Beemster530i

Hi guys. Need some advice.

I got these so that I can convert my pre-lci tail lights to lci led ones.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/110880505...84.m1423.l2649

It says plug and play but doesnt seem like its the case.
Installed them and noticed the tube leds dont light up in park mode but rather the halogen bulbs behind the tubes light up instead. The long white cable seem to be the lines for the tube leds and side marker leds. When I touch this wire to the battery, the tubes and side markers light up.
I don't know what this codier dongle is for that came with the package. Tried plugging it in the OBD but doesn't do anything...
Everything works ok but the tube leds and side led markers don't work obviously becasue this white line powering the leds hasn't been plugged in anywhere..

Don't understand this seller...What's the point of selling this retrofit cable if non of the tube leds (except for the turn signal leds)work?

So few question below:
- Anyone know or can anyone recommend where I need to wire this white cable to?
- Is it a waste of time...should I just get the Bruce cables?
- Who can I contact to get these Bruce cables from?

Thanks

nomis_nehc

It looks like the OEM BMW retro cable, except there's modification to it. Can you post better pictures of the cable and what has been done to it?

Currently, are you getting error(s) in iDrive, and does all the functions (besides the rods and LED since they're powered together) work correctly?

Beemster530i

Yup..all functions work correctly with no iDrive errors.

Currently: in Park light mode
- Fog lights are lit
- 2 halogen bulbs behind the tube leds are lit

Currently: in Brake mode (brakes pressed)
- 2 halogen bulbs behind the tube leds light up much brighter


Correct method should be: in Park light mode
- Fog lights are lit
- All tube leds + side led markers are lit
- No other lights should be lit.

Correct method should be: in Brake mode (brakes pressed)
- 2 halogen bulbs behind the tube leds light up only when brakes are pressed.

All wires (except for the long white wires) on the retrofit cable are joined using a plug which fit perfectly into the existing harness on the car. This long white wires are the wires that light up the leds. It is very long so I am assuming it needs to be joined to some sort of a lighting module somewhere in front of the car... Bl00dy seller didn't mention this when I bought them. Only said it was plug and play

I'll post some pics soon.

nomis_nehc

You kind of post contradicting info, lol, so I need you to clarify.

You say all the functions work correctly, but right below it you say that in parking light mode, your two brake bulbs are lit. They are not suppose to be. It's suppose to be feeding the power to the rods instead.

Are you comfortable with soldering wires?

Beemster530i

The 2 halogen bulbs (behind the rods)are lit when in park light mode.
The same 2 halogen bulbs light up brigther when I hit the brakes.

Yes correct, the power should be going to the rods instead of the 2 halogen bulbs. The 2 halogens should only light up when the brakes are pressed.

Happy to solder...but don't know which wires... First I'll need to solder the long white line to somewhere to get power into the rods..

Would you know what colour wires (original rearlight harness) powers what on a 2004 E60?

nomis_nehc

That's why I asked for the pictures of what modification has been done to the cables. Since you're likely LM1, if those cables were not modded, those cables would be lighting up your bulbs differently.

thomassteen

Would it not be easier to ask the seller for details? Looks like there has been put some degree of effort into the kit - so I assume there must be a guide for how to get it to work... I agree the cable look similar to the original retrofit cable. Maybe the idea is to mount the retrofit cable in the same way as OEM retrofit - but then you would have to have LM2 for it to work.
Again, a lot of guessing. Better to ask the seller who should know.

BTW. the seller is well known, and has been around for a long time. I bought my LCI tails for the E60 there some years back.

Beemster530i

Did ask seller.
No response. I asked him before i bought to confirm no additional mod was necessary. He said it was plug and play.
Item arrived and obviously its not plug and play.

Guess i'll need to use a volt meter/checker and go trial and error on each wires...
Bummer i should of just gone with the bruce cables like a lot of members here. Found about the bruce cables after i ordered already.
If i cannot get these to work can someone tell me where i can order the bruce cables from?
I know theres one on UK ebay but that one is over 220 pounds excl postage...or would they be the bruce cables everyones talking about?

Kaizen

Good find on the price if you can get them working. I'd suggest getting those pics to Simon (nomis_nehc). He's a wiz and I wouldn't be surprised if he had a solution for you.

Beemster530i

After trial and error, re-wired the whole thing....works now..bit different but works.

I got all the rods to fire up when in park light mode. The fog lights act as both park light and brake lights. The 2 halogen bulbs behind the rods dont do anything now. They dont light up at all. So when in park light mode i now have just the fogs and rods light up. When brakes are pressed only the fogs go brighter. Kinda like it this way as you'll see the rods both in park mode and brake mode. Traditionally when brakes are pressed, the halogens behind the rods light up but bad thing is you cant see the rods as as the halogens behind them are brighter under braking.

For those who wish to rewire the rear lights, i found on the existing harness (04 E60 530i) Brown wire at the end is ground, next wire (2nd wire) is park light only, and both 4th and 6th is park/brake.

Only thing is because i am not using the bulbs behind the rods, keep on getting foglight error message in iDrive. Any way i can get rid of this? Do i need a resistor on those lines?