2023 BMW M5 Owners Manual - Lights

Lights

Lights and lighting

Switches in the vehicle

1

1

Light switch

Lighting functions

Automatic headlight control

Principle

The low beams are switched on and off automatically depending on the ambient brightness, for example in tunnels, in twilight or if there is precipitation.

General information

A blue sky with the sun low on the horizon can cause the lights to be turned on.

Activating

Switch position:

The indicator light in the instrument cluster is illuminated when the low beams are switched on.

System limits

The automatic headlight control cannot replace your personal judgment of lighting conditions.

For example, the sensors are unable to detect fog or hazy weather. In these situations, turn the lights on manually.

Parking lights, low-beams and roadside parking lights

General information

Switch position:,,

If the driver's door is opened when the drive-ready state is switched off, the exterior lighting is automatically switched off after a period of time.

Parking lights

Turning on

Switch position:

The indicator light in the instrument cluster lights up.

The vehicle is illuminated on all sides.

Do not use the parking lights for extended periods; otherwise, they might drain the vehicle battery and it would then be impossible to switch on drive-ready state.

Low beams

Turning on

Switch position:

The low beams illuminate when drive-ready state is switched on.

The indicator light in the instrument cluster lights up.

Roadside parking lights

When the vehicle is parked, a one-sided roadside parking light can be switched on.

Welcome lights

Principle

The welcome light turns on automatically for a limited period of time when approaching or unlocking the vehicle.

General information

Depending on the equipment, the exterior lighting of the vehicle can be set individually.

Activating/deactivating welcome light

"CAR"

"Settings"

"Exterior lighting"

Depending on the equipment, select the following setting:

"Welcome and goodbye"

When unlocking the vehicle, individual lighting functions are switched on for a limited time.

Pathway lighting

Principle

For the pathway lighting, the exterior lighting turns on for a certain period of time after leaving the vehicle in order to illuminate the area surrounding the vehicle.

Switching pathway lighting on

After switching off the drive-ready state, briefly push the turn signal lever forward.

Setting the duration

"CAR"

"Settings"

"Exterior lighting"

"Pathway lighting"

Select the desired setting.

"OK"

Daytime driving lights

General information

Switch position:

,

Depending on the national-market version:

The daytime driving lights light up when drive-ready state is switched on.

Depending on the national-market version: after turning off the drive-ready state, the parking lights will illuminate in position.

Activating/deactivating daytime driving lights

In some countries, daytime driving lights are mandatory, so it may not be possible to deactivate the daytime driving lights in front.

"CAR"

"Settings"

"Exterior lighting"

Depending on the national-market version: "Daytime driving lights" or "Daytime driving lights, rear"

Adaptive lighting functions

Principle

Adaptive lighting functions enable dynamic illumination of the road.

General information

The adaptive lighting functions may consist of one system or multiple systems, depending on the equipment version:

Cornering light.

Activating

Switch position:

The adaptive lighting functions are active when the drive-ready state is switched on.

Cornering light

Principle

In tight curves, for instance on mountainous roads or when turning, an additional cornering light is switched on that lights up the inside of the curve when the vehicle is moving below a certain speed.

General information

The cornering light is automatically switched on depending on the steering-wheel angle or, where applicable, the use of turn signals.

When driving in reverse, the cornering lights may be automatically switched on regardless of the steering-wheel angle.

Adaptive headlight range control

The adaptive headlight range control feature balances out acceleration and braking processes as well as the vehicle load conditions in order to avoid blinding oncoming traffic.

Automatic High Beam Assistant

Principle

Animation: Automatic High Beam Assistant

The Automatic High Beam Assistant detects other road users early on and automatically switches the high beams on or off depending on the traffic situation.

General information

The Automatic High Beam Assistant ensures that the high beams are switched on, whenever the traffic situation allows. In the low speed range, the high beams are not switched on by the system.

The system responds to light from oncoming traffic and traffic driving ahead of you, and to ambient lighting, for instance in towns and cities.

The high beams can be switched on and off manually at any time.

Activating Automatic High Beam Assistant

Switch position:

Press the button on the turn signal lever.

The indicator light in the instrument cluster is illuminated when the low beams are switched on.

The headlights are automatically changed between low beams and high beams.

The blue indicator light in the instrument cluster lights up when the system switches on the high beams.

The Automatic High Beam Assistant is deactivated when manually switching the high beams on and off.

To reactivate the Automatic High Beam Assistant, press the button on the turn signal lever.

Deactivating Automatic High Beam Assistant

Press the button on the turn signal lever.

Sensitivity of the Automatic High Beam Assistant

General information

The sensitivity of the Automatic High Beam Assistant can be adjusted.

Safety information

Do not blind oncoming traffic

Functional requirements

Setting at standstill only.

Drive-ready state is switched on.

Light is turned off.

Increasing sensitivity

Push the turn signal lever to the front for approximately 10 seconds.

A Check Control message is displayed. The system responds more sensitively.

Resetting the sensitivity

Push the turn signal lever to the front again for approx. 10 seconds or switch off the drive-ready state.

The sensitivity of the Automatic High Beam Assistant is reset to the factory settings.

System limits

The Automatic High Beam Assistant cannot replace the driver's personal judgment of when to use the high beams. In situations that require this, therefore dim manually.

The system is not fully functional in the following situations, and driver intervention may be necessary:

In very unfavorable weather conditions, such as fog or heavy precipitation.

When detecting poorly-lit road users such as pedestrians, cyclists, horseback riders and wagons; when driving close to train or ship traffic; or at animal crossings.

In tight curves, on hilltops or in depressions, in crossing traffic or half-obscured oncoming traffic on highways.

In poorly-lit towns and cities or in the presence of highly reflective signs.

When the windshield in front of the interior mirror is fogged up, dirty or covered with stickers, etc.

Instrument lighting

Functional requirement

The parking lights or low beams must be switched on to set the brightness.

Setting the brightness

Adjust the brightness with the thumbwheel.

Interior lighting

General information

Depending on the equipment version, interior lights, footwell lights, entry lights, ambient lighting, and speaker lighting are automatically controlled.

Overview

Buttons in the vehicle

1

2

3

1

Reading light

2

Interior lights

3

Reading light

Turning interior lights on/off

Press the button.

To switch off permanently: press the button and hold for approx. 3 seconds.

The interior lights in the rear of the vehicle can be switched on and off independently. The button is located in the rear headliner.

Turning reading lights on/off

Press the button.

Depending on the vehicle equipment, the reading lights are located next to the interior lights in the front and rear.

Ambient light

General information

Depending on the equipment version, lighting can be adjusted for some lights in the car's interior.

Activating/deactivating ambient light

"CAR"

"Settings"

"Interior lighting"

"Ambient lighting"

Turning ambient light on/off

The ambient light is switched on when the vehicle is unlocked, and switched off when the vehicle is locked.

If the ambient light was deactivated via iDrive, it will not be turned on when the vehicle is unlocked.

Selecting the color

"CAR"

"Settings"

"Interior lighting"

"Color"

Select the desired setting.

Setting the brightness

"CAR"

"Settings"

"Interior lighting"

"Brightness"

Select the desired setting.

Dimmed while driving

Some lights of the interior lighting are dimmed when the vehicle is driven in the dark.

"CAR"

"Settings"

"Interior lighting"

"Dimmed for night driving"

Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System

Principle

Some speakers in the vehicle are illuminated. Brightness can be individually set.

General information

When the speakers are muted, the speaker lighting is turned off.

Activating/deactivating speaker lighting

"CAR"

"Settings"

"Interior lighting"

"Bowers & Wilkins"

Turning speaker lighting on/off

The speaker lighting is switched on when the vehicle is unlocked, and switched off when the vehicle is locked.

Setting the brightness

"CAR"

"Settings"

"Interior lighting"

"Bowers & Wilkins"

"Brightness"

Select the desired setting.