I'm not too clear on the operation of the daytime running lights. There is no real discussion about these in the manual, except how to activate.

I have the bi-xenons and it seems that activating the daytime running lights feature simply just turns the normal headlights lights on. I read somewhere that this is the case, but that the headslights are on at a lower power in the daytime. However, I can't verify this. Does anyone know?

I also read somewhere that the daytime running lights are supposed to be a ring of LEDs around the main bulb. This does not appear to be the case.

 

I think they only do the ring of LEDs with the Adaptive Xenon Headlamps option?

Usual industry practice is that daytime running lamps are the high beams running at a fraction of its standard voltage. But now that LEDs are on the scene, some of the more spendy brands have been incorporating a little more technology in their solutions.

 

I wish there was just a way to only have my DRLs on and my xenons off....

BTW, I have the adaptive xenons and there are no LEDs around the light, but there are holes around the lens housing that make it look like it does I guess...

 

OK, then maybe it's only in the Euro edition? If you look closely, they're clearly casting light in this video (especially the closeup at 25 seconds).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npZvCfHrXTs

 

No...Those little portals are backlit from the headlights and are strictly visual aesthetics, serving no real purpose. There are no special daytime running lights on any current Mini.

 

In 1st gen MINI, daytime running lights were dimmed high beams. Note that bi-xenon was not available yet, so high beams were halogen.

In 2nd gen MINI and Countryman with bi-xenon, both high and low beams are xenon, which are not dimmable. Instead of installing separate DRLs, they decided to use the low beam. They did the same even for non-xenon (halogen) headlights, where they could have dimmed it.

 

Note that the bi-xenon low beam and high beam are both from the same bulb. There is an electrically operated mechanical shutter for the low beam cutoff, the shutter is moved away for the high beam. If nothing else is happening, you can hear the shutter click from one position to the other.

 

Was it planned and abandoned? There's a boilerplate writeup on the Countryman that may have or may not have been sourced from MINIUSA -- circulated to dealers and news agencies, one bit reads:

"The Countryman's grille is more upright than that on other Mini models. Its headlight clusters are big and oblong, rather than classic Mini round, with two pipes for main beams and a ring of LED elements that serve as daytime running lights."

 

Just went outside and checked, definitely no LED's, however, the DRL's are most definitely reduced from the normal headlight (low beam), I was able to look directly into them without going blind (this would not be the case if the normal low beams were on, full strength). Not sure how this is accomplished since xenons can not be dimmed afaik.

 

So then Bi-Xeons running at low beam ARE what MINI considers DRL when programmed to have DRL set to on?

I leave mine set to on for safety due to the size of the MINI and want to make sure I am seen coming down the road.

 

They may appear to be an LED setup, but definitely not...

Here is a breakdown of the headlights for Bi-Xenon...

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...53&hg=63&fg=05

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...49&hg=63&fg=05

 

Yes, for all 2nd gen models including the Countryman.

In the 1st gen MINI, DRL's were dimmed high beams, which was possible because they were halogen.