.
I am aware of the turn signal technique, and I think it’s an excellent one. The headlight switch can be set to that option if you wish to keep all of the parking lights on (that’s why it’s there). If it serves the same purpose as the headlight position with the ignition off, why even have that switch position? Actually, I believe VW only has two headlight positions, which is exactly what they do.
This has therefore happened twice. Over Thanksgiving, I had left my car parked while on vacation. As I stood outside the garage talking to friends, I saw that the lights hadn’t yet turned off as they usually do, but I still had faith in them to do so before I closed the garage door. Battery is dead when you return a few hours later. When I returned from a trip this evening, I saw that the headlights, taillights, and a very faintly lighted gauge cluster wouldn’t turn off when the car was turned off (the switch was on automatic). I figured I would fiddle with it to see what might cure it. In addition to opening and closing the driver door, unlock/lock performed nothing. Only after switching the switch from auto to off did the lights go out. Even with the switch in automatic, I was unable to get the car to leave the headlights on when I restarted it.
After doing some research, I learned that the key fob had a bug that may cause this, but I didn’t fiddle with it. I also learned that a defective light module might leave the light drivers on.
Has anyone else encountered this issue and found a solution? Luminous modules? Something else is flawed? Glitch? There is obviously a strange electrical issue going on here; this isn’t an Idrive welcome/welcome light time delay.
Because terminal 30 is meant to entirely shut off when the car goes to sleep, your junction box may be malfunctioning. There will be errors for unauthorized waking, therefore you must scan it using ISTA to find them. From there, you may pinpoint the problem.
My headlights are set to automatically adjust. My usual method of turning off is:
1. Press the start button while the radio and navigation are still on.
2. open door to exit vehicle
3. lock with a comfort access card or fob
However, after I lock the car, my radio/navigation system switches off for some reason, yet the headlights stay on. Even after waiting for a half-hour, they didn’t turn off.
Pushing the start button twice turns off the radio and navigation system and locks the car, but the headlights stay on.
Now that I’ve locked the car, turned off the radio/navigation, and turned off the headlights, I’m concerned that the battery might still be being drained.
Should I disconnect the terminal before leaving like this for the night?
I wouldn’t start disconnecting terminals if the h/light switch off time delay sounds defective if the battery low indicator does not appear when you enter the car and turn on the ignition.
Or the lights’ automatic sensor is malfunctioning. My assumption would be that the lights just remain in auto and do not turn on when the switch is in the off position.
Before opening the door and leaving, try pressing the stop button a second time. The electronics should then be turned off, but when you lock the car, there will be a second chance for the headlights to be turned off. Maybe it will go off between these two.
It’s strange that your car’s headlights remain on at all after cutting the engine as my USA car turns off its headlights when the engine is stopped, leaving the angel eyes and side lights on until the second press or exiting.
Is it possible to program something so that one long press shuts off everything? My 06 had a double-tap power-off/on feature, but I had it coded such that everything started and ended with a single long press.
On any F10 code cheat sheet I’ve seen, I don’t recall seeing anything similar.
However, the everything-off-when-opening-driver-door code is present in both my F10 and my E60, which is what I enjoy because the music continues to play until I am actually ready to go.
The control knob has been turned on.
One of the most frequent causes of interior car lights turning off is that the control knob has been turned. This is most likely the cause if your dome light is on.
If you are unable to shut it off, one of your car’s switches is likely locked in the on position. To reduce the brightness or completely turn off the light, you might try changing the dome light switch.
If altering it doesn’t reduce the brightness or the lights are still on, your dome light switch is damaged. To prevent your car’s battery from being drained until you can have it serviced, you might wish to remove the bulb.