LCI Retrofit Facelift Lights
04-14-2008, 12:09 AM
#123
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I had the dealer installed, 1k for labor. I think it depends on your SA or past dealings-- can get better leverage on the price. The total price for parts varies on your year model.
I don't know of anyone else in Ca or in the states have had lci conversion done so far. Are you planning to get it installed soon?
I don't know of anyone else in Ca or in the states have had lci conversion done so far. Are you planning to get it installed soon?
Originally Posted by my530i' post='558304' date='Apr 8 2008, 08:17 PM
Wow! It looks great!
So you installed yourself or dealer install it for you? How much does it cost?
I'm in San Jose/NorCal.
Thank you,
Fred
So you installed yourself or dealer install it for you? How much does it cost?
I'm in San Jose/NorCal.
Thank you,
Fred
04-14-2008, 01:05 AM
#124
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In the end--well worth the effort, frustration and time to get the lights installed on the car. The "welcome lights" effect is quite sweet! When unlocking the car, the angel eyes and the LED rods in the rear fades on. The angel eyes DRL is very bright...it catches people's attention. And yes an LCI looks without the ugly amber color refector on front bumper! 
There are a few minor issues. For US market--I never had and still don't have the ability to turn DRL on or off after the retrofit. But I think LCI cars now have DRL access through I-drive.
The ALC can be reused according to the installation manual. I reused my ALC but ended up with a flashing green light when switch is on auto--meaning my adaptive don't work. The installer checked for faults but found none. A couple members here have similar problem. One member replaced the ALC and had no problems afterward. Not sure if this has anything to do with older model year.
Cornering lights don't work. When turning left or right it is suppose to light up on LCI cars at speeds below 25mph. I think it is a software bug and/or only for cars from 03/2005? I have seen LCI cars making turns but i have never notice the "cornering light". I Don't think our pre-LCI cars had it anyways in the first place. There is a thread that discuss it in depth.
Installation:
I used this LCI_UPDATE.pdf revised as of 1/2008. Do not use the older one I posted a while ago earlier in the thread.
For a while, BMW put the kit on hold since they had to fix the installation manual--they really screwd up! On the hardware side, the cable have wires to the wrong pins (will mention about it later). And on the encoding/programming side, apparently gave some crytic hard to find name and wrong pathway. Add everything up, a person would have to go through hell to get it to work a few months ago. :thumbsdown: Now things are a lot smoother.
The front headlights installed easily. The old plugs were clipped off. A new socket plug was wired with the 11 wires for each headlight. In all for left and right headlights there were total of 3 wires with slight color variation. One was brown/yellow instead of being brown as in manual, etc. When it comes to gauge/thickness of wire--it is virtually the same. The differences probably have something to do with my 12/2003 built car--I assume cars after 03/2005 will color match exactly.
The facelift cable connects the old plug to the new LCI taillight. Each left and right cable has a wire to be routed all the way to the front of the car. The two wires connect to the light module plug. I can see that the light module cable wire loom don't come out far enought--modifying the pins is a squeeze. Nevertheless, fairly straight forward just tedious amount of time in removing the moldings when routing the wires to the front.
OK I'm grateful Andy545 brought this up in his thread--the retrofit cable contains mismatched pins! To save the dealer from troubleshooting, I corrected the cable before having them installed. It only take a few minutes. On my cable (both left & right) pin 4 & 6 need to be swapped! The 6 wires should match up with the colors of the 6 pre-LCI wires according to the diagram (pg 21). I'm surprised how BMW slipped on something that is simple. A basic quality check would have caught the mistake. Definitely, check your left and right cable!
Encoding/programming:
Before the Installation, the dealer had the car updated to Progman version 28 via SSS. After getting the hardware installed--It was quite a PITA to locate the procedure name to get the headlights and taillights functioning properly. Eventually after some speculation, the location was under "retrofits" and then "lights package". I think sometimes translation from German to English gets lost somewhere.
Thanks to forum member Merdashti for helping me get started with parts needed. Please note most of the parts listed are for cars with adaptive xenon headlights. For regular bi-xenon without adaptive...the light module & headlights will be a different part# and also less parts to buy.
1 Retrofit Cable Set [ 61 12 0 432 110 ]
2 AHL Headlights
- Left [ 63 12 7 177 749 ] US
- Right [ 63 12 7 177 750 ] US
2 Taillights
- Left [ 63 21 7 177 281 ] EU
- Right [ 63 21 7 177 282 ] EU
1 Light Module [ 61 35 9 154 944 ]
(Needed for cars before 9/2006)
2 Xenon Bulbs D1S w/ Ignition Element [ 63 21 7 162 862 ]
(Needed for cars before 1/17/2005)
2 Lamp Holders "ring clips" [ 63 11 7 162 087 ]
(Needed for cars before 1/17/2005--to hold xenon bulb in housing)
2 Control Unit Xenon Light "ballast" [ 63 12 6 937 223 ]
(Needed for cars before 1/17/2005--for D1S Xenon bulb)
2 Electronics box ALC (uncoded) [ 63 12 7 189 312 ]
(adaptive light control, "motor/actuator")
There are a few minor issues. For US market--I never had and still don't have the ability to turn DRL on or off after the retrofit. But I think LCI cars now have DRL access through I-drive.
The ALC can be reused according to the installation manual. I reused my ALC but ended up with a flashing green light when switch is on auto--meaning my adaptive don't work. The installer checked for faults but found none. A couple members here have similar problem. One member replaced the ALC and had no problems afterward. Not sure if this has anything to do with older model year.
Cornering lights don't work. When turning left or right it is suppose to light up on LCI cars at speeds below 25mph. I think it is a software bug and/or only for cars from 03/2005? I have seen LCI cars making turns but i have never notice the "cornering light". I Don't think our pre-LCI cars had it anyways in the first place. There is a thread that discuss it in depth.
Installation:
I used this LCI_UPDATE.pdf revised as of 1/2008. Do not use the older one I posted a while ago earlier in the thread.
For a while, BMW put the kit on hold since they had to fix the installation manual--they really screwd up! On the hardware side, the cable have wires to the wrong pins (will mention about it later). And on the encoding/programming side, apparently gave some crytic hard to find name and wrong pathway. Add everything up, a person would have to go through hell to get it to work a few months ago. :thumbsdown: Now things are a lot smoother.
The front headlights installed easily. The old plugs were clipped off. A new socket plug was wired with the 11 wires for each headlight. In all for left and right headlights there were total of 3 wires with slight color variation. One was brown/yellow instead of being brown as in manual, etc. When it comes to gauge/thickness of wire--it is virtually the same. The differences probably have something to do with my 12/2003 built car--I assume cars after 03/2005 will color match exactly.
The facelift cable connects the old plug to the new LCI taillight. Each left and right cable has a wire to be routed all the way to the front of the car. The two wires connect to the light module plug. I can see that the light module cable wire loom don't come out far enought--modifying the pins is a squeeze. Nevertheless, fairly straight forward just tedious amount of time in removing the moldings when routing the wires to the front.
OK I'm grateful Andy545 brought this up in his thread--the retrofit cable contains mismatched pins! To save the dealer from troubleshooting, I corrected the cable before having them installed. It only take a few minutes. On my cable (both left & right) pin 4 & 6 need to be swapped! The 6 wires should match up with the colors of the 6 pre-LCI wires according to the diagram (pg 21). I'm surprised how BMW slipped on something that is simple. A basic quality check would have caught the mistake. Definitely, check your left and right cable!
Encoding/programming:
Before the Installation, the dealer had the car updated to Progman version 28 via SSS. After getting the hardware installed--It was quite a PITA to locate the procedure name to get the headlights and taillights functioning properly. Eventually after some speculation, the location was under "retrofits" and then "lights package". I think sometimes translation from German to English gets lost somewhere.
Thanks to forum member Merdashti for helping me get started with parts needed. Please note most of the parts listed are for cars with adaptive xenon headlights. For regular bi-xenon without adaptive...the light module & headlights will be a different part# and also less parts to buy.
1 Retrofit Cable Set [ 61 12 0 432 110 ]
2 AHL Headlights
- Left [ 63 12 7 177 749 ] US
- Right [ 63 12 7 177 750 ] US
2 Taillights
- Left [ 63 21 7 177 281 ] EU
- Right [ 63 21 7 177 282 ] EU
1 Light Module [ 61 35 9 154 944 ]
(Needed for cars before 9/2006)
2 Xenon Bulbs D1S w/ Ignition Element [ 63 21 7 162 862 ]
(Needed for cars before 1/17/2005)
2 Lamp Holders "ring clips" [ 63 11 7 162 087 ]
(Needed for cars before 1/17/2005--to hold xenon bulb in housing)
2 Control Unit Xenon Light "ballast" [ 63 12 6 937 223 ]
(Needed for cars before 1/17/2005--for D1S Xenon bulb)
2 Electronics box ALC (uncoded) [ 63 12 7 189 312 ]
(adaptive light control, "motor/actuator")
04-14-2008, 01:08 AM
#125
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Rootkit,
in achieving a successful retrofit/conversion for the LCI lights (headlights & tail lights) , do i have to (1)update Progman software first then install the hardware (new lights) after Progman version is current (with the retrofit update later) or (2) can i straight away install the hardware (Headlights + Tailights + retrofit wiring harness) and then update via Progman - assuming that i'm not on the current version of the Progman (which if i'm not mistaken, is now on ver.29.x)? Thanks.
in achieving a successful retrofit/conversion for the LCI lights (headlights & tail lights) , do i have to (1)update Progman software first then install the hardware (new lights) after Progman version is current (with the retrofit update later) or (2) can i straight away install the hardware (Headlights + Tailights + retrofit wiring harness) and then update via Progman - assuming that i'm not on the current version of the Progman (which if i'm not mistaken, is now on ver.29.x)? Thanks.
04-14-2008, 01:23 AM
#126
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I think both ways will end up updating to the latest Progman version. I heard version 29 was already out and send to the dealer, but BMW had issue with it and send back.
I think installers from dealers will always update to latest Progman first. I have read somewhere but don't know how long it started. Major retrofits like nav etc...needs updated programming first. Maybe someone can chime in. I think you can try to install hardware and look for the coding procedure to get the lights functioning. But it will more than likely ask you to update the progman.
If I remember correctly, Andy545 installed the lights first but then was forced to have the latest progman programming done first. The coding only takes a couple of minutes. For me, the dealer had install the latest progman, then the hardware, and then do the retrofit procedure.
I think installers from dealers will always update to latest Progman first. I have read somewhere but don't know how long it started. Major retrofits like nav etc...needs updated programming first. Maybe someone can chime in. I think you can try to install hardware and look for the coding procedure to get the lights functioning. But it will more than likely ask you to update the progman.
If I remember correctly, Andy545 installed the lights first but then was forced to have the latest progman programming done first. The coding only takes a couple of minutes. For me, the dealer had install the latest progman, then the hardware, and then do the retrofit procedure.
Originally Posted by bmw_wpq31' post='561075' date='Apr 14 2008, 02:08 AM
Rootkit,
in achieving a successful retrofit/conversion for the LCI lights (headlights & tail lights) , do i have to (1)update Progman software first then install the hardware (new lights) after Progman version is current (with the retrofit update later) or (2) can i straight away install the hardware (Headlights + Tailights + retrofit wiring harness) and then update via Progman - assuming that i'm not on the current version of the Progman (which if i'm not mistaken, is now on ver.29.x)? Thanks.
in achieving a successful retrofit/conversion for the LCI lights (headlights & tail lights) , do i have to (1)update Progman software first then install the hardware (new lights) after Progman version is current (with the retrofit update later) or (2) can i straight away install the hardware (Headlights + Tailights + retrofit wiring harness) and then update via Progman - assuming that i'm not on the current version of the Progman (which if i'm not mistaken, is now on ver.29.x)? Thanks.
04-14-2008, 01:33 AM
#127
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Originally Posted by RootKit' post='561082' date='Apr 14 2008, 05:23 PM
I think both ways will end up updating to the latest Progman version. I heard version 29 was already out and send to the dealer, but BMW had issue with it and send back.
I think installers from dealers will always update to latest Progman first. I have read somewhere but don't know how long it started. Major retrofits like nav etc...needs updated programming first. Maybe someone can chime in. I think you can try to install hardware and look for the coding procedure to get the lights functioning. But it will more than likely ask you to update the progman.
If I remember correctly, Andy545 installed the lights first but then was forced to have the latest progman programming done first. The coding only takes a couple of minutes. For me, the dealer had install the latest progman, then the hardware, and then do the retrofit procedure.
I think installers from dealers will always update to latest Progman first. I have read somewhere but don't know how long it started. Major retrofits like nav etc...needs updated programming first. Maybe someone can chime in. I think you can try to install hardware and look for the coding procedure to get the lights functioning. But it will more than likely ask you to update the progman.
If I remember correctly, Andy545 installed the lights first but then was forced to have the latest progman programming done first. The coding only takes a couple of minutes. For me, the dealer had install the latest progman, then the hardware, and then do the retrofit procedure.
04-14-2008, 01:39 AM
#128
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Let me correct my earlier statement. Andy545 installed the lights. Then had to have the latest progman installed first before accessing the retrofit procedure.
I understand totally....the programming itself sometimes take a day or longer depending how many times it crashes. Mine crashed 2-3 times. You can try to install the parts first and then look for the procedure to code it. At worst, will then need to update to the latest progman.
I understand totally....the programming itself sometimes take a day or longer depending how many times it crashes. Mine crashed 2-3 times. You can try to install the parts first and then look for the procedure to code it. At worst, will then need to update to the latest progman.
04-14-2008, 11:21 AM
#129
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My Ride: BMW 545iA Black Sapphire
Model Year: 2005
Engine: 545i
Correct, UPDATE your car first with the latest Progman !! THEN do any hardware work.
This is valid for most retrofits now.
This is valid for most retrofits now.