Indicators not turning off automatically

Hello All,

We just took a BMWi3 REX 60ah 2016 out for a test drive. We want to buy it but both noticed that the indicators didn't seem to turn off automatically after cornering. Has anyone got any ideas or experience of this?

Thank you

The signals cancel electronically. If you were expecting the lever to move back to the center after turning like it has done in cars for decades, the i3 does not do that.

If they are not canceling electronically, that's a problem. If it has a backup camera, turn the steering wheel in reverse to see if the target lines move with the steering wheel. I don't know if BMW uses the steering angle sensor for canceling the turn signals, but it is worth testing it in case it is broken or out of calibration and causing the signal problem.....

If the turn isn't a 90-degree one, and you're still turning slightly, the indicators may not turn off until your wheel ends up getting fully straightened out. Otherwise, they should shut off once you're going straight again after a turn.

If you push the turn signal stock hard, turn signal will continue blinking until you cancel it manually. If you push it softly, it will blink the set number of times before canceling on its own. You have to hack the BMW to change the number of times it blinks. Otherwise, I think from the factory in the US, it's 3x.

sipabit said:

If you push the turn signal stock hard, turn signal will continue blinking until you cancel it manually.

Click to expand...

I wonder if yours has a problem similar to the OPs? At street speeds, once I turn my steering wheel past approximately 30° (loosely measured with a level app on my phone), my turn signal self-cancels as the steering wheel returns to center. It seems, at higher speeds, that the required amount of angle may decrease. As best I can tell it's all controlled through software.

I didn't realize the steering wheel turning was connected to the turn signals. I'll have to give that a try. I'm also wondering if it's a regional difference. I'm in the USA. I also noticed the OP and I have 2016's and you have the 2017. Maybe a minor change in the model year.

ALmost every vehicle built in the last 30-40 years will automatically cancel the turn signals but only after actually turning. The signals in the BMW are controlled by software, but still, they require you to turn and return the wheel if you go past the soft activation point. I did own a 1971 Citroen that did not self-cancel, but it was an anomaly in many ways! If this didn't happen, you could be sitting stopped at a light in a turning lane, and the blinkers would shut off if they were just on a timer. One motorcycle I had shut them off after you'd traveled a certain distance, but as a result, wouldn't cancel them while stopped, waiting to turn, since you hadn't gone the required distance.

There may be some inexpensive vehicles not sold in the USA that won't self-cancel, but as of today's products, I'm not aware of any sold here.

I tried it, turning on the blinker on full (meaning not pressing it lightly for blinking 3x and then shutting off by itself) and it doesn't cancel by itself during a turn. I don't think it was ever designed to. I'm surprised everyone else's does. I can't argue with that so maybe it's just my Value Package that doesn't have that feature.

It appears they've been self-canceling on the i3 since day 1:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAMCkJvECy8

If yours do not turn off automatically, there's a fault that should be fixed under warranty (assuming yours is still in warranty).

That video isn't for an i3 though. Not all BMW's act the same, particularly for all trims in different countries.

Oopa! Yer right!

Although this is how mine works.