BMW X5 (05 Reg). Simple question about parking lights

bobbentos

Hi all

I have a 2005 BMW X5.

My question is.... Which lights are supposed to light up when you put your parking lights on?

I ask this because I have never used the Parking Light facility and I have now got the error message

Check Park Lights.

So, I turned the car off and pushed the indicator stalk down to activate the parking light function. This had the effect of illuminating the left (Passenger) side rear light and front left (Passenger) indicator bulb. So, all seems well here. However, when I push the indicator stalk up, again the rear light (Drivers side) comes on, BUT this time instead of the right indicator illuminating (as it did on the passenger side) , the two round circular head lights light up instead and the indicator bulb is not illuminated???

So, which FRONT light should be lit up with the parking light facility.

My manual doesn't help. It just says that the bulbs will illuminate, but doesn't say which bulb (Indicator or head light).

I have checked the indicators and they work normally and are fine when using Hazard lights, so surely that rules out a Bulb problem????

Any help on this?

Thanks

sunshinetours

The front and rear lights on whatever side you position your indicator stalk at should light up. Sounds like your nearside is Ok but a problem on the drivers (offside)

Try bmwland.co.uk forum for specific advice I would suggest if no answers on here

EDIT just re read that I thought the tail light and side lights (circular dimmed dheadlamp) ion each side should light with teh parking facility and not the indicators?? Have a 5 series so may be different

petrolhead69

It should be the round lights, so its the left side that is blown. BMW lights are clever, when the LKM senses a blown bulb it substitutes another light in its place. If a brake light blows it automatically uses the foglight as a brake light.

Lum

Yes, it's lighting the indicator as an alternative to the round headlight bulb that has blown.

In other news, this post is the first known evidence of a BMW X5 having ever lit an indicator bulb for any reason.

colino

As above, BMWs cleverly monitor the bulbs and in this case have found a faulty side light, so put reduced power to the indicator instead. (But this will be showing up anyway on your dash display every time you put the ignition on).

Lum

It's a pretty neat trick to be fair. It's also why you see a lot of BMWs driving around at night with one headlight and one foglight

bobbentos

Thanks to Lum, colino & petrolhead69. Between you, you guys just saved me a trip to the dealer, an hours diagnosis then the part (I guess about £15 for this bulb).

Indeed, you were right guys! It was the halogen bulb that had gone in the headlight. I went to my local car spares shop. A replacement was £3.50. I popped it in myself. Everything is back to normal now. (Well, nearly. I'm going to post another thread now about my faulty parking sensors).

Therefore, thanks you lot (Lum, colino & petrolhead69) for your excellent advice and saving me a few quid!

Hope you'll all comment on my faulty parking sensors in my next thread.