[LegGodt2024]

In my i5 Sport Pro, when I switch to Sport Mode, the lighting around the driver turns red and all the other lighting (around passengers in front and rear) turns blue. Very cool effect! Except for the foot lighting for the driver: that also turns blue.

That seems to break the logic of the driver being in the ‘red zone’. Out of curiosity, is that just a bug in my car or does everyone have that? If we all have it, any guesses why the feet rood remain blue? Is there a logic to it I am missing?

[Scrapula]

Originally Posted by LegGodt2024

In my i5 Sport Pro, when I switch to Sport Mode, the lighting around the driver turns red and all the other lighting (around passengers in front and rear) turns blue. Very cool effect! Except for the foot lighting for the driver: that also turns blue.

That seems to break the logic of the driver being in the ‘red zone’. Out of curiosity, is that just a bug in my car or does everyone have that? If we all have it, any guesses why the feet rood remain blue? Is there a logic to it I am missing?

The BMW ‘M’ colors are red and blue. Sport mode has these colors to reflect that.

[LegGodt2024]

That is correct. Hence the red by the driver and the rest blue. But it seems inconsistent that the footwell by the driver is blue when the rest of the lighting by the driver is red.

[Cam330i]

Originally Posted by LegGodt2024

In my i5 Sport Pro, when I switch to Sport Mode, the lighting around the driver turns red and all the other lighting (around passengers in front and rear) turns blue. Very cool effect! Except for the foot lighting for the driver: that also turns blue.

That seems to break the logic of the driver being in the ‘red zone’. Out of curiosity, is that just a bug in my car or does everyone have that? If we all have it, any guesses why the feet rood remain blue? Is there a logic to it I am missing?

Hello,

No you're not tripping - "Personal" Mode is the only driving mode (as of now) that will allow you to choose whatever color you want for the Ambient Lighting! Changing the driving mode will result in the Ambient Lighting color also changing as well (e.g., Activating "Sport" or "Efficient" modes will result in the ambient lighting color changing to Red/Blue and Turquoise respectively ). Again, the Ambient Lighting color will change depending on which driving mode you use and this happens rather you like it or not.

Now does it get any worse you ask? The answer to that is question is: ABSOLUTELTY!

The X5/X6/X7/XM, that use either iDrive 8 or iDrive 8.5, have a unique setting in the Ambient Lighting menu where you can separate the Driving Mode and the Ambient Lighting color!
(e.g., If I have the Ambient Lighting color in an X7 set to "Gold" in "Personal" (Comfort) Mode, I can drive that X7 in Sport mode and still have the Ambient Lighting color set to "Gold")

Thankfully the 3 series (G2x) allows you to pick your own Ambient Lighting color and it doesn't change when you change driving modes!!

I seriously don't understand why changing the driving mode will also change the Ambient Lighting color and there is no setting to separate the two....

Another thing I don't like (nor understand) is why can I not drive the i5 in any one of the "theme-based" modes (e.g., Expressive, Relax, Digital Art, and/or Silent modes), but still have the efficient driving dynamics/settings of the "Efficient" mode?
(e.g., one could drive their car in the "Relax" mode, but still have the "Efficient" mode driving dynamics and benefits)

BMW is just doing too much these days and I don't understand their logic, and while I have gotten used to iDrive 8.5 and I do think it is maturing nicely, I still think iDrive 7 was BMW's best Operating System (OS).

Anyways, sorry for the rant. The Ambient Lighting color changing when you change driving modes is "Normal" for the 5 series (incl. i5) and "Personal" mode is the only mode where you can choose your own color!

Best,
Cameron (2025 BMW 330i)

[LegGodt2024]

Thanks for your passionate answer but this was not really my question either.

I will phrase it differently: In my view the foot lighting by the driver in sports mode should be red too, just like the rest of the ambient lighting around the driver. But mine is blue.

Does not seem very consistent with the pattern and just wondering whether this is a design ‘oversight’ or if that is intentional. Or a glitch in my car.

It is really a very autistic point on my part but it I would just be curious what the answer is by checking if other i5 drivers notice that too.

[SkykingUSA]

I looked at my car earlier today when I drove to the dentist. I drove there in Sport mode because I was so eager to get there (yea, right). In my car, the foot wells are both blue as well. Probably that way for all the cars (in other words, a design choice). It doesn't bother me - in fact, I didn't even notice it until you brought it up.

I hope that answers your question.

[dubb13]

I have a 530 and mine are blue as well in sport mode

[Blue Sky]

Does the color change if in normal driving mode and using the boost paddle? My reading suggests that the boost paddle enables the launch control level of power, but doesn’t necessarily apply the sport mode settings. Thus I suspect the answer is that the colors don’t change for boost.

[LegGodt2024]

Originally Posted by SkykingUSA

I looked at my car earlier today when I drove to the dentist. I drove there in Sport mode because I was so eager to get there (yea, right). In my car, the foot wells are both blue as well. Probably that way for all the cars (in other words, a design choice). It doesn't bother me - in fact, I didn't even notice it until you brought it up.

I hope that answers your question.

Thanks, this is the answer I was looking for!

[LegGodt2024]

Originally Posted by Blue Sky

Does the color change if in normal driving mode and using the boost paddle? My reading suggests that the boost paddle enables the launch control level of power, but doesn’t necessarily apply the sport mode settings. Thus I suspect the answer is that the colors don’t change for boost.

Haha in boost I am usually too busy driving to notice the lights but I will check later today..

[LegGodt2024]

Originally Posted by dubb13

I have a 530 and mine are blue as well in sport mode

Thanks for confirming!

[AiredaleDad]

So far I have not needed "Boost" to pass. I just step on the gas a little and the car takes off like a missile in pursuit.

[LVBMW]

I tried this in the iX also. Same result in sport mode. Red above. Blue below. I actually think it's pretty cool.

[Scrapula]

There is footwell lighting? I’ve never noticed. I’m always looking out the windshield, even when stopped at a traffic light. I will have to check it out.

[RichardInCA]

Originally Posted by Scrapula

There is footwell lighting? I’ve never noticed. I’m always looking out the windshield, even when stopped at a traffic light. I will have to check it out.

Along with door bins and speakers

[AiredaleDad]

Yep, mine are the same. In SPORT mode the interaction bar is red on my side, and the rest is blue, including the footwells. All other modes, the footwells match the interaction bars.

[handinpalm]

There is a way to fix this. Turn off All that Fluffy BS lighting crap. This is like emojis on the internet, all BS.

[Blue Sky]

In a walkthrough video with the camera in the back seat, I noticed light under the driver’s seat. Not sure if there is lighting there, or it was coming from the driver’s footwell. Also the seatbacks seemed to have a light strip above the USB port / travel comfort socket thing, I couldn’t tell for sure if it was truly lit and whether it tracks the interaction bar color or what. I never noticed that while looking at the cars, but then they are “off” while I am kicking the tires…

[AiredaleDad]

Yes there is. On both. Under the seat and the USB.

[KikoTs]

A bit off-topic and maybe a little weird, but when I received the new update with the Vitalize option, I noticed something interesting. It seems this feature overwrites the mode’s Ambient settings with its own predefined ones.

Sooo, I started wondering—what if the BMW QA and Engineers Team accidentally overlooked adding a check to handle mode switches while Vitalize Mode is active? This could result in a memory copy of the previous Ambient Scheme being applied to the current mode.

For example, if I’m in Sport mode using the Sport Ambient lighting and I activate the Vitalize Function, the car remembers I was using the Sport Ambient Scheme. Now, while still in Vitalize Mode, I switch to Personal mode. The software first applies the Personal mode Ambient lighting, but when Vitalize Mode turns off automatically, it reverts to the last saved Ambient profile—which is the Sport one.

This way, I end up in Personal mode with Sport Ambient lighting. Pretty neat, right? You can repeat this with other modes and colors too. My personal favorite combo? Efficient Mode lighting paired with Silent Mode vibes. ��

[LegGodt2024]

Originally Posted by handinpalm

There is a way to fix this. Turn off All that Fluffy BS lighting crap. This is like emojis on the internet, all BS.

Haha i respect your sentiment. I on the other hand like emoji’s as well so i must be bmw’s target group for this car

[LegGodt2024]

Originally Posted by KikoTs

A bit off-topic and maybe a little weird, but when I received the new update with the Vitalize option, I noticed something interesting. It seems this feature overwrites the mode’s Ambient settings with its own predefined ones.

Sooo, I started wondering—what if the BMW QA and Engineers Team accidentally overlooked adding a check to handle mode switches while Vitalize Mode is active? This could result in a memory copy of the previous Ambient Scheme being applied to the current mode.

For example, if I’m in Sport mode using the Sport Ambient lighting and I activate the Vitalize Function, the car remembers I was using the Sport Ambient Scheme. Now, while still in Vitalize Mode, I switch to Personal mode. The software first applies the Personal mode Ambient lighting, but when Vitalize Mode turns off automatically, it reverts to the last saved Ambient profile—which is the Sport one.

This way, I end up in Personal mode with Sport Ambient lighting. Pretty neat, right? You can repeat this with other modes and colors too. My personal favorite combo? Efficient Mode lighting paired with Silent Mode vibes. ��

Awesome discovery!