Replace standard headlight bulbs with LEDs

[LMOR]

I think the sequence is important. You need to log in to activate your account/options, before you start the app the first time.

 

[Ross]

i3me, can you double check your comment about only working when plugged in? The lack of clarity from BMW is quite disappointing, it's not clear if they are trying to hide something.

Agreed. I've read (on this forum somewhere) that you can pre-heat BEVs when they're not plugged in but only if you have the heat pump. Very confusing! :x

OK fellow bloggers, this morning I've done some n=1 research on pre-heating my BEV i3 cabin and this is what I came up with:
- Had the batteries fully charged and disconnected the plug
- Started the car in stand-by mode by pressing the start button (behind the steering wheel) without applying the brakes
- Activated Cabin Pre-Heating in the <Settings> menu

Low and behold, both the Battery and Cabin Pre-Heating started up! I stand corrected (again ) om my previous assumption that you would not be able to Pre-Heat without a Heat-Pump! But doing this comes with a price.
After making the interior roasty toasty warm, it ate up 7% of my charge! A Heat Pump is an essential option: BMW, do something about it!!



PS: we've managed to drift off the subject here in a major way, unless someone can figure out a quick link back to standard headlight bulbs!

This is all very interesting! Great to have some real world experience. As a matter of interest, if you set the car to preheat while still plugged in, does the battery still drain?

Thanks,

Ross.

 

[roger997]

Hi Ross
I have mine now 2 weeks and you can pre heat the car when it is plugged in
You can monitor this on the app but to set the time and temperature for lets say tommorrow
Morning, you have to do that in the car.

As this morning, the car was set at 20 degrees at 8.15
And at that time you unplug and step into a warm car with 100% battery

 

[MikeS]

First a question re the original subject - LED Lights. According to the UK spec 5AK LED light elements - what does this refer to if not the headlights?

As to the heat pump which is part of Cold Weather Cabin prep in UK item 4T9 - this appears not to be available for the Rex.

 

[i3me]

First a question re the original subject - LED Lights. According to the UK spec 5AK LED light elements - what does this refer to if not the headlights?

As to the heat pump which is part of Cold Weather Cabin prep in UK item 4T9 - this appears not to be available for the Rex.

The LED light elements refers to the daytime running lights and are...LED's!

The Adaptive LED option is for the main beams, but no one really knows what's adaptive on them because the do not swivel when turning like in the non-i BMW models!

I've complained about this at the i Service Desk last week and hope to get a good answer.
By the way, the high beams are plain old halogen lights and are located in the bumper next to the front turn indicators. That cool blue LED is replaced by a yellow tint when the high beams go on and it seems like there's less light!

The heat pump is installed where the REx engine is located in in a BEV!

 

[MikeS]

i3Me - thank you.

Given the importance of minimising power consumption it seems utterly stupid to not have all LED lights!

 

[Sperillen]

Can anyone tell me what i get if I do not order 5A2 and 5AK?
And maybe the difference in watt for the low beam as LED vs. H7?

 

[LMOR]

The Adaptive LED option is for the main beams, but no one really knows what's adaptive on them because the do not swivel when turning like in the non-i BMW models!

I see now in the manual that the daylight LEDs, are also called "side lights". Could it be that they are activated/gets stronger when you turn?

 

[i3me]

I see now in the manual that the daylight LEDs, are also called "side lights". Could it be that they are activated/gets stronger when you turn?

The daylight LED's are located just under the main beam lights in a "U" pattern.
I have seen no changes in intensity of those lights when turning a corner!

There was a question posted above on the difference in power consumption between LED and halogen. For a given Lumen, the power consumption of halogen is 6 times larger than LED. The power consumption with LED is also dependent on hue: blue is the most economical, red the least.

 

[MikeS]

Have just spoken to one of the UK ‘BMW i Senior Customer Service Exec’ to ask about the LED lights.

They said that the Adaptive LED highlight option does provide headlights that move as you steer. However, they also said that the i3 comes with LED headlight as standard! I asked that they check and confirm this………………..

 

[MikeS]

Here is the statement from BMW i :

I have been in contact with our Customer Projects Manager regarding your questions about the LED headlights and the Professional Navigation Upgrade.

I have had clarification that the BMW i3 does come as standard with LED headlights, the optional equipment of Adaptive LED headlights is different because of the adaptive technology. Below is an excerpt from the dealer handbook about the LED lights,

States - 5A2 Adaptive LED headlights (£710 extra) - featuring daytime driving lights with LED ‘U’ shaped BMW i design. Adaptive headlights improve visibility by following the steering angle of the front wheels, giving better illumination of the road ahead through corners……… Replaces 5AK

"5AK - LED light elements (Standard). Parking lights, daytime driving lights in LED technology (14 high-powered LEDs) with LED ‘U’ shaped BMW design. Not with 5A2, LED headlights with LED light elements"

With regards to the Professional Navigation Upgrade with RTTI, this was a limited offer when purchasing the BMW i3 and completing the order before January 10th, 2014. This offer was reliant on the order being fully specified and sent to build before January 10th. Unfortunately, it should have been removed from the website once this offer had ended, and I can only apologise for this error. We have since removed it from the website and it should no longer be available as a free option, effective immediately.

 

[i3me]

Have just spoken to one of the UK ‘BMW i Senior Customer Service Exec’ to ask about the LED lights.

They said that the Adaptive LED highlight option does provide headlights that move as you steer. However, they also said that the i3 comes with LED headlight as standard! I asked that they check and confirm this………………..

Need I say more?

 

[Sperillen]

In Denmark the 5AK LED elements are standard, and it says(Parking lights, daytime driving lights in LED technology(14 high power LEDs))

The 5A2 LED cost 900Euro and says, low beam = LED technology. - Daytime driving light: LED fiber Optics. Selv.leveling headlamp. High beam: halogen H7 in bumper. -Indicator: lamp(24W) embedded into front bumper!!

As i read it there are some LED as standard, but it is only for daytime driving.

Any of you with a car, can we have a picture

 

[MikeS]

I asked my local BMW dealer in UK to look at their crd and they said ‘ They have the LED daytime running lights, standard feature. The main headlights and beams are conventional halogen bulbs. To get the full LED lighting the customer needs to spec the adaptive option, as per my understanding.

I have this morning asked the BMW i consultants that provide the earlier answer saying that LED headlights were include to ask if the UK spec has recently changed or have they made an error?

 

[BrianStanier]

To get the full LED lighting the customer needs to spec the adaptive option, as per my understanding.

That's my understanding too. Perhaps the confusion arises from ambiguity in a translation in English? 'LED elements' is an odd phrase.

 

[MikeS]

I agree that it seems that the car does NOT come with LED headlights as standard (mind you I still think that it is stupid that it doesn’t given the power consumption).

However, what intrigues me is that the main BMW i consultants including their ‘Customer Projects manager’ said:Here is the statement from BMW i :

I have had clarification that the BMW i3 does come as standard with LED headlights, the optional equipment of Adaptive LED headlights is different because of the adaptive technology. Below is an excerpt from the dealer handbook about the LED lights,

If I ordered an i3 on this basis i think i would have sound grounds for a complaint!

 

[AndyW]

In Denmark the 5AK LED elements are standard, and it says(Parking lights, daytime driving lights in LED technology(14 high power LEDs))

The 5A2 LED cost 900Euro and says, low beam = LED technology. - Daytime driving light: LED fiber Optics. Selv.leveling headlamp. High beam: halogen H7 in bumper. -Indicator: lamp(24W) embedded into front bumper!!

As i read it there are some LED as standard, but it is only for daytime driving.

Any of you with a car, can we have a picture

Here's mine with the LED headlights, lights on. The U-shaped bit at the bottom is on all the time during the day too.

The full-beams are much yellower than the bluey LED dipped beams:

which is obvious (and slightly disappointing) from the driver's seat, and from straight ahead:

 

[Muhv]

Full beams are clearly in need of xenon bulbs. Should be easy (slightly illegal) retrofit.

 

[BrianStanier]

So 'the i3 has LED headlights' and 'the i3 has halogen headlights' are both correct. LED low beam and LED + halogen for high beam as with our current Leaf.

 

[i3me]

First a question re the original subject - LED Lights. According to the UK spec 5AK LED light elements - what does this refer to if not the headlights?

The LED light elements refers to the daytime running lights and are...LED's!

The Adaptive LED option is for the main beams, but no one really knows what's adaptive on them because they do not swivel when turning, like in the non-i BMW models!

I've complained about this at the i Service Desk last week and hope to get a good answer.
By the way, the high beams are plain old halogen lights and are located in the bumper next to the front turn indicators. That cool blue LED is replaced by a yellow tint when the high beams go on and it seems like there's less light!

Still waiting for an answer to the first question: what exactly is so adaptive about the main beam LED's??

PS: I suspect that BMW's answer will go on about automatic height adjustment, but that is no rocket science anymore! :ugeek: