[jaj1]

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I've had my eDrive 40 for three months now but only today noticed there is a light in the center console storage compartment. Don't know if I missed it all this time or if it just started going on. My question is about how it turns off. My first guess was that opening and closing the compartment lid would actuate it, but that doesn't seem to be the case (I've simulated closing by holding the latch in, and I don't see or feel anything where the latch fits into when the cover is closed that would cause it to go on and off). Does anyone have an answer? I can't imagine it's been designed to be on 24/7.

[Aatish]

It's probably in the hinge.

[jaj1]

Thanks for the suggestion Aatish. I just went down to the garage to check that out and concluded that it's a timing thing. I turned off all lights, in and outside of the car, and it's clear that the light remains on with the lid closed (you can see through the slight opening that still exists once closed - though it closes quite sufficiently to ensure that if a latch or hinge were responsible, they would be making contact). It was the last of the interior lights to go out, along with the hazards button light on the dash, some minutes after the car was turned off and the door closed.

I realize I'm probably sounding a bit anal, but then again if I truly were it probably wouldn't have taken me three months to notice the light in there. Most importantly, I'm relieved there isn't a light - and a fairly bright one at that - burning continuously and draining battery power when the car is idle. I assume it remains on when the car is on and I still wonder what the rationale is for that. Oh well, in any case having a light in there is a nice touch and I'm sure will sometimes come in handy.

[Space Cadet]

BMW have used a ‘tell-tale’ system that indicates that the car is ‘awake’ with some modules powered. If it is a tell-tale indicator then it may be about 16 minutes before it goes out, at which point the car is officially ‘asleep’. My first BMW (an E53) used the ‘P’ symbol on the auto-shifter in this way and it was used by dealers etc to check whether something in the car was keeping it awake and killing the battery.

If memory serves, the time was due to a logical countdown timer somewhere in the multitude of computers fitted. Being an LED means its power consumption is minuscule.

[jaj1]

That's helpful to know Space. Thanks.

[jmxtrem]

no photos no cool