We noticed for the first time that if you bump the indicator arm getting out of the car, the indicator light will stay on solid? Didn't kill the battery this time, but if it sat for a couple of days, no doubt it would. It's weird because the headlights automatically shut off. This can happen after the key is out of the ignition.

 

I believe that is a Germany carry over (BMW code)... it has to do with the use of parking lights in Germany when parked on a non lit street.

German Parking lights are slightly different then the US style (all side markers front and rear) German is only the road side is required to be lit.

Motor on!

 

So just another cool little quirk is what you're saying.

 

They are called "follow me home lights"...
Think of it as lighting for safety leaving a dark area...like a garage, unlit parking lot...they are on a timer.

 

+1 on the driveway lights or "follow me home". On the Gen 2 they are programmable through the computer on the tach , you can set multiple times.

Remember on Gen 1 you had to have them flashed for longer times by the MINI dealership. I think stock time is 30 or 40 seconds.

 

I know we have the follow me home feature. It's great having the headlights stay on in a dark garage for 3o seconds or so, but something must be wrong if you can turn the indicator on when car is shut off and have it light turn signal lights solid. They stayed on all night, didn't time out?

 

Turning the lights on by TURNING THE SWITCH is simply turning them on..never seen a car NOT LET YOU TURN ON THE LIGHTS WITHOUT A KEY..(factory gen1 xenon's will have the drl's come on and or parking lights, the follow me home would need to be activated to turn them on)....and this WILL kill the battery in about an hour depending on the battery....not sure how you battery ran you headlights on "all night".....
Follow me home is a go ck of the stalk..like activating the high beam....
Now if you are talking of the parking lights, turn lights, etc staying on...you might have a BCM ISSUE...any water issues?

 

It's not turning the headlights on. It's when you shut the car off, if you push the indicator arm up or down, it will turn on the indicator lights solid (no flashing). Only found out about this when my wife accidentally bumped the indicator arm getting out of the car, so the indicator lamps stayed on all night. Might be a necessary feature in Germany, seems like a battery kill feature in North America.

 

only lights work when key out is
twist 1 notch up, sidelights (the light above the fog lamp and lower tail lamp)
left/right indicator, parking light on the corresponding side ( the light above fog lamp and the bottom part of the tail lamp)
pull to flash, follow me home light

 

As was previously said, the solid on turn signal (when parked on a street) is a European (German) thing. Mercedes have had for decades.

 

vag cars got them too

 

Yea, in Canada, might have that also flashed in the LKM / BCM. I know in Canada they have the DRL turned on from the factory also.

Yea the park light / turn light on one side is a Merc/ BMW / VW and Euro thing also, think MINI had it also. Think it was for when you park the car on a side street ( like most people park in Europe). It was to make sure people see your parked car on a dark night or something.