[joepublic]

Hi,

I have a new UK X1 F48 with BMW tow bar. When I plug in a bike carrier that has a 13 pin connector and switch on the fog lights, the rear fog lights on the X1 do not illuminate. The fog light on the bike carrier does illuminate.

When I unplug the carrier electrics, then both of the X1 rear fog lights work OK.

I contacted my garage to see if this was a feature or a fault. Their opinion (but not an official BMW statement), was this was to be expected.

Given that bikes don't totally obscure the car's own lights, especially if there are no bikes on the rack, I don't think this is particularly good.

Anyway, does anyone else have the BMW tow bar (option 235) on a F48 & can confirm this is how the fog lights work on their car?

Thanks

[E90Fleet]

As far as I have seen ,this is standard behavior for all German and possibly all European makes.
Anything plugged into the tow bar electrical connector will disable the cars rear fog lights.

The car has no way of knowing whether it is just a small bike rack or a large trailer or whether the fog lights are obscured or not, so they disable them whenever anything is plugged in.

[Will22]

Originally Posted by joepublic

Hi,

I have a new UK X1 F48 with BMW tow bar. When I plug in a bike carrier that has a 13 pin connector and switch on the fog lights, the rear fog lights on the X1 do not illuminate. The fog light on the bike carrier does illuminate.

When I unplug the carrier electrics, then both of the X1 rear fog lights work OK.

I contacted my garage to see if this was a feature or a fault. Their opinion (but not an official BMW statement), was this was to be expected.

Given that bikes don't totally obscure the car's own lights, especially if there are no bikes on the rack, I don't think this is particularly good.

Anyway, does anyone else have the BMW tow bar (option 235) on a F48 & can confirm this is how the fog lights work on their car?

Thanks

Do you not have a lights or a light board on your bike rack? If you don't you should and if you have it should have a fog light in it.

The reason it doesn't work when the 13 pin plug is in use is because if you have a trailer, especially an aluminium one and you turn on the rear fog lights it is like there is a spaceship landing on the rear of your car with the brightness of the fogs reflecting off the trailer.