What's the warning light that looks like a P with rays coming out of it mean?

Tennberg · 01-04-2009, 01:58 AM

A previous thread reminded me of a warning light I got on my '09 E90 335i a week ago or so. I started the car up, put it into reverse, and got a "P" with three lines emanating from it. I thought it was something to do with the parking brake, and I made sure it wasn't engaged. I reversed a bit more and it still warned me.

I put the car in park, and shut it off. I took the key out, put it back in, started the car up, and put it in reverse again, and again go the warning light.

I parked the car, and pulled out the owner's manual. A thorough search yielded no results. 10 minutes or so later, I tried again, and didn't get a warning light. It has not happened since.

Any ideas? The warning light looked like this:

PaulBailey@ltbmw · 01-04-2009, 02:02 AM

I believe thats some sort of parkinglight

Kamando · 01-04-2009, 07:22 AM

Amazing what you can find when you read your owners manual

...

jocamryn · 01-04-2009, 08:48 AM

monsta · 01-04-2009, 09:03 AM

Spydeputy · 01-04-2009, 09:11 AM

Bulb parking light failure.

piezo · 01-04-2009, 11:30 AM

If it only appears when reverse is engaged, are you sure it wasn't this indicator?

exo-ak-dk · 01-04-2009, 03:07 PM

NO FAILURE......

U have to turn the light swicth towards 0

noro · 01-04-2009, 03:31 PM

I love reading the manual, it shows all the HIDDEN features.

venom7777 · 01-04-2009, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noro

I love reading the manual, it shows all the HIDDEN features.

LOL

bsamoul · 01-04-2009, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noro

I love reading the manual, it shows all the HIDDEN features.

haha who'd have thunk to look in the manual

JSpira · 01-04-2009, 06:48 PM

I don't understand the big deal. You turned a parking light on.

BMWI6 · 01-04-2009, 06:53 PM

yeah but its weird that he got it while the car was on and in reverse.

goowatchi · 01-04-2009, 07:07 PM

P = PHAIL

JSpira · 01-04-2009, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMWI6

yeah but its weird that he got it while the car was on and in reverse.

indeed, that is true!

Tennberg · 01-05-2009, 01:58 AM

It amazes me the attitude of some of the people on this forum. I said I looked in the manual, but as it was 9pm outside of a Best Buy using my car's interior lights, I must have missed it, which is why I came asking here.

Maybe those of you who are so quick to react could be a little kinder to people coming to a forum to ask questions. As others have mentioned, it was odd that it only came on when the car was in reverse. Plus, as is noted in the manual, "Roadside parking lamps" really doesn't mean anything as a warning light.

Jred22 · 01-05-2009, 02:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tennberg

It amazes me the attitude of some of the people on this forum. I said I looked in the manual, but as it was 9pm outside of a Best Buy using my car's interior lights, I must have missed it, which is why I came asking here.

Maybe those of you who are so quick to react could be a little kinder to people coming to a forum to ask questions. As others have mentioned, it was odd that it only came on when the car was in reverse. Plus, as is noted in the manual, "Roadside parking lamps" really doesn't mean anything as a warning light.

KL2DC · 01-05-2009, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by piezo

If it only appears when reverse is engaged, are you sure it wasn't this indicator?

+1

I suspect the OP's concerns might be stemming more than a simple parking light malfunction/misuse.

As such, his query might not be as silly as most of you are making it out to be. Let's all try to be a little civil shall we?

01-04-2009, 01:58 AM	#1
Tennberg Private First Class 18 Rep 132 Posts Drives: 2009 E90 335i w/ xDrive Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Boston iTrader: (0) Garage List 2009 335i xDrive Sedan [0.00]	What's the warning light that looks like a P with rays coming out of it mean? A previous thread reminded me of a warning light I got on my '09 E90 335i a week ago or so. I started the car up, put it into reverse, and got a "P" with three lines emanating from it. I thought it was something to do with the parking brake, and I made sure it wasn't engaged. I reversed a bit more and it still warned me. I put the car in park, and shut it off. I took the key out, put it back in, started the car up, and put it in reverse again, and again go the warning light. I parked the car, and pulled out the owner's manual. A thorough search yielded no results. 10 minutes or so later, I tried again, and didn't get a warning light. It has not happened since. Any ideas? The warning light looked like this:
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01-04-2009, 02:02 AM	#2
PaulBailey@ltbmw General 663 Rep 26,878 Posts Drives: 2-325 330 2-335 2-Z4 2-135 X5d Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Huntington Beach, CA iTrader: (34) Garage List 2008 BMW 335i E90 [7.00] 2011 BMW 335i E92 [7.96]	I believe thats some sort of parkinglight
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01-04-2009, 07:22 AM	#3
Kamando Captain 56 Rep 617 Posts Drives: - Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: - iTrader: (3)	Amazing what you can find when you read your owners manual ... Attached Images
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01-04-2009, 08:48 AM	#4
jocamryn Major 145 Rep 1,159 Posts Drives: '23X4 M40i/'24 X2(In Transit) Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: USA, for now iTrader: (0)
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01-04-2009, 09:03 AM	#5
monsta Brigadier General 218 Rep 3,592 Posts Drives: E92 M3 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Bergen County, NJ/Y.O, NY iTrader: (2)	__________________ '08 E92 M3 6MT \| IB \| FR \| RAC RG63's \| VRS Ti Exhaust \| Fabspeed HFC & Xpipe '09 X5 35d SG/SB '11 X3 28i AW/CN/FW (wife's car
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01-04-2009, 09:11 AM	#6
Spydeputy Brigadier General 205 Rep 3,523 Posts Drives: 2015 F23 M235i/2008,E90,335xi Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: The County, Maryland iTrader: (19) Garage List 2017 X5 M Sport Pac ... [0.00] 2015 M235i, F23 [0.00]	Bulb parking light failure.
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01-04-2009, 11:30 AM	#7
piezo unstratified 1 Rep 162 Posts Drives: '07 335i Coupe Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New England iTrader: (0)	If it only appears when reverse is engaged, are you sure it wasn't this indicator? Attached Images
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01-04-2009, 03:07 PM	#8
exo-ak-dk Black Magic Wheels - BMW 36 Rep 1,090 Posts Drives: E90 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Denmark iTrader: (0)	NO FAILURE...... U have to turn the light swicth towards 0
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01-04-2009, 03:31 PM	#9
noro Colonel 90 Rep 2,707 Posts Drives: '91 M3, '04 E46 ZHP, '72 2002 Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Boston iTrader: (0)	I love reading the manual, it shows all the HIDDEN features. __________________ zhpregistry.net - ZHP stats and free classifieds.
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01-04-2009, 06:48 PM	#12
JSpira Freude am Fahren 336 Rep 5,254 Posts Drives: Fünfer, Dreier, + Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: New York, München, Wien iTrader: (1)	I don't understand the big deal. You turned a parking light on. __________________ Freude am Fahren. Jonathan E90 2006 330xi E90 2006 325i E39 2003 530i Sport* E46 2000 328Ci* E36 1996 328iS* E36 1992 325i* E30 1991 318is E21 1982 320iS* E21 1979 320 (6-Zyl)* *retired Nominated: Most Contributing Member
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01-04-2009, 06:53 PM	#13
BMWI6 Major 96 Rep 1,337 Posts Drives: 335is Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Miami, Fl iTrader: (2)	yeah but its weird that he got it while the car was on and in reverse. __________________ If everything seems under control, then you aren't going fast enough"
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01-04-2009, 07:07 PM	#14
goowatchi Chairman of the Board. 16 Rep 452 Posts Drives: F15 X5 Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: CA iTrader: (7)	P = PHAIL
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01-05-2009, 01:58 AM	#16
Tennberg Private First Class 18 Rep 132 Posts Drives: 2009 E90 335i w/ xDrive Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Boston iTrader: (0) Garage List 2009 335i xDrive Sedan [0.00]	It amazes me the attitude of some of the people on this forum. I said I looked in the manual, but as it was 9pm outside of a Best Buy using my car's interior lights, I must have missed it, which is why I came asking here. Maybe those of you who are so quick to react could be a little kinder to people coming to a forum to ask questions. As others have mentioned, it was odd that it only came on when the car was in reverse. Plus, as is noted in the manual, "Roadside parking lamps" really doesn't mean anything as a warning light.
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