Method for operating a lighting device for an external light function of a motor vehicle with a plurality of segments (12i, 14ai, 14bi, 16ai, 16bi, 18ai, 18bi), which each have at least one LED; and a controlling device for actuating the plurality of LEDs each by means of a PWM signal; with following method steps: actuating at least one LED with an actuating signal, which represents the temporal course of a duty cycle of the respective PWM signal, said duty cycle correlating with the output of the at least one LED, and which comprises at least sectionally at least one ramp function, and providing a further actuating signal to a plurality of LEDs, which form at least one pre-determinable lighting surface, such that this lighting surface immediately after the switching on of the lighting device, i.e. without using a ramp function, radiates at least for a pre-determinable time duration with a pre-determinable initial light intensity which is lower than the light intensity in normal operation, characterised in that - this light surface after the expiry of the pre-determinable time duration radiates with a pre-determinable successive light intensity, which is greater than the pre-determinable initial light intensity, - the control device has an interface at which a signal is provided which is correlated with the operational state of at least one vehicle function, wherein the control device varies the at least one actuating signal which can be provided at at least one of the plurality of LEDs depending on the signal provided at the interface, and - the lighting device in addition to the external light function is used to show the charge status of a battery in a switched off state of the motor vehicle. actuating at least one LED with an actuating signal, which represents the temporal course of a duty cycle of the respective PWM signal, said duty cycle correlating with the output of the at least one LED, and which comprises at least sectionally at least one ramp function, and providing a further actuating signal to a plurality of LEDs, which form at least one pre-determinable lighting surface, such that this lighting surface immediately after the switching on of the lighting device, i.e. without using a ramp function, radiates at least for a pre-determinable time duration with a pre-determinable initial light intensity which is lower than the light intensity in normal operation, characterised in that - this light surface after the expiry of the pre-determinable time duration radiates with a pre-determinable successive light intensity, which is greater than the pre-determinable initial light intensity, - the control device has an interface at which a signal is provided which is correlated with the operational state of at least one vehicle function, wherein the control device varies the at least one actuating signal which can be provided at at least one of the plurality of LEDs depending on the signal provided at the interface, and - the lighting device in addition to the external light function is used to show the charge status of a battery in a switched off state of the motor vehicle. - this light surface after the expiry of the pre-determinable time duration radiates with a pre-determinable successive light intensity, which is greater than the pre-determinable initial light intensity, - the control device has an interface at which a signal is provided which is correlated with the operational state of at least one vehicle function, wherein the control device varies the at least one actuating signal which can be provided at at least one of the plurality of LEDs depending on the signal provided at the interface, and - the lighting device in addition to the external light function is used to show the charge status of a battery in a switched off state of the motor vehicle.