Code out full time headlights...

[garz747]

My car is south of Barrie<Ont. Im wondering if there is any forum member nearby that could help me code out the full headlights system on at all times. Its a nuisance and was required when the PO brought car into Canada years ago.

[belcom]

I could try but my old laptop died and don't have ISTA/INPA/NCS Expert etc installed right now. I do plan to re-install on my new laptop but need to buy a large hard drive for this. But if this is something that can be done with Carly then my buddy has one.

[maupineda]

i coded mine out. my car is canada spec. need to find my back up as I cannot remember off memory what were the changes, but is also somewhere in this forum

[Huz-Z]

The daytime running light requirement in Canada that turns on the headlights is a safety practice that is intended to increase the visibility of the car to drivers of oncoming traffic. Given that these cars are small, I think that anything that makes them more noticeable to other drivers is desirable and will lower the risk of you being involved in an accident.

[pungo]

Originally Posted by Huz-Z

The daytime running light requirement in Canada that turns on the headlights is a safety practice that is intended to increase the visibility of the car to drivers of oncoming traffic. Given that these cars are small, I think that anything that makes them more noticeable to other drivers is desirable and will lower the risk of you being involved in an accident.

With that said, I wonder if they were in an accident, especially with a serious injury and or a death, it was found the requirement for headlights being on were disabled, then the insurance company could deny coverage for defeating required safety equipment. Not saying this is going to happen, though a good lawyer and laws may prove the owner fully liable...

[Huz-Z]

Originally Posted by pungo

With that said, I wonder if they were in an accident, especially with a serious injury and or a death, it was found the requirement for headlights being on were disabled, then the insurance company could deny coverage for defeating required safety equipment. Not saying this is going to happen, though a good lawyer and laws may prove the owner fully liable...

That’s definitely a risk for anyone in Canada who disables the Canadian spec daytime running light feature on their car. I think though that the risk could be criminal re making an illegal modification that contributed to someone suffering serious harm, and also civil liability for the same reason. If the insurance provider had clauses that require the car to be maintained in compliance with applicable laws, then potentially there goes your insurance coverage too.

For folks driving in the US, I don’t think it’s currently a requirement (but guys please confirm to be sure) so legal risk may not be a concern. Having said that though, given the safety benefits, I would hope that folks would want this and not disable it, particularly if a family member uses the car or is a passenger from time to time.

[garz747]

Im not talking about killing the drl's- I have full xenon headlights, rear tailights, licence plate light etc on at all times!

[Clearancediver]

Given your title with basically no information and this update I don’t think anybody knows what exactly you’re trying to accomplish and what you want to do

[bosstones]

Admittedly, I don't know much about Cannuck spec cars, but I'm assuming it is not normal for the lights (non-DRL) to be on all the time unless they are manually set to ON. Given that is a sound assumption, why would tweaking SW would fix it? If anything, it sounds like a HW fix. Has anyone messed with the wire harnessing?

[Huz-Z]

Seeing as I live up here in Canada, DRLs up here mean that typically, the main headlights turn on when the engine is running, even though the headlight switch is in the OFF position. Taillights and marker lights are also off, unless they are switched on manually, or are activated when the light switch is in the AUTO position.

US spec DRLs light up the inner halos only. I know that because when I imported my car into Canada from Florida, the dealer got confused by my ask to set up DRL on my car and coded in the American spec by mistake.

[pungo]

FWIW, here are all the parameter for coding the LSZ module (best opened in something like notepad++).
As Clearancediver mentioned, not exactly sure what the OP is attempting to accomplish

E85-LSZ.C36-ModuleFunctions.txt

[Huz-Z]

I think that garz747 is saying that headlights and taillights are on all the time and he can’t drive in the daytime with only the DRLs lit .

[Clearancediver]

Sounds like a hardware issue in that case… with the light switch …

Try using electrical cleaner or replace… if that is the circumstance…

[garz747]

Yes Huz-Z! This is what I am trying to say. The only thing the headlight switch does is turn on/off the illumination of the instrument lights. I just want the DRLs. If i need the rear tailights etc I would be able to activate with dash switch.

[Clearancediver]

I’m talking about this switch….on the dash (if it properly attaches)

This isn’t a coding issue that you have but a hardware issue. Or it’s a wiring issue if you upgraded the headlights.

I also would clean all your GM5/connections just to make sure that there isn’t a dirty connection there as well.

I would also run diagnostics with ISTAD and see what faults etc may be occurring and chase them down if present.

[pokeybritches]

Originally Posted by Clearancediver

I’m talking about this switch….on the dash (if it properly attaches)

This isn’t a coding issue that you have but a hardware issue. Or it’s a wiring issue if you upgraded the headlights.

I also would clean all your GM5/connections just to make sure that there isn’t a dirty connection there as well.

I would also run diagnostics with ISTAD and see what faults etc may be occurring and chase them down if present.

A coding change is required. Canadian spec cars are coded so that the headlights are on when the engine is running, regardless of the position of the switch.

I imported a Z4M from Canada, and I changed the coding so that I could turn the headlights off with the switch. Otherwise, I would have blinded the guards at work every time I rolled up. I could come up with plenty of other use cases for needing the switch to function as intended, but ultimately I just like having control of the car.

OP, the text document that pungo posted has your answer.

[Clearancediver]

Canadian here… with Cdn spec’d car….

I’m presuming OP’s car is Cdn spec’d as well.

Drl’s can be coded on or off in Cdn spec’d car… once coded off they are off….same for any other light coded off they don’t come on again until coded active.

To be very clear… Cdn DRL’s are not headlights…. They are always “on”… and sure as hell do not blind anyone when they are on. I just went through my light settings with the car ignition on in my garage to confirm that there is a very obvious difference in intensity. When ignition is on DRL’s are active/on… Start car with headlight switch in off position… no change… turn headlight on with switch and headlights are now “on”… Put headlights on in “Auto” and in my garage the headlights came on in the reduced light… as designed.

So… from what I’ve read in this thread is that his headlights etc are always on.

Not sure if they go off if he switches lights to off… but get the feeling that they are on no matter what.

That is abnormal…. And most definitely not a coding issue.

So …. Likely his light switch assembly has an issue…. and first things first… remove/clean and see if that does anything. If not then….. read up on exchanging/replacing LCM and issues…

https://www.google.com/search?q=z4+L...&client=safari

And run a diagnostic check using ISTAD….to diagnose the problem.

[pungo]

Originally Posted by Clearancediver

To be very clear… Cdn DRL’s are not headlights…. They are always “on”… and sure as hell do not blind anyone when they are on. .

To be very clear, when you pull up to a guarded checkpoint for work, they want you to turn your headlights off if possible, they're trying to detect bad guys so they don't want to be staring into a vehicles headlights as you approach them

For my X3, when I enable the DRLs, which are dual Halos, the rear LED tail lights also illuminate.

I included the list parameters for the LSZ module to show just how configurable the lighting system is. I don't believe there's anything wrong with the physical headlight switch in the OP car, rather if they want to change the behavior of the lighting system, it can be accomplished via coding as pokeybritches mentioned

Originally Posted by Clearancediver

Put headlights on in “Auto” and in my garage the headlights came on in the reduced light… as designed.

You probably have Halogen headlights which can use PWM to reduce the light output (dimming), whereas the OP has Bi-Xenon headlights which don't support PWM, so they are either full on or full off, there is no way to dim them.

[Clearancediver]

And as I said… Cdn spec’d Z4’s do not use headlights as DRL’s…

If the OP has done headlight upgrade or something something… it could be a wiring issue caused by the upgrade…

[pungo]

Originally Posted by Clearancediver

And as I said… Cdn spec’d Z4’s do not use headlights as DRL’s…

If the OP has done headlight upgrade or something something… it could be a wiring issue caused by the upgrade…

So which exact bulb do you think a facelift Bi-Xenon headlight equipped Z4 use for the DRL in Canada?
According to the official BMW documentation, for Canada, the Bi-Xenon model headlamp DOES use the headlights for the DRL, along with the Halo and side marker

[Clearancediver]

I have bi-xexon (0522) as per my spec page... I'm a '04

From the E85 Training Manual.... 11 Central Body Electronics.pdf ..page 33 ..... Edit ..I've included cut/paste in case the pdf didn't upload properly.

First they call the switch the LSZ in this manual... pre face lift

Headlights

The E85 headlights are fitted with halogen bulbs as standard for both the low and high beams.
Bi-xenon bulbs are available as an option. If the bi-xenon option is fitted, a dynamic beam- height adjustment system is also fitted. Lighting configurations for the E 85 are as follows:
• US version with halogen headlights without manual beam height adjustment
• US version with dynamic beam-height adjustment and bi-xenon headlights

Bi-xenon Headlights
The optional bi-xenon headlights represent a major advance in road illumination and head- lamp range. Their function is identical to the bi-xenon headlights on the E46.
When the headlights are switched on using the steering column stalk, an electromagnet controls a movable beam-pattern screen in the ellipsoid module of the dipped-beam head- light. That screen then uncovers the high part of the headlight beam.
Note:
If the headlight flasher function is required, the bi-xenon beam-pattern screen is not activated. Only the high-beam headlight (H7) is activated. The bi-xenon light reacts too slowly
to that signal.
Light switch center
The light switch centre controls the entire exterior lighting system. The following compo- nents are integrated in the light switch centre, depending on equipment level.
• Light switch
• Switch for fog lamps
• Dimmer control for dashboard, instrument cluster and locator lighting (terminal 58)
• Photocell for detecting ambient light conditions

The light switch centre has the capability of adjusting the effective voltage at all outputs by means of pulse-width modulation. With the exception of those for the bi-xenon headlights and their beam-pattern screens, all output volt- ages are pulse-width modulated.
Control of the effective voltage levels by pulse- width modulation allows brightness fluctuations due to variations in the load on the vehicle's electrical system to be evened out. The electri- cal system voltage has to be higher than the desired effective voltage.

[maupineda]

My car is a Canada spec, I coded it to EU spec.

My car was FULL ON xenon’s when in DRL mode, and in fact there was not change in intensity. My car is an M Coupe, so there is that nuance. After I coded the car the switch actually worked.

I think coding is what the OP needs if he wants to change his car’s behavior.