Coming Home Lights?

[SushiM3]

Hey guys!

New member here. Just picked up a 2018 ZCP F80 in sakhir orange.
Love the car so far.

I cant seem to get the coming home lights to work. I have the setting in iDrive for "Welcome Lights" turned on to 60 seconds. According to the manual I need to turn off the accessory power in the car (press start-stop button twice after parking), and then flash the high beam stalk to enable them when leaving. I tried this multiple times and cant seem to get it to work. As soon as I open the door, all the lights turn off. Does this feature need to be coded to be enabled on US cars?

[uniqueMR]

Welcome and Congrats.
Make sure your light switch is in AUTO position.

[F82///M]

I guess wording is wrong there, instead of flash (pulling leaver) you have to push it away for activating high beam. No need to have switch in auto position nor pushing start/stop button twice. Killing the engine is enough and locking vehicle after doesn't interrupt welcome home function.

[pokerface]

Related question - is there a way to trigger the welcome lights via remote ? On my F25 tapping the alarm button will turn on the low beams.

[SushiM3]

Originally Posted by zuna13

I guess wording is wrong there, instead of flash (pulling leaver) you have to push it away for activating high beam. No need to have switch in auto position nor pushing start/stop button twice. Killing the engine is enough and locking vehicle after doesn't interrupt welcome home function.

Thanks! This worked perfectly. I feel a little silly that I didn’t try pushing it away instead of towards me. I wish it would just turn on automatically like it would on my previous cars, but I guess I will need to look into coding to get that enabled.

[F82///M]

Originally Posted by pokerface

Related question - is there a way to trigger the welcome lights via remote ? On my F25 tapping the alarm button will turn on the low beams.

Leave headlight switch on auto and whenever you press unlock, even if the vehicle is unlocked it activates. Not sure if it works in daylight, I wasn't paying attention but in dark garage it does.

Originally Posted by SushiM3

Thanks! This worked perfectly. I feel a little silly that I didn’t try pushing it away instead of towards me. I wish it would just turn on automatically like it would on my previous cars, but I guess I will need to look into coding to get that enabled.

If I remember correctly, on all previous bmw generations even back in 90's it used to be pulling the stalk like manual states but it got changed for F8X.

I just checked in Carly there's no option to code it to auto mode, it has to be another German thing, but I know what you mean, my Ford does it as long as headlight switch is in auto mode and without pulling the stalk.

[SushiM3]

Originally Posted by zuna13

If I remember correctly, on all previous bmw generations even back in 90's it used to be pulling the stalk like manual states but it got changed for F8X.

I just checked in Carly there's no option to code it to auto mode, it has to be another German thing, but I know what you mean, my Ford does it as long as headlight switch is in auto mode and without pulling the stalk.

Ah yeah, this is my first BMW! Still figuring out a lot of things related to the iDrive and car systems. I came from Audi, which would trigger them automatically when headlights are in auto as well.