DIY: HID Reverse Lights
05-10-2010, 10:56 AM
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This is a DIY for HID reverse with on-the-fly switch. Please be caution that this may NOT be street-legal and for off-road use only!
Tools & Materials Needed:
8 mm socket to remove taillight bolt
BMW Screwdriver or any Philips Screwdriver and Flat-Head Screwdriver
TONS of Zip Ties
Electrical Tape
3/4" Drill Bit
Drill
Pliers
15 to 20 foot of 18 Gauge Wire. (Solid wire to easily fish through panels. Stranded wire for easy twisting)
RevItNYC HID Reverse Kit (comes with all pre-installed diodes and on the fly switch)
Difficulty (Scale 1-10, 10 being hardest): 6 for fold-down seats; 7 for non-fold-down seats.
Time Needed: Approximately 2 hours
Notes:
- For cars without fold-down seats, u need to use a Torx 30 screw. Get inside your trunk and slide inside. Look up and you will see 4 screws. Remove the four screws and the backseat should become loose and you can fish the wire through.
- This DIY is for LCI cars. For pre-LCI cars, you need to remove the shifter console to gain access to the cigarette lighter. Remove the shifter boot if you have a manual or pry up the shifter for automatics. There's two torx screws. Unscrew it and pull the shifter console up.
Please refrain from posting comments until entire DIY is done. There's at least 100 pictures for this DETAILED DIY.
Thanks!
John
05-10-2010, 11:03 AM
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Remove The Bulb Access Panel From Taillight. (LCI has a turning clip. Pre-LCI has hold-on clips) Remove the stock reverse bulb and socket.
Removed
Picture of HID Reverse bulb (
It's small)
Push the HID Bulb Wires Into Where The Old Reverse Bulb/Socket is.
05-10-2010, 11:11 AM
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Push The Bulb Into The Hole. Fits Snug And OEM.
Now You Need To Splice The Taillight Wires.
Take a look at the picture below. Follow the metal to the wires. Basically, the yellow/white wire is the positive and the brown is negative. To double check, u can follow the metal to the actual wire socket.
Take the one with the diode and use that for the battery side. Splice it into the reverse positive and negative wires.
Wrap Some Electrical Tape And Protect The Spliced Wires
05-10-2010, 11:14 AM
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Reattach The Taillight Bulb Socket Panel
Plug The Cable Back Into The Taillight
Now You Need To Use The Relay
Remove The Center Panel. Pry The Cover In The Middle And Remove Screw. Where My Screwdrive Points To Also Holds Two Screws With Covers. Pry Cover Off And Remove Screw.
You Can Unplug The Cigarette Lighter Plug So It Doesn't Dangle (Optional)
05-10-2010, 11:19 AM
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Take The One With Wires And A Loop. The Loop Is A Special Resistor.
Need To Splice This On The Other Side. Follow Similar Instructions For The Battery Side. Also Install The HID Bulb The Same Way.
Install And Zip Tie The Resistor
Need To Splice This On The Other Side. Follow Similar Instructions For The Battery Side. Also Install The HID Bulb The Same Way.
Install And Zip Tie The Resistor
05-10-2010, 11:22 AM
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Install The Relay Cable Positive Wire. U can fish the red wire under the battery tiedown for a cleaner install when you open the trunk covers. I did that so that it's nicer when you open the trunk panels.
Now For The Relay Cable Negative Wire. Use The Bag Of Screws To Attach To The Negative Port Of Battery.
Now For The Relay Cable Negative Wire. Use The Bag Of Screws To Attach To The Negative Port Of Battery.
05-10-2010, 11:24 AM
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Look At These Ballasts!!! With a combo with these ballasts and special HID bulbs, it warms up MUCH quicker.
Install the Ballasts to the nut closer to the outside.
Do This For Other Side As Well.
Install the Ballasts to the nut closer to the outside.
Do This For Other Side As Well.
05-10-2010, 11:30 AM
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Grab The Spool Of Wires and Measure Approx How Much You Need. Cut Off The Length You Need. This is the wire you need to feed to the front
Attach to the wire to the diode in the battery side cable.
Wrap Some Electrical Tape To Protect It
Use zipties and clean everything up so it looks OEM.
Now attach the back panel
Attach to the wire to the diode in the battery side cable.
Wrap Some Electrical Tape To Protect It
Use zipties and clean everything up so it looks OEM.
Now attach the back panel
05-10-2010, 11:32 AM
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The following pix are self-explanatory and for your reference. Look how clean the install is. Also, put the trunk cover back down.
Now remove the clips for the driver side panel. Unclip it.
Release the backseat or for cars without fold-down seats, u need to use a Torx 30 screw. Get inside your trunk and slide inside. Look up and you will see 4 screws. Remove the four screws and the backseat should become loose and you can fish the wire through.
Now remove the clips for the driver side panel. Unclip it.
Release the backseat or for cars without fold-down seats, u need to use a Torx 30 screw. Get inside your trunk and slide inside. Look up and you will see 4 screws. Remove the four screws and the backseat should become loose and you can fish the wire through.