Anyone noticed the extra brake lights?

[Candide13]

I only found out this weekend that my E90 has an extra set of brake lights that come on only under intense braking. I was at a track event and saw it on track footage taken from another car.

Under normal braking just the normal lights on the outside come on. Under intense breaking, additional lights come on in the short bit of the L-shaped lighting cluster; cool.

Now I wonder how the lights are arranged in the E93, where the shape of the cluster is different.

[RR-NYC]

Its mentioned in your manual

[maloo]

Is this different than the Euro Hard Brake Force Flash which I thought had to be coded on US cars?

[Shredicus]

This feature is called BFD or Brake Force Display, different from the euro hard brake flash. This is just a second stage of lights that illuminate when you brake harder than a certain threshold.

The euro brake flash is a third stage basically that flashes the lights rapidly upon abs engagement.

[Blindside_137]

Originally Posted by maloo

Is this different than the Euro Hard Brake Force Flash which I thought had to be coded on US cars?

yes, on the Euro code they flash

this does not

[Flying Ace]

Cool feature, too bad I can't see it in action. But it works well, or so I'm told by the hooker I just threw out my car

[fhaze3]

If you just tossed her out, you really shouldn't be on the brakes. But that's just me.

[EJT86]

Originally Posted by Flying Ace

Cool feature, too bad I can't see it in action. But it works well, or so I'm told by the hooker I just threw out my car

Hookers have feelings too ya know!

[JoeKixxon]

Originally Posted by Shredicus

This feature is called BFD or Brake Force Display, different from the euro hard brake flash. This is just a second stage of lights that illuminate when you brake harder than a certain threshold.

The euro brake flash is a third stage basically that flashes the lights rapidly upon abs engagement.

BFD alright.

(I kid. I kid because I love my M3)

[AMG_LAWL]

My buddy has told me that my lights flash like F1 cars in the rear when I brake heavily lol

[Ezio]

anyone got a video ? i wanna see it in action

[BimmerRookie]

Originally Posted by Ezio

anyone got a video ? i wanna see it in action

me too!

[burtonsbs5114]

I wanna see, I wanna see!!!

[Law]

Adaptive Brake Lights or (Dynamic) Brake Force Display has been a standard safety feature on BMWs since at least the E46 generation.
Below is an E46 sedan demonstration:

Most recently, you can actually see the Brake Force Display on the infamous M4 that hopped the curb. Watch closely and you'll see the primary lamps light up and then the inner [brake force display] bulbs activate shortly thereafter

On the E92 Pre-LCI, the inner bulb also serves this function.
These can be coded to perform an array of motions (2-step/2-stage, blinking, permanently active, active when primary brake lamps active, etc.)
For most intents and purposes the bulb is sometimes identical to the "Rear Fog Lamp" & in those cases, the FRM module treats the lamp as a "Rear Fog" during coding. In tail lamps where the rear fog lamps are independent from the Brake Force Display lamps, the rear fog lamps can still be coded to act as an additional brake lamp in any combination.
Below is a demonstration of the E92 Pre-LCI, but the concept is consistent for pretty much all modern BMWs.

More examples:
E46 coupe facelift:
On the E46 coupe LEDs, the outer half ring surrounding the primary brake lamps act as the Brake Force Display. The inner tail lamp of the "L" acts as a rear fog. In this case, the rear fog and brake force displays are separate.





E90 pre-LCI
Inactive:

Active:


E85/E86


E60 LCI


E61 LCI

[grantmax]

Originally Posted by Flying Ace

Cool feature, too bad I can't see it in action. But it works well, or so I'm told by the hooker I just threw out my car

Did she text you or something? Time to toss that burner.

Get Euro coding to have cool brake flashes.

[Flying Ace]

Originally Posted by fhaze3

If you just tossed her out, you really shouldn't be on the brakes. But that's just me.

Well I had to slow down from a high rate of speed. I slow down in highway construction zones, it's just me.

[Flying Ace]

Originally Posted by grantmax

Did she text you or something? Time to toss that burner.

Get Euro coding to have cool brake flashes.

Nah, next time we met. Didn't appreciate getting pushed out, but it's all good now.


No I don't think feature is worth coding in. You won't be able to enjoy it, IMO

[Beemdog]

Originally Posted by Flying Ace

Well I had to slow down from a high rate of speed. I slow down in highway construction zones, it's just me.

I like the old dirt track way of slowing down-- don't hit the brakes, just pitch it sideways.

[Flying Ace]

On the infamous flying M4, does it active when ECU detect car is not on ground? Like the gyroscope detects serious driver?

[Law]

Originally Posted by Flying Ace

On the infamous flying M4, does it active when ECU detect car is not on ground? Like the gyroscope detects serious driver?

Negative, Brake Force Display relies solely on brake pedal input relative to speed.

The fact that the M4 took flight simultaneously is just coincidence.

[grantmax]

Originally Posted by Flying Ace

Nah, next time we met. Didn't appreciate getting pushed out, but it's all good now.


No I don't think feature is worth coding in. You won't be able to enjoy it, IMO

I slam on the brakes at 30mph anytime I'm next to a mirrored window. If you look hard, you can see the flashing.

[EJT86]

Great! Just One more obstacle when I try to pull off insurance scams