Extremely technical e39 question (not really)

[douglawrence42]

I'm still new to BMW. I want to know if there is a switch or setting I'm missing that prevents the interior lighting from coming on when I turn off the car or open a door. My youngest thinks twisty roads and high RPM's are the best bedtime story, but I have to cancel the lights, flashing her and blinding me, 3 times to get a sleeping child out of the back seat. I know there are options if you have the software tools for programming the LCM, but I haven't wrapped my head around any of that yet? I'm hoping that I'm just a moron missing where a master switch (like most cars) is located. Thanks


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[Nyc Dito]

remove the bulb(s)?

[douglawrence42]

Thanks, but I'd like them to turn on when I do want them, like when I press the button near the rear view mirror


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[HoZy]

Unsure if this works for the e39 but I know other bimmers it's possible.
You can hold the center light switch with the door open until they turn off and they won't turn back on until you manually turn them on. I'm not sure on the specific period of time but it has been mentioned on the forums before.

Cheers
Mat

[morv]

Unsure if this works for the e39 but I know other bimmers it's possible.
You can hold the center light switch with the door open until they turn off and they won't turn back on until you manually turn them on. I'm not sure on the specific period of time but it has been mentioned on the forums before.

Cheers
Mat

I think you have to hold it for more than 10 seconds.

[douglawrence42]

Thanks! I thought there must be something like that. I'll give it a shot


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[Nyc Dito]

Thanks, but I'd like them to turn on when I do want them, like when I press the button near the rear view mirror


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It was an honest suggestion. BUT we both learned something today. Had no clue I could do the button thing as suggested, I don't recall reading that in the manual. Nice!

[Qsilver7]

Yes...it's in the owners manual. A brief 3 second push & hold will initiate the interior lights to REMAIN OFF at all times until you press the button again to re-activate them. I didn't get a copy from my e39 owners manual...but I do have a pic from my e38 & e53 manuals:

{E53}


{E38}

[douglawrence42]

Thank you all for the help! My car didn't come with a spare tire, attached bumper or functional glove box, it certainly didn't come with an owner manual.


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[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Yep, you can turn them on, don't release the button until the lights go out.

[Dave Sal]

I use that feature all the time. I don't care to be lit up when I'm getting out of the car at night which would also be bad for your night vision. Been this way in all my cars for over 30 years.

[geargrinder]

I had no idea about that feature. Learn sunthin every day.

[Qsilver7]

Turning off the interior lights is also helpful when detailing the vehicle and you have the doors open. Every little bit helps with preventing additional discharging of the battery. I'm sure we've all read stories of owners draining their battery when doing detail work. I learned this lesson way back with my e32 735iL & e34 25iT...when detailing, if I left the doors open...Id' make sure to turn the interior lights off. Unfortunately...I've never had the need for nocturnal "stealth" mode.

{the e32/e34 has a 3 position switch...position 2 turns the lights off just like the press & hold procedure for the e38/e39/e53}

[geargrinder]

Yeah I usually count on the sleep timer to put the interior lights out when detailing or doing interior repairs, however often you 'disturb a door' and wake it up again, I'm actually glad to know this trick as I'll absolutely use it now...

I actually have been frustrated by having to always constantly manually turn lights off again for stuff like this, particularly when doing stuff like fine tuning my aftermarket DSP system, which entails sometimes opening/closing doors to put test microphones in the car, then do a series of adjustments, then climb in and 'audition' results etc. etc Or when doing my repeated sunroof/headliner removals where I'd continuously trigger the wake up by opening a door...