Blind Spot Monitoring light

[E90potentialbuyer]

Guys, the Blind spot monitoring light is not as bright as I would like. I would like it to be bright right or just a brighter color of orange. Anyone ever messed with it to change it? Any help with be appreciated. I am willing to photo document it so others can change it.

There is no reason that a warning light should be as dim as this one. In the daytime it's useless and at night I find myself looking for an extra half second at it. This is one thing about the M5 that has really annoyed me. Volvo, Acura and AMG's have a light that is truly bright and deserving of being called a warning light. BMW's light are just an effing lame attempt at it.

[PEHM5]

That's interesting. Mine are bright! I have no problem seeing them in bright daylight! Maybe your sensor needs to be replaced?

[E90potentialbuyer]

Originally Posted by PEHM5

That's interesting. Mine are bright! I have no problem seeing them in bright daylight! Maybe your sensor needs to be replaced?

Hmm interesting. Mine look washed out - both sides. I didn't think that mine could be bad. But now that you say it, it's possible...

Anyone ever see this problem? Specially those who have this in car from another manufacturer - your comparison would be helpful.

Thanks

[isakhnov]

Same dim lights, essentially useless compared to wheel vibrating.

[Mpire]

same for me. very dimmed look. compared to other brand car's light.
plus the location of the light is very awkward. easy to miss and can't focus the mirror while looking at the light

[E90potentialbuyer]

Originally Posted by mpirestate

same for me. very dimmed look. compared to other brand car's light.
plus the location of the light is very awkward. easy to miss and can't focus the mirror while looking at the light

Yep, the location is awkward. It's neither "here" or "there". I was at the dealer today for something and checked out couple of other M5's. Took a test drive, and it was the "washed out" / "dimmed" look. BMW ought to fix that. I have it on my other non BMW SUV, and it works really well...

[MyF15+F85]

I have the same issue can not see crap....
In my opinion the problem is that my mirror is white, combining it with an orange light..... not a good mix. On a black car however it should be no issues.

That monitoring system should be integrated with HUD or like everybody else does in the glass itself ! Which is natural position when you check your mirrors while changing lanes .

I always thought that this is a safety issue on a part of BMW, another feature that you have to learn to use. To me it is useless piece of technology engineered wrong.


My 5 cents

[E90potentialbuyer]

Originally Posted by MyFten

I have the same issue can not see crap....
In my opinion the problem is that my mirror is white, combining it with an orange light..... not a good mix. On a black car however it should be no issues.

That monitoring system should be integrated with HUD or like everybody else does in the glass itself ! Which is natural position when you check your mirrors while changing lanes .

I always thought that this is a safety issue on a part of BMW, another feature that you have to learn to use. To me it is useless piece of technology engineered wrong.


My 5 cents

Agreed, it has to be either:
1) on the mirror and super bright, or
2) on inside the driver side window and still super bright

AND integrated into HUD.

On my other cars since it's well integrated into either the peripheral vision or in the same "look" set as the mirror, it's a seamless operation. That's a function of location AND brightness of the light. In the M5, the location of light is such that it's neither in my peripheral vision nor in the same "look" set as checking the mirror. It's 2 different steps which make it utterly useless.

Bad user interface BMW. Please fix it!

[Punitive]

Between this and lane assist they are useless features. Coming from a Mercedes, they nailed it. It is lit up in yellow in the lower corner of the glass, then flashes red also mutes music etc. to let you know of an alert.

[Mpire]

fo sho MB blind spot is superb compare to BMW

[Maverick997]

I have Black Saphire Metallic and concur it's pretty useless.....window tint didn't help either but was useless before as well....mine also isn't very sensitive I've had close calls when it didn't light up too......

[HappyMan]

In my region blind spot feature is not available. Because of everyone drives like there is no rules. Crazy

[platinum903]

Sorry to bump such an old thread, but I just took delivery of mine this week and drove it back to Texas from the PC in South Carolina and I was thinking something was wrong with mine or something. Coming from a Lexus GS, the Blind Spot Warning system was amazing and I completely trusted it. On the M5, it doesn't even work 75% of the time and I have absolutely no confidence whatsoever in it. Can't believe what a POS that and the Lane Departure Warning system are on this car.

[avlnch]

It's placed there so it's visible to the driver and not everyone else.

There is a minimum speed limit for blind spot monitoring to work. I believe it's around 30-40mph. It can however be coded to start working at 15mph+

Some people rely completely on technology to even change lanes these days. If you are driving looking straight ahead you can see the light at night. If looking at the mirror during day/night it's hard not to see the yellow light.

[E90potentialbuyer]

Originally Posted by avlnch

It's placed there so it's visible to the driver and not everyone else.

There is a minimum speed limit for blind spot monitoring to work. I believe it's around 30-40mph. It can however be coded to start working at 15mph+

Some people rely completely on technology to even change lanes these days. If you are driving looking straight ahead you can see the light at night. If looking at the mirror during day/night it's hard not to see the yellow light.

I can't. I have messed with the drivers seat, mirror settings etc. test drove other M5's. Same issue. It's not in the peripheral vision when looking straight. I tried with sunglasses and without, windows up and down. Have to specifically focus on them to see which makes it completely useless since I may as well look behind and mirrors - which is what I do.

On my xc90, MDX, parents MB S class and my brothers E class, this is completely not an issue. My brother complained of the same thing when he drove my car and he is a lifelong MB driver.

What have you done different that this is not an issue for you? My light is on, and Lane keep assist works fine. It's just too dim.

[frisky]

Interesting to read comments from people that either dont find it useful or just cant see it. It works perfectly for me and I find the steering vibration also very helpful. Of course you should always still look at the mirrors before turning but I find the detection system and warning lights give me that extra level of confidence - especially in these early days when Im still learning the size of the car etc...

[E90potentialbuyer]

Originally Posted by frisky

Interesting to read comments from people that either dont find it useful or just cant see it. It works perfectly for me and I find the steering vibration also very helpful. Of course you should always still look at the mirrors before turning but I find the detection system and warning lights give me that extra level of confidence - especially in these early days when Im still learning the size of the car etc...

Yes I do the same (check mirrors and glance back) regardless. Checking the Warning light is an extra measure. The steering vibration works well.

What I'm trying to say is that the warning light is never in peripheral vision. In my other cars, I can check the mirror and see the warning light at the same time, and also do a glance back. In this car, it's 3 steps. I have to check the mirrors, then readjust my eyes to check the light and (habitually) glance back some times. If the light was incorporated in a way that checking the mirrors also gave the blind spot warning info (which is by the way what every other car company seems to be doing) then the blind spot warning would be helpful.

[avlnch]

It could be the way you are sitting. Are you sitting far back enough? Move your seat back some and the backrest back a little. See if that helps.

Personally, the drivers mirror is easily seen in my peripheral vision. I also happen to score very well at the white dot game, featured at your local eye doctors office. No, but seriously it's not too difficult to see. Try sitting differently?

[platinum903]

I think it's just the design. On my Lexus, the BSM is on the outside of the actual mirror and lights up. You can't miss it if you are looking in the mirror. On the M5, you actually have to look to the inside of the mirror before looking in the mirror itself (and then half the time it doesn't work anyway).

[E90potentialbuyer]

Originally Posted by avlnch

It could be the way you are sitting. Are you sitting far back enough? Move your seat back some and the backrest back a little. See if that helps.

Personally, the drivers mirror is easily seen in my peripheral vision. I also happen to score very well at the white dot game, featured at your local eye doctors office. No, but seriously it's not too difficult to see. Try sitting differently?

Eyes are just fine! I sit normally (upright and not leaned back) for a 6'0" adult.

It can't be because car's wide. XC90, MDX and S class are similar width, if not wider. And in those cars with a similar seating position there is absolutely 0 issue. It's the stupid BMW design.

[BMWM5NYC]

In the night time I can see it in my peripheral vision. In the day time when I look towards the mirror I see it easily. Then again I ride sport motorcycles so I basically can see an ant walking on the side of the road.

[MyF15+F85]

OK have to chime again...

I have gotten a few of the cars in the past as well, so I do have the right to a fair assessment here. I'm not going to brag about them, but for sure Merc has it better. Now I think I have resolved my BMW issue, but it want a different way.
I have bought the european glass side mirrors which do have such wide angle that it is impossible to NOT see what's at either side of the car.
Yes, in all fairness I have done the same thing to my GL ( european side glass mirrors ) and it made a difference in visibility there too.

To me still driving both cars having direct comparison Merc has done it better hands down, the warning system is placed in a better more logical location.
Yes you can adjust the seat ( yourself ) in order to get a better vision, but to me it comes down to this.

This car is supposed to fit ME ( the customer ) not the other way around, sorry

I love my M5 and I'm going to keep it for some time yet, I bought it for a different reason. That is my 5 cents worth again.