[PhilR]

After owning my E90 for nearly 18 months I discovered something that made me smile to day -oh what a sad life I must have.

Quite often I have accidentally turned my indicator on for the opposite direction when cancelling the indicator manually by flicking the stalk back to centre and over doing it - happens quite often too.

You know the drill, try and get the 3 flash lane change but press to hard and it stays on so you push the other way and oooops gone to far and winks the other side.....

But today I realised the indicators (when not doing the 3 flash thingy) can be cancelled by pushing the stalk in the same direction as when first activated.

It's only a little thing and I am bound to get loads of you telling me you already knew and have read the handbook......but I thought it was a really good idea - I can recall BMW being criticised for the indicator operation.

Go on try it.......it works

PhilR

[I335]

I just discovered this recently too, but I keep forgetting to use it!

[NFS]

Originally Posted by PhilR

After owning my E90 for nearly 18 months I discovered something that made me smile to day -oh what a sad life I must have.

Quite often I have accidentally turned my indicator on for the opposite direction when cancelling the indicator manually by flicking the stalk back to centre and over doing it - happens quite often too.

You know the drill, try and get the 3 flash lane change but press to hard and it stays on so you push the other way and oooops gone to far and winks the other side.....

But today I realised the indicators (when not doing the 3 flash thingy) can be cancelled by pushing the stalk in the same direction as when first activated.

It's only a little thing and I am bound to get loads of you telling me you already knew and have read the handbook......but I thought it was a really good idea - I can recall BMW being criticised for the indicator operation.

Go on try it.......it works

PhilR

I can't believe it took you 18 months

Did you know you can switch the triple turn off if you like as well?

[dlwhite]

Everyday on Rt 78 in NJ I see people tackling the indicator issue.
I used to think BMW drivers couldn't make up their mind as to where they wanted to go!

[gr4z]

Kewl - had my e92 for 5 months and didn't know this thanks.

[LRS]

Another good one is the way to cancel local radio traffic reports that suddenly take over your national radio station by using the Up & Down Arrow switch on the right hand side of the steering wheel. Press ether up or down arrow and you instantly return to your national radio station.

[NFS]

Originally Posted by LRS

Another good one is the way to cancel local radio traffic reports that suddenly take over your national radio station by using the Up & Down Arrow switch on the right hand side of the steering wheel. Press ether up or down arrow and you instantly return to your national radio station.

If only there was a way to stop the traffic reports cutting in at deafeningly loud volume when listening to radio 4.

Puts me right off when I'm listening to the Archers of a lunchtime.

[tmarshall57]

Originally Posted by NFS

If only there was a way to stop the traffic reports cutting in at deafeningly loud volume when listening to radio 4.

Puts me right off when I'm listening to the Archers of a lunchtime.

Theoretically the volume of traffic reports can be reduced permanently by turning down the volume during a traffic announcement. Not sure it works permanently though in practice. Same with Nav voice.

Tony

[NFS]

Originally Posted by tmarshall57

Theoretically the volume of traffic reports can be reduced permanently by turning down the volume during a traffic announcement. Not sure it works permanently though in practice. Same with Nav voice.

Tony

It doesn't work in practice unfortunately. Mainly because of the difference in volume between radio stations.

So assume you adjust the volume to accord with radio 1. You then switch to radio 4 or aux input and have to turn the radio volume up and when the traffic next kicks in it deafens you.

[booforty]

Originally Posted by NFS

You then switch to radio 4 or aux input and have to turn the radio volume up and when the traffic next kicks in it deafens you.

Pardon?

[mgarvey]

I think I discovered the indicator trick on the first day I bought the car, and now use it all the time.

In fact, it took me longer to work out how to use the intermittent wipers - pressing the button on the end isn't exactly the obvious thing to do when all the other wiper settings are activated by pushing the stalk up or down.

[kend]

Originally Posted by NFS

It doesn't work in practice unfortunately. Mainly because of the difference in volume between radio stations.

So assume you adjust the volume to accord with radio 1. You then switch to radio 4 or aux input and have to turn the radio volume up and when the traffic next kicks in it deafens you.

There is a menu place where you can set a seperate volume level for TP announcements. Not sure where it is. This lets you listen to the source at one level and then automatically changes to the annoucement volume when TP is activated. Also useful for travel with passengers radio on but no volume and you still get traffic reports.

[SeanC]

Originally Posted by mgarvey

I think I discovered the indicator trick on the first day I bought the car, and now use it all the time.

In fact, it took me longer to work out how to use the intermittent wipers - pressing the button on the end isn't exactly the obvious thing to do when all the other wiper settings are activated by pushing the stalk up or down.

What would be really good if the auto wipe mode remembered to stay on when you cycle the ignition.....

Because you can't see the little green LED on the end of the stalk as its hidden by the steering wheel, you forget to turn it back on until it starts to rain....

This can't be changed in iDrive but I wonder if the dealer can program it in?

[NFS]

Originally Posted by SeanC

What would be really good if the auto wipe mode remembered to stay on when you cycle the ignition.....

Because you can't see the little green LED on the end of the stalk as its hidden by the steering wheel, you forget to turn it back on until it starts to rain....

This can't be changed in iDrive but I wonder if the dealer can program it in?

This would be good up until the day that you started the car and drove off to the car wash with the rainsor active

[330cdsport]

Originally Posted by SeanC

Because you can't see the little green LED on the end of the stalk as its hidden by the steering wheel....

This is one thing that annoys me - the fact you can never tell if the rain sensing mode is on or not.

[gr4z]

Originally Posted by PhilR

After owning my E90 for nearly 18 months I discovered something that made me smile to day -oh what a sad life I must have.

Quite often I have accidentally turned my indicator on for the opposite direction when cancelling the indicator manually by flicking the stalk back to centre and over doing it - happens quite often too.

You know the drill, try and get the 3 flash lane change but press to hard and it stays on so you push the other way and oooops gone to far and winks the other side.....

But today I realised the indicators (when not doing the 3 flash thingy) can be cancelled by pushing the stalk in the same direction as when first activated.

It's only a little thing and I am bound to get loads of you telling me you already knew and have read the handbook......but I thought it was a really good idea - I can recall BMW being criticised for the indicator operation.

Go on try it.......it works

PhilR

So weird, tried this morning and it doesnt work!?!? Is it because I have a 08 car? If you push the stalk again the same direction nothing happens!

[I335]

Works on my '08...

[xenon]

and mine.

[LRS]

Another cool one - and probably widely known, is pushing the iDrive knob and holding it, to change to another main screen.

To illustrate: While in Navigation screen:

• Push & hold knob to the Back > Screen changes to Entertainment
• Push & hold knob to the Left > Screen changes to Climate
• Push & hold knob Forward > Screen changes to Communication

• Push & hold knob to the Right > Screen changes back to Navigation

A very quick way to move around!

[NFS]

Originally Posted by gr4z

So weird, tried this morning and it doesnt work!?!? Is it because I have a 08 car? If you push the stalk again the same direction nothing happens!

Just push it a little way.

It's a pressure switch, Light pressure activates the triple turn signal or cancels indication. Pushing further past the pressure point activates the full turn signal.

[alcook]

Originally Posted by LRS

Another cool one - and probably widely known, is pushing the iDrive knob and holding it, to change to another main screen.

To illustrate: While in Navigation screen:

• Push & hold knob to the Back > Screen changes to Entertainment
• Push & hold knob to the Left > Screen changes to Climate
• Push & hold knob Forward > Screen changes to Communication

• Push & hold knob to the Right > Screen changes back to Navigation

A very quick way to move around!

That's new to me!
Saves a single Menu Button press... or an option to saying ''FM''....etc