[Xeno]

I had a foggy commute at 5 am this morning. I tried at least three times to activate the fog lights and each time saw the message "fog lights not available".

This happened while on a turnpike. Once off the turnpike, I tried again and now the fog lights came on as expected. I had not noticed such behavior before, but perhaps I was not paying close attention.

I searched but did not notice a like thread so what might explain this episode?

[nZtiZia]

were your high beams on (manual or auto)? (i know... many of us were taught to never put on high beams in fog, but we can't assume anything.)
car is defaulted to disable fog lights while high beams are activated.

[iconoclast]

Correct. They can be coded to have all light up but from the factory it is disabled with highbeam.

[thereef510]

I wish there was an option to always have the fog lights on, instead of me manually turning them on every time I'm driving at night.

[iconoclast]

They're only meant to be used in the fog and if you're driving in the fog you shouldn't have highbeams on to begin with as you're blinding yourself instead of creating a large field of view.

[Xeno]

My headlights are set to auto and while driving on the turnpike that means the laser lights were on.

I do not turn on regular headlights manually when driving in fog, but lasers seem to be an advantage in fog all this week plus I do not remember this combination ending as it did today.

[iconoclast]

When I drive in fog I leave the headlights in Auto and simply enable the fog light before driving off. From that point on I don't have to worry about enabling or disabling any sort of lighting and may focus on driving.

[Xeno]

Originally Posted by iconoclast

When I drive in fog I leave the headlights in Auto and simply enable the fog light before driving off. From that point on I don't have to worry about enabling or disabling any sort of lighting and may focus on driving.

I tried to test this approach this morning, but I am unsure about the results.

I turned on the fog lights before putting the G05 in gear. While on the turnpike, I pushed the fog lights button while the laser headlights were on and again got the message "fog lights currently not available".

Did I dream this or are the fog lights disabled once the automated headlights are activated?

[Auricom]

Just chiming in and this is the default behavior from the factory and my observations - front fog lights are switched off when high beams are on.

If headlights are on AUTO and HBA is on AUTO and you switch on the front fog lights, the front fog lights will switch between on with low beams and off with high beams.

[javapro]

Along the same lines, anyone has any idea how to keep headlights in auto and have fog lights on? I have headlights switch in auto by default and turn on the fog lights in my indoor garage, i. e. all the lights come in since it’s relatively dark. Now, when I get out of the garage during daytime, the headlights don’t turn off even though the automatic headlights button is on. If I don’t turn on the fog lights while in the garage, the headlights turn off when I am out. It seems like turning the fog lights on disables the auto headlights function.

[Auricom]

Originally Posted by javapro

Along the same lines, anyone has any idea how to keep headlights in auto and have fog lights on? I have headlights switch in auto by default and turn on the fog lights in my indoor garage, i. e. all the lights come in since it's relatively dark. Now, when I get out of the garage during daytime, the headlights don't turn off even though the automatic headlights button is on. If I don't turn on the fog lights while in the garage, the headlights turn off when I am out. It seems like turning the fog lights on disables the auto headlights function.

This is the default behavior.

Ja turning on the front fog lights changes the AUTO head light functionality to low beams always on with fogs until your switch it back to AUTO or turn off your vehicle.

Updated behavior - Pressing AUTO again will NOT [corrected] return automatic headlight control to default.

[iconoclast]

Originally Posted by Xeno

I tried to test this approach this morning, but I am unsure about the results.

I turned on the fog lights before putting the G05 in gear. While on the turnpike, I pushed the fog lights button while the laser headlights were on and again got the message "fog lights currently not available".

Do not press the fog light button manually. If you turned it on before driving and the headlights are set to AUTO... leave it alone. They will do what they have to do.

[javapro]

Originally Posted by iconoclast

Do not press the fog light button manually. If you turned it on before driving and the headlights are set to AUTO... leave it alone. They will do what they have to do.

How can I not press the fog lights button manually? I like to have them on all the time and as you know I think on all BMWs you have to turn the fog lights on every time you start the car.

[iconoclast]

Let's try this again. Fog lights are for fog and are not headlights. If you want to have them on all the time then leave it in Auto and press the fog light button before driving off. Then the ECU will do what it does best from there and you focus on driving.

[javapro]

Originally Posted by iconoclast

Let's try this again. Fog lights are for fog and are not headlights. If you want to have them on all the time then leave it in Auto and press the fog light button before driving off. Then the ECU will do what it does best from there and you focus on driving.

We are going in circles. As Auricom pointed out and as I found out as well, pressing the fog lights button cancel auto low beams and makes them stay always on. I want the fog lights and low beams to be both on and in auto mode.

[javapro]

Originally Posted by Auricom

This is the default behavior.

Ja turning on the front fog lights changes the AUTO head light functionality to low beams always on with fogs until your switch it back to AUTO or turn off your vehicle.

Pressing AUTO again will return automatic headlight control to default.

Are you sure that pressing auto after pressing the fog lights button will return everything to auto? That's what I also thought but I don't think it does.

[Xeno]

Part of the equation for me it determining if the fog lights are on when the fog is not thick while driving on the turnpike. That was the reason I tested to see what would happen when auto headlights turned on lasers while rolling at highway speeds.

[Auricom]

Originally Posted by javapro

Are you sure that pressing auto after pressing the fog lights button will return everything to auto? That's what I also thought but I don't think it does.

Here's a quick video I made in regards to your inquiry.

My headlight control and HBA (high-beam assist) controls are set to AUTO as shown in the video. Since it's evening, the low beam headlights automatically come on when I start the vehicle.

00:02 seconds - I press the front fog lights switch, the front fog light indicator in the KOMBI is illuminated (right side of KOMBI green indicator) including message that fog lights are ON. AUTO headlight control and HBA is still ON including low beam LEDs.

00:07 seconds - I press the front fog lights switch again, the front fog light indicator in the KOMBI turns off and message displays that fog lights are OFF. AUTO headlight control and HBA is still ON including low beam LEDs.

Now if this was to take place during the day, low beam headlights do not automatically come on. Pressing front fog lights switch, will turn on the low beam LEDs and front fog lights. Pressing the front fog lights again, will turn off the front fog lights and the low beam LEDs.

YouTube is still processing the HD/4K video /sigh

[javapro]

Originally Posted by Auricom

Here's a quick video I made in regards to your inquiry.

My headlight control and HBA (high-beam assist) controls are set to AUTO as shown in the video. Since it's evening, the low beam headlights automatically come on when I start the vehicle.

00:02 seconds - I press the front fog lights switch, the front fog light indicator in the KOMBI is illuminated (right side of KOMBI green indicator) including message that fog lights are ON. AUTO headlight control and HBA is still ON including low beam LEDs.

00:07 seconds - I press the front fog lights switch again, the front fog light indicator in the KOMBI turns off and message displays that fog lights are OFF. AUTO headlight control and HBA is still ON including low beam LEDs.

Now if this was to take place during the day, low beam headlights do not automatically come on. Pressing front fog lights switch, will turn on the low beam LEDs and front fog lights. Pressing the front fog lights again, will turn off the front fog lights and the low beam LEDs.

YouTube is still processing the HD/4K video /sigh

Thank you for going out of the way to make this video. Yes, I understand all that and that’s how I thought it should work. However, when I press the fog lights button and it’s dark and the AUTO headlight control is on (i. e. low beams are on), the lights don’t seem to turn off when I get out of the garage during daytime even though the AUTO headlight button is still on along with the fog lights one. I’ll test it again to make sure but that’s how the system behaved a few times I tried it.

[iconoclast]

Originally Posted by javapro

We are going in circles. As Auricom pointed out and as I found out as well, pressing the fog lights button cancel auto low beams and makes them stay always on. I want the fog lights and low beams to be both on and in auto mode.

When I turn on my vehicle in the evening and have the headlights in "Auto" then press fog light button the headlights and the fog lights are on. The ECU will toggle the fog light on and off if and when the high beam is enabled. If you want them on all the time even with the high beam you have to have them coded for that functionality. I am not sure what the issue is here. Use them as designed which is when there is fog.

[Auricom]

Originally Posted by javapro

Thank you for going out of the way to make this video. Yes, I understand all that and that’s how I thought it should work. However, when I press the fog lights button and it’s dark and the AUTO headlight control is on (i. e. low beams are on), the lights don’t seem to turn off when I get out of the garage during daytime even though the AUTO headlight button is still on along with the fog lights one. I’ll test it again to make sure but that’s how the system behaved a few times I tried it.

No worries. I'll have a look in the morning also.

Other thing off hand I can think of is Pathway lighting, where after exiting the vehicle, the exterior lighting can be switched on for a defined period of time.

CAR > Settings > Exterior lighting > Pathway lighting

But usually the fogs are off for that.

[javapro]

Originally Posted by iconoclast

When I turn on my vehicle in the evening and have the headlights in "Auto" then press fog light button the headlights and the fog lights are on. The ECU will toggle the fog light on and off if and when the high beam is enabled. If you want them on all the time even with the high beam you have to have them coded for that functionality. I am not sure what the issue is here. Use them as designed which is when there is fog.

The issue is that the AUTO low beam function seems to stop working when I turn the fog lights on.