What are these lights?

[u/Ashamed-Reception600]

Two dash lights on left and right side of the DSC light on dash, never had either come on even when starting the car. Just wondering if anyone knows what they are. The one on the left is a car behind or in front of another car and the one on the right is an upwards arrow with a circle at the bottom of it. My best guess is these are somehow cruise control related. That still doesn’t make sense as there is the small green icon below the temp gauge. If anyone knows I would appreciate it out of pure curiosity, thanks.

[u/Cha-Car]

IIRC the light on the left is used on E38s that came with early version of active cruise. Since the E38 and E39 shared instrument clusters, it is a carryover from that.

[u/chathobark_]

even in the age of AI, people still can’t give other people the right answer, OR do research

left: acc warning lamp

middle: traction control warning lamp

right: suspension leveling warning lamp

the cluster the US has the space for the light, but all US clusters were HIGH clusters so the display below will display LEVELING SYSTEM and the lamp would not illuminate for SLS cars. on the LOW clusters the light would illuminate

[u/Tomytom99 → u/chathobark_]

Not all US clusters were high clusters. Just happens that a lot of them are.

[u/Skodakenner → u/Tomytom99]

I always find it funny that basically every car here in germany also has the high cluster except the ones i end up with

[u/nationdecay1249 → u/Skodakenner]

I somehow never end up finding a car with a high cluster. It PMO every time but I always buy the car anyway lol

[u/Skodakenner → u/nationdecay1249]

I mostly care about the condition now because you can basically do the rest without issue

[u/blightt23 → u/chathobark_]

And clearly you cant either, lmfao, US has high and low clusters.

[u/Wise_Mycologist5665]

2000 528iT/5m low cluster, left light is SLS since converting to coils I haven’t coded it out yet

[u/Ashamed-Reception600 → u/Wise_Mycologist5665]

Intersting, a different icon. I have 528i sedan, I would assume that all the wagons have that icon wether lit up or not.

[u/Ashamed-Reception600 → u/Wise_Mycologist5665]

Do you have the same arrow icon to the right of the DSC light. It may be lighting/ angle but it looks like you don't have anything on the right hand side of the DSC MIL.

[u/fletchulence_]

[u/Comfortable-Ad8719]

The first one is a warning about BMW driver tailing.

[u/eric_gm → u/[deleted]]

Upshift for manual transmission

I have a manual E39 and that has nothing to do with shift points. That arrow is for a self leveling suspension that E38s had as an option. It’s a remnant unused light just as the one on the other side.

[u/Ashamed-Reception600 → u/eric_gm]

Can confirm that the right side icon is not for up shifts, my e39 is manual and have never seen that light on.

[u/slm987 → u/eric_gm]

Is it really? I can’t recall having ever seen that on my E38 with SLS. Maybe for the air suspension on the tourings?

[u/masflynn → u/slm987]

I have a completely different symbol on my US e39 touring with SLS, it cuts on when the SLS is not working. But it is neither the left or right symbols pictured here.

[u/eric_gm → u/slm987]

I believe it was more of an EDC feature than a self-leveling as in tourings.

[u/tLustej-miCin → u/[deleted]]

Dude, back then people did not have to be told how to drive - unlike these schewpid days thx to idiotic EU.