Hi. I have an e60 2004, with retrofitted lci interior and exterior, some modules have probably been changed too because pathway lights work when unlocking car. I'm looking to add custom door handle lights (like on e90) or retrofit mirrors with lights but maybe use custom leds instead of original.

MY QUESTION:
What can I use as a trigger when unlocking the car? It can be 5V, 12V, a relay getting power, anything, that is triggered ONLY by unlocking and/or locking the car.

One possible solution that came to mind (is it valid?):
Perhaps I could use interior lights and angel eye lights together, as a trigger? I understand that turning on interior lights, while my angel eyes are on - would act as a trigger too, which is undesirable.

What else can I use?
Any help is appreciated!

 

There are no factory handles in the exterior light package for the E60; however there are the mirrors with LED puddle lights instead ($563). These came in both the Pre-LCI, LCI and the 2010 versions of the mirror. With proper coding they will turn on when the car is unlocked or when the door is opened(when its dark outside)

As well your interior lights should already turn on when unlocking. And E60 that has the LCI LM2 module can code the 'welcome lighting' feature and have any exterior light turn on when unlocking.

 

Is there a plug for the mirror lights in a car that had mirrors without the lights? Do you have any schematic with the correct wire colors and what goes where inside the mirror and the LM2 pinout?

 

2006-2010 All of the lights use the same plug. 3 wires with power, ground and the BUS system; Its all triggered by the BUS system from the LM2. That's why the mirrors are plug n play with coding.

The earlier 04/05 have a different wiring which I'm not too familiar with. LM2 was only available on 08+ models so you wont see that in the earlier schematic

 

So is it possible to find something that triggers only when unlocking the car? It's a 2004 pre lci. Obviously interior lights and angel eyes have their own switches and triggers, which would then trigger my custom exterior lights when they should not be working.

 

Im not 100% on the early cars but there only trigger for the lights is the LM modules. The coding within it triggers when things are on/off and voltages.

The mirrors separate from the Lin bus inside the mirror so you could try to disassemble the mirrors and run the wires through them and back.

Its also the puddle lights at the bottom of the doors may not tie into the rest of the interior lighting

 

I don't necessarily need the trigger to come from the LM module or the lights themselves. Is there any other module, any other feature or just a random wire that gets 12v, or shorts to ground, only when unlocking the car?

EDIT: Just realized - the lock is a perfect trigger... (facepalm)

 

2004 and 2005 have separate door modules that handle the mirror and door lights.