Ceramic iDrive controller LEDs

[ramsal]

I recently drove a courtesy BMW with non-ceramic iDrive controller and noticed that the top of the knob has an LED outline which lights up nicely at night. Once I got in my own vehicle I noticed that my knob does not seem to have this and I'm wondering if the light is not working or just not there with these ceramic variants. Just to be clear i'm not talking about the lighting which outlines the knob at the base but a circular light on top of the knob.

[NPickles]

Originally Posted by ramsal

I recently drove a courtesy BMW with non-ceramic iDrive controller and noticed that the top of the knob has an LED outline which lights up nicely at night. Once I got in my own vehicle I noticed that my knob does not seem to have this and I'm wondering if the light is not working or just not there with these ceramic variants. Just to be clear i'm not talking about the lighting which outlines the knob at the base but a circular light on top of the knob.

I don't have the ceramic controls in mine and it doesn't light up as you describe.
Was the courtesy an F15 or something else, maybe it didn't have the touchpad on top of the iDrive control which makes the difference?

[BXdriver]

Non-ceramic, with touch and light.
Sorry, no experience from others..

Bent

[ramsal]

Originally Posted by BXdriver

Non-ceramic, with touch and light.
Sorry, no experience from others..

Bent

Thanks for posting the picture. The courtesy vehicle I drove was an F15 X5 and looked exactly like your picture. My ceramic knob does not have the ring light on top - is it supposed to have one? Anyone out there with a ceramic knob and a light??

[1230vani]

Originally Posted by ramsal

Thanks for posting the picture. The courtesy vehicle I drove was an F15 X5 and looked exactly like your picture. My ceramic knob does not have the ring light on top - is it supposed to have one? Anyone out there with a ceramic knob and a light??

its not lit with ceramic. btw thanks for pointing it out, now i wish it had light!

[opasha]

Mine is non-ceramic and does not light up. It must be a new 2015 thing.

[Chloros]

Originally Posted by opasha

Mine is non-ceramic and does not light up. It must be a new 2015 thing.

Mine is non ceramic and it does light up. I have a 2014 3.5 M Sport

[opasha]

Originally Posted by Chloros

Mine is non ceramic and it does light up. I have a 2014 3.5 M Sport

Interesting. I wonder if it's an M-Sport feature. I have an X-line 50i.

[ramsal]

Originally Posted by opasha

Interesting. I wonder if it's an M-Sport feature. I have an X-line 50i.

Hi Opasha, the courtesy X5 I drove was 2014 and was not M-Sport.

[MattBianco]

Nothing blows like unexplained inconsistency. I hope it is tied to a set of features, and explained away.

[c3uo]

Lights package? Just a thought.

[opasha]

Originally Posted by c3uo

Lights package? Just a thought.

Hm...maybe. I don't have LED lighting package.

[c3uo]

Not LED lighting package, but lights package (Code 563) that lets you change your interior dash lighting from red, blue, etc.

I'm not sure (I don't yet own an X5), but have been toiling over the options / option codes.

[opasha]

Originally Posted by c3uo

Not LED lighting package, but lights package (Code 563) that lets you change your interior dash lighting from red, blue, etc.

I'm not sure (I don't yet own an X5), but have been toiling over the options / option codes.

You mean Ambient lighting? That's standard, so that can't be it. As far as the other lighting, I have 4-zone climate control so all my knobs light up, so that can't be it either.

[MattBianco]

It looks like only two variants of the controller, depending on the market:

Units 1 and 2 here, and one is not touch based: http://www.etk.cc/bmw/EN/search/sele...SA/65/65_2485/

[hyde]

Originally Posted by MattBianco

Nothing blows like unexplained inconsistency. I hope it is tied to a set of features, and explained away.

You said it! But it's all fun.

Originally Posted by MattBianco

It looks like only two variants of the controller, depending on the market:

Units 1 and 2 here, and one is not touch based: http://www.etk.cc/bmw/EN/search/sele...SA/65/65_2485/

That's E70 and F15. I don't think any F15 has the one on the left.
All Fxx's I test drove has the one on the right, the beefy one which made my E70 one feel like a toy after driving Fxx.
I also remember seeing one with a cross on it.


Another question, doesn't the base of the dial light up anymore? On my E70 the base has an orange LED tint, not the ring, so maybe some of F15's has an LED tint at the base while others on the ring depending on year? Perhaps we need a new thread asking people to post a picture of their iDrive dial with lights on.

http://www.bmwblog.com/wp-content/uploads/idrive-1.jpg

[MattBianco]

Originally Posted by Golden Horn

....
That's E70 and F15. I don't think any F15 has the one on the left.....

It looks like Taiwan, Hong Kong, china, Japan get "1" without pro navigation. unless I am playing wrong with the filter: http://www.etk.cc/bmw/EN/search/sele...SA/65/65_2485/

So far in this forum I have seen one case of a wrong inside panel on a rear door (was not leather like the rest), one LED ambient light connector left unconnected, and universal garage door opener missing on a US model (standard).

[opasha]

Originally Posted by MattBianco

It looks like Taiwan, Hong Kong, china, Japan get "1" without pro navigation. unless I am playing wrong with the filter: http://www.etk.cc/bmw/EN/search/sele...SA/65/65_2485/

So far in this forum I have seen one case of a wrong inside panel on a rear door (was not leather like the rest), one LED ambient light connector left unconnected, and universal garage door opener missing on a US model (standard).

You are correct. Here's the full OEM list for both kinds: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...85&hg=65&fg=50.

It's a really expensive part: http://www.bmwpartsupply.com/OEMPart...829327170.html. Price is around $600-$700.

[ramsal]

With the lighting/LED package I only have lights on the iDrive buttons, nothing on the knob itself.

[hyde]

Originally Posted by MattBianco

It looks like Taiwan, Hong Kong, china, Japan get "1" without pro navigation. unless I am playing wrong with the filter: http://www.etk.cc/bmw/EN/search/sele...SA/65/65_2485/

Wow, good investigation!

As for missing homelink, is it possible that SA revised an order that was meant for Canada and SC forgot to add the mirror.. anyway I should post this in his thread.

[hyde]

Originally Posted by ramsal

With the lighting/LED package I only have lights on the iDrive buttons, nothing on the knob itself.

OK, here we go.
Is this a Canada thing? Maybe they still don't get the knob even with Lighting/LED package? (Do you mean LED Ambient?

[buckeyewalt]

I just checked my 2014 X5 50i/LED M-Sport and doesn't have the lighted ring. Looked at all of the settings and there is nothing I can do to turn it on, assuming if I have that option.