Sublime

I had someone ask me about this in another forum, and I ended up writing a lot more that I thought I could about doing this retrofit, so I thought I would post it here also just in case someone found any aspect of it useful and/or informative. I know this topic has been covered many times - and this is not meant to replace or contradict any information that has been posted previously. I am missing a lot of information I am just too lazy to add like appropriate links, part numbers and some minor details - if you guys don't like or need this, just delete it, I won't take offense.

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This is quite a project you are thinking about. I wish I could say it is easy, quick and cheap - but it isn't. I am not saying this to scare you off from doing this - but you will learn a lot and spend a lot of time with your car doing this - especially if you have the old style LCM.

You are correct that the Bruce Miranda cables will allow you to run LCI tail lights - but the headlights must be wired in and programmed to function correctly. Problem is, once you update the coding on the car to accept the LCI headlights, it assumes you also have LCI taillights and the Bruce cables become useless (happened to me, I have V6 Bruce cables just collecting dust).

I will give you a rundown of what you will need...

First of all - you need the headlights. Best bet is to go with eBay on this, I picked up an almost new set off a 2008 535i for around $1,200 - but since I have seen them going from $800 on up. There are several different types of these lights so you need to be careful to make sure you buy headlights that will have all of your existing features. being that you have an M5 - I will assume you have all features like Auto-Leveling, bi-xenon, etc. I have the same features on my 550i and an easy way to make sure you are buying the right headlights on ebay (or a junk yard, craig's list, wherever) is the inside 'projectors' will have a white diffuser over them - meaning they look more translucent as opposed to the regular transparent inside lights you have now. These diffusers are for the cornering lights, and are awesome once you get them going. Make sure to buy headlights that come with all bulbs AND modules attached - under each headlight there should be two silver modules, one shiny and larger, one smaller and more of a flat finish. If you don't buy it all together you've added a new chapter to this already extensive retrofit.

Next you need tails. You have 2 choices, euro or US spec. US spec have the red LED blinker while the euros have amber. I went for the euro just to be different and I am happy I did because the red on red of the US tails just looks too blurred together for me. Plus living in LA I NEED people to see when I'm coming over, haha.

Now you need the official BMW retrofit wiring kit and the corresponding PDF. The PDF is easy to find online, and might be a good place for you to start so you know what you are getting yourself into. This kit will include new plugs for the headlights since it differs from non-LCI to LCI - to install this you will need to basically chop off your existing headlight connectors and follow the PDF instructions to crimp on the metal clips and put each wire into the appropriate spot on the new connector. Not as difficult as it may sound - someone with basic automotive electronic experience could do this in an hour or two. basically, if you can install a stereo or an alarm - you can do this. The tails will be a bit more plug and play - the retrofit kit comes with snap in adapters for the wiring on the tails and each adapter has a very long white wire that will need to be routed up to the LCM under the driver side dash.

Now all of this is assuming you have the new style LCM. It is semi-easy to find this out: use a phillips screwdriver to take down the panel on the underside of the drivers foot area and look up and to the far left. If you have a black box with a white connector on it - you may have the new style. There was a cut-off build date for when they switched over. If you have the old style, it means you have two modules, once on each under side of the dash - and to perform this retrofit you need to buy a new LCM and do some re-wiring - I believe these instructions are also in the PDF.

Now comes the fun part - you need all of this to work correctly. First of all - if you do everything I have described here minus the coding, you will have a car that does really odd things - the taillights will most likely have one bulb that shine bright all the time, and the headlights will work (kind of) but the halos will turn off after a few seconds (unless you followed the PDF exactly and swapped the appropriate pins on the LCM). and you will get error after error on your dash.

It is time to code...

Assuming you know how to code with NCSExpert - this is how I got as far as I did. I have all functions except the lights do not really turn when I turn the steering wheel, but auto-leveling, halos, day time running, cornering lights, welcome lights and everything else is great and I get zero errors.

You'll need to add +UMEB (I am sure this is the correct code, if not you can find it easy with a quick google search) to the VO in the LMA and CAS. You'll need to go into the files on the LMA and change cornering lights to 'aktiv' and also there is another parameter you need ot change that allows you to use the bi-xenons as bright lights - this is essential or you will lose the brights and only light up the cornering lights when you try to flash them - it is not sufficient believe me. For the auto-leveling lights to work as much as they do on my car I had to order and buy two new uncoded AHL modules (the smaller ones under the headlights) - this fixed a lot of issues for me.

Now this is by no means a complete guide, just an overview of what you will encounter. It took me almost a month and all-in-all a few thousand to do this correctly. But I am glad I did because I learned a LOT about my car and feel confident to add any new accessory and feature I want.

Hope this helps!

andy545

Thanks for the write-up.

I'm interested in the fact that your cornering lights worked straight off - I'm still trying to find out what's preventing mine from working. What month/year model is your E60? (would help if you added some info in the sig area)
BTW, the service code for the LCI light retrofit in the FA list is +MUEB.

Here is a huge THREAD about this retrofit - it may help you with some of the other issues.

bruce_miranda

probably worth mentioning that after you add the VO, you need to code the LM2 with the default setting BEFORE you setup anything else.

Sublime

The cornering lights didn't start to work until I added the uncoded AHL modules. But the lights aren't turning with the car like they should. After a long drive tonight up PCH in Malibu I had to come home and adjust the beams down significantly due to all the oncoming flashes I got. Oops - sorry if you were out there.

Thanks for the correction on the VO code - I did add the correct one but could not remember it exactly from memory when I wrote that up.

Bruce: when you say 'set up anything else' what do you refer to? Hardware installation?

itz MURDAH

Nice write up I just had these installed too .. got the LCI headlights off ebay and used my old xenon components from my pre-LCI headlights .. lucky I knew someone who worked at the dealer rearranged all the pins for me and ran the wires even updated my idrive went from brown to gray took about 3 and a half hours on the programming alone and cost me about $1700 including everthing the new LCM, labor, headlights, and tail lights but the look is sick really changes the car ... only issue I have is that my eyebrows on the light doesn't work I'm glad though cause I don't have the white eyebrow mod anymore and the amber kills it

lasvegasguy

that's way too much work for me, now please don't get me wrong but wouldn't it be better to just sell the car and buy a new one!

nomis_nehc

Kind of funny, I actually turned off the eyebrow via coding for two members this past weekend. Kind of a new request for me, lol.

Sublime

nomis - That is an interesting request, but how does it look in the end? I would rather do the white LED mod, I have seen a few people running around LA with it and it has a pretty modern look.

lasvegasguy - It depends on how much you like your car I suppose. Also, for me this is a hobby and a small passion of mine - I would go insane if I did not have my car as a creative outlet. No matter what car I have had, and it's been a lot, there is always something to do to it.

itz MURDAH

I had the white eyebrow on my pre-lci but I was told you can't put the white eyebrows on the LCI headlights I forgot the reason why but you will have to turn them off if you don't want the amber ..

BlaSTiWi

Tkx so much for your directions Sublime ... I'm very happy to completed my full LCI tail & headlights conversion the OEM way and did my own coding.

--Rival.