Retrofit ambient led lights to doors (Part of extended lights package)
09-08-2008, 10:12 AM
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I got inspiration to this modification from bruce miranda’s footwell lighting project a year ago and finally I have done it. First of all I like thanks German member Harry for idea for wiring: Each window switch has separate + cable which is regulated by dashboard dimming switch. After that the project was quite straightforward.
If somebody else is interested adding some more orange glow to cockpit, I like to share my experiences.
Required parts from BMW:
2* DOOR POCKET LIGHTING, FRONT (frame)
2* DOOR POCKET LIGHTING, REAR (frame)
4* DOOR HANDLE ILLUMINATION (frame)
8* LED FOR DOOR TRIM PANEL (ETK says 4, but you need 8)
Pocket light frame’s comes with interior colour, so check the right part numbers from RealOEM
From electrical components shop I bought:
8* 470ohm resistors
12 pair of two pin connectors (and couple spare connectors)
About 8 meters of thin twin wire.
And some shrink-wrap and insulation tape from by toolbox
Total cost for material was about 90 EUR. If you want save lot of money, you can replace BMW LEDs with std. 3mm Orange leds. The original LEDs were more than half of the total cost, but wanted exactly the same result with the OEM lightning. Of course it’s dependent about resistors value and I do not know what is the original. The original LEDs comes with 15cm wire and connector. I could not find original type connector so I was forced to replace original connector for each lamp with generic connector. If I ever have to replace a led I have to change the connector also and therefore I bough couple spare. Anyway I believe that LEDs lifetime is longer than car’s.
Step-by-step:
1. Create wiring harness for each door. For each harness you need three connectors and two resistors and wire. Picture 1 illustrates the harness installed the door, but basic idea is two cables starts from a connector which will be placed close to window switch and there are led lamps at end of each cable. The door handle led need only about 20 cm cable, but door pocket led need about 75 cm cable in back door and 10 cm longer in front door. Cut plus wires and install one resistor for each led for protection. Cover resistors with shirk wrap.
2. Create 10 cm cables with one connector for each door (Installed in Picture 2)
3. Disconnect car’s battery
4. Remove door panel (see for example this topic)
5. Add new short cables to window switch cables. Brown is ground and grey/red is adjustable plus cable (+1-12V). See Connector in picture 3. Ground is in pin 2 and plus is in pin 3 in three doors, but in pin 4 in Driver door!! I just stripped wire cover and soldered new wires and covered with insulation tape.
6. Remove window switch panel and door handle
7. Drill holes to door panel. There are light markings behind the panel. Mark them better before drilling with marker pen. (see pictures 4 and 5) I started with 9mm drill and then continued with small Dremel drill to enlarge the hole to desired shape. Door panel is made from wood fibre and was quite easy to work with.
8. Insert led frames and LEDs to door. (see pictures 6 and 7)
9. Install new wire harness to door and fix it with insulation tape
10. Put back window switch panel and door handle
11. Install Door panel back to car
12. Reconnect Battery
13. Wait for darkness and enjoy new lights
After the first door with all investigations, it took about one hour per door to complete project without wire harness preparation which I made beforehand.
Unfortunately my camera is not capable to save the real glow, but completed door is in the last picture in the project picture gallery.
If somebody else is interested adding some more orange glow to cockpit, I like to share my experiences.
Required parts from BMW:
2* DOOR POCKET LIGHTING, FRONT (frame)
2* DOOR POCKET LIGHTING, REAR (frame)
4* DOOR HANDLE ILLUMINATION (frame)
8* LED FOR DOOR TRIM PANEL (ETK says 4, but you need 8)
Pocket light frame’s comes with interior colour, so check the right part numbers from RealOEM
From electrical components shop I bought:
8* 470ohm resistors
12 pair of two pin connectors (and couple spare connectors)
About 8 meters of thin twin wire.
And some shrink-wrap and insulation tape from by toolbox
Total cost for material was about 90 EUR. If you want save lot of money, you can replace BMW LEDs with std. 3mm Orange leds. The original LEDs were more than half of the total cost, but wanted exactly the same result with the OEM lightning. Of course it’s dependent about resistors value and I do not know what is the original. The original LEDs comes with 15cm wire and connector. I could not find original type connector so I was forced to replace original connector for each lamp with generic connector. If I ever have to replace a led I have to change the connector also and therefore I bough couple spare. Anyway I believe that LEDs lifetime is longer than car’s.
Step-by-step:
1. Create wiring harness for each door. For each harness you need three connectors and two resistors and wire. Picture 1 illustrates the harness installed the door, but basic idea is two cables starts from a connector which will be placed close to window switch and there are led lamps at end of each cable. The door handle led need only about 20 cm cable, but door pocket led need about 75 cm cable in back door and 10 cm longer in front door. Cut plus wires and install one resistor for each led for protection. Cover resistors with shirk wrap.
2. Create 10 cm cables with one connector for each door (Installed in Picture 2)
3. Disconnect car’s battery
4. Remove door panel (see for example this topic)
5. Add new short cables to window switch cables. Brown is ground and grey/red is adjustable plus cable (+1-12V). See Connector in picture 3. Ground is in pin 2 and plus is in pin 3 in three doors, but in pin 4 in Driver door!! I just stripped wire cover and soldered new wires and covered with insulation tape.
6. Remove window switch panel and door handle
7. Drill holes to door panel. There are light markings behind the panel. Mark them better before drilling with marker pen. (see pictures 4 and 5) I started with 9mm drill and then continued with small Dremel drill to enlarge the hole to desired shape. Door panel is made from wood fibre and was quite easy to work with.
8. Insert led frames and LEDs to door. (see pictures 6 and 7)
9. Install new wire harness to door and fix it with insulation tape
10. Put back window switch panel and door handle
11. Install Door panel back to car
12. Reconnect Battery
13. Wait for darkness and enjoy new lights
After the first door with all investigations, it took about one hour per door to complete project without wire harness preparation which I made beforehand.
Unfortunately my camera is not capable to save the real glow, but completed door is in the last picture in the project picture gallery.
09-08-2008, 11:54 AM
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My Ride: BMW E60 520d SE Saloon M47 2.0dTitanium Grey II, Grey−Dakota Leather, Visibility Package, Media Package, Through Load System, Lumbar support − fr seats, Automatic Air Conditioning−Advanced, High beam assistant, Hi−Fi Loudspeak
Model Year: 2006
Part numbers for all the BMW parts would help. Also did you have to make the cut-outs yourself or are the blanks already there and only need to popped out.
09-08-2008, 12:21 PM
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My Ride: F11 520d
Link to Real oem is to the right page, but here comes the part numbers:
DOOR HANDLE ILLUMINATION 63316928599
LED FOR DOOR TRIM PANEL 63316929662
DOOR POCKET LIGHTING, FRONT BLACK 63316927005
DOOR POCKET LIGHTING, FRONT BEIGE 63316927007
DOOR POCKET LIGHTING, FRONT BRAUN 63316927011
DOOR POCKET LIGHTING, FRONT GREY 63316927013
DOOR POCKET LIGHTING, REAR BLACK 63316927006
DOOR POCKET LIGHTING, REAR BEIGE 63316927008
DOOR POCKET LIGHTING, REAR BRAUN 63316927012
DOOR POCKET LIGHTING, REAR GREY 63316927014
There was only a light trace for the cut-offs. In the pictures 4 and 5 they are highlighted with red marker pen.
Almost forgot: Thanks for inspiration Bruce!
DOOR HANDLE ILLUMINATION 63316928599
LED FOR DOOR TRIM PANEL 63316929662
DOOR POCKET LIGHTING, FRONT BLACK 63316927005
DOOR POCKET LIGHTING, FRONT BEIGE 63316927007
DOOR POCKET LIGHTING, FRONT BRAUN 63316927011
DOOR POCKET LIGHTING, FRONT GREY 63316927013
DOOR POCKET LIGHTING, REAR BLACK 63316927006
DOOR POCKET LIGHTING, REAR BEIGE 63316927008
DOOR POCKET LIGHTING, REAR BRAUN 63316927012
DOOR POCKET LIGHTING, REAR GREY 63316927014
There was only a light trace for the cut-offs. In the pictures 4 and 5 they are highlighted with red marker pen.
Almost forgot: Thanks for inspiration Bruce!
09-08-2008, 12:46 PM
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My Ride: Original E60 Spec:
530i - Silver Grey Out, Black Dakota Leather In, Navigation Pro, Voice Command, HiFi Audio, Sports Package, Premium Package, Cold Weather Package w/ Heated Seats, Style# 123 Alloy Track Wheels, Auto AC, Power Front Seats, Active Turn Xennon Headlights,
Mods:
OEM M-Tech Front Bumper, OEM M Side Skirts, OEM M5 Rear Bumper, M5 Trunk Lid Finisher, M5 Style Mirrors, Custom Hamann Style Splitter, Custom Hartge Style Diffuser, RD Sport Boot Spoiler, LCI Taillights, Bruce Miranda's V4 LCI Retro Cables, 6000K Xenon light Bulbs, Xenon White LED License Plate Lights, 8000K HID 9006 Fog Lights, Akalius� Front Headlight Euro Overlays, Matte Black Kidney Grilles, E60.Net Clings, Debadged, Llumar Tinting "Micro Edged, 15% Rear 35% Sides,
Engine Mods:
Custom Magnaflow Quad Exhaust w/ Eisenmann Stamped 3� Tips, RPI Scoop (Red)
Added Electronics:
V1 Equipped (Hardwired), OEM Alpine CD Changer Retrofit,
Shoes:
SOLD-20" Staggered Vertini Hennesey Rims, Falcon 452's Tires-SOLD
New Shoes:
19" VMR 710 Hyper Silver, General Exclaim UHP 245/35/19 Front-275/30/19 Rear, Gloss Silver Caliper Paint Job DIY
^_____________
Retired
______________
Took Delivery 10/26/2009: LOADED! E60 M5 Silverstone II/Black, Active Seats, Comfort Ventilated/Heated Seats, HUD, Brushed Aluminum Trim,
Any Pics?
09-08-2008, 09:57 PM
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My Ride: F11 520d
Originally Posted by AKAlius' post='664831' date='Sep 8 2008, 11:46 PM
Any Pics?
All pictures in this gallery link.
09-08-2008, 10:41 PM
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My Ride: 2007 E60 530i
Color: Jet Black/Black Anthracite
STEP | Sport | Premium | NAV | Logic 7
EXTERIOR:
M-Tech Kit | M5 Mirrors, Trunk Finisher | Jet Black Kidney Surrounds | Madico Charcool Tint 54%, 35%
LIGHTING:
Euro-Headlights | Euro-LCI Tail Lights | AiB V3.0 | Solaris Invisi-bulbs | OEM LED Plate Lights
PERFORMANCE:
Porterfield R4-S Brake Pads | K&N Air Filter
WHEELS & SUSPENSION:
Work VS-XX 20x9, 20x10 | Toyo T1R 245/30/20, Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 295/25/20 | KW V2 Coilovers | Rogue Engineering 15mm Spacers
We want pictures of the completed install! And if it's not too much trouble, attach pictures to the thread rather than the gallery. It's a pain in the ass to reference back and forth. 
09-10-2008, 02:17 AM
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My Ride: 2007 E60 530i
Color: Jet Black/Black Anthracite
STEP | Sport | Premium | NAV | Logic 7
EXTERIOR:
M-Tech Kit | M5 Mirrors, Trunk Finisher | Jet Black Kidney Surrounds | Madico Charcool Tint 54%, 35%
LIGHTING:
Euro-Headlights | Euro-LCI Tail Lights | AiB V3.0 | Solaris Invisi-bulbs | OEM LED Plate Lights
PERFORMANCE:
Porterfield R4-S Brake Pads | K&N Air Filter
WHEELS & SUSPENSION:
Work VS-XX 20x9, 20x10 | Toyo T1R 245/30/20, Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 295/25/20 | KW V2 Coilovers | Rogue Engineering 15mm Spacers
Oh, for some reason I thought you were retrofitting different color LED's into the courtesy lights. I didn't realize you were just adding them because your car did not originally come equipped with them.
10-13-2008, 01:19 PM
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Hi.
Why didn't you just connect the two leds into pin 8 & pin 9 of the 16-pin connector on the door module? This way you will get the correct voltage and the leds will also dim together with rest of the interior lights.
I did this and it works great.
In order to connect it to the door module you must use part 61130005197 (0,2-05mm2) or 61130006663 (0,75mm2). Just open the existing 16-pin connector at the bottom of the door module and insert two 61130006663's into pin 8 and 9. You can use ground from the existing light under the door. This ground-wire uses the same ground-central as the leds are suppose to use.
Regards,
Tommy.
Why didn't you just connect the two leds into pin 8 & pin 9 of the 16-pin connector on the door module? This way you will get the correct voltage and the leds will also dim together with rest of the interior lights.
I did this and it works great.
In order to connect it to the door module you must use part 61130005197 (0,2-05mm2) or 61130006663 (0,75mm2). Just open the existing 16-pin connector at the bottom of the door module and insert two 61130006663's into pin 8 and 9. You can use ground from the existing light under the door. This ground-wire uses the same ground-central as the leds are suppose to use.
Regards,
Tommy.
10-21-2008, 11:13 AM
#10
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Originally Posted by trex' post='692093' date='Oct 14 2008, 12:19 AM
Hi.
Why didn't you just connect the two leds into pin 8 & pin 9 of the 16-pin connector on the door module? This way you will get the correct voltage and the leds will also dim together with rest of the interior lights.
I did this and it works great.
In order to connect it to the door module you must use part 61130005197 (0,2-05mm2) or 61130006663 (0,75mm2). Just open the existing 16-pin connector at the bottom of the door module and insert two 61130006663's into pin 8 and 9. You can use ground from the existing light under the door. This ground-wire uses the same ground-central as the leds are suppose to use.
Regards,
Tommy.
Why didn't you just connect the two leds into pin 8 & pin 9 of the 16-pin connector on the door module? This way you will get the correct voltage and the leds will also dim together with rest of the interior lights.
I did this and it works great.
In order to connect it to the door module you must use part 61130005197 (0,2-05mm2) or 61130006663 (0,75mm2). Just open the existing 16-pin connector at the bottom of the door module and insert two 61130006663's into pin 8 and 9. You can use ground from the existing light under the door. This ground-wire uses the same ground-central as the leds are suppose to use.
Regards,
Tommy.
Window switch also gives correct voltage and my leds are also dimming with dashboard lightning.
Anyway, I think that your solutions is absolutely better, because it do not require modifications to original wires. When I investigated WDS, I didn't find out this door module connector.
There is different versions about door modules depending of car age and equipments. When is your car manufactured?