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Rear Light Facelift Update Cheap How to

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sebeast
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Re: Rear Light Facelift Update Cheap How to

Post by sebeast » Tue Feb 11, 2014 3:33 am

ok bad news :cry: . i just got home from the dealer and apparently they couldn't code my car!!! The moron working on it said the wires were wrong and that he moved them so that both reverse lights would work, and that he just couldn't code my Light control Module. that it might be too old or something? so idk if they are just stupid or what. any ideas?

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Re: Rear Light Facelift Update Cheap How to

Post by LukeMace » Tue Feb 11, 2014 12:12 pm

That's a wired one! The only way I knew to be able to get either both fogs working or both reverse lights was to run a wire from one side to the other. I didn't think it was possible with coding :?:
They either have wrong software or have no idea how to use it... Probably the latter :thumbsdown:
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half
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Re: Rear Light Facelift Update Cheap How to

Post by half » Tue Feb 11, 2014 1:41 pm

I bought a 2 terminals and I put them in parallel with existing ones. I connected the ground wire (looking here http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=17666) and trying all the wires.
I double terminals now if anything I wanted to go back to the lighthouses of E85.
Then, you have to pass 2 wires between the 2 lights. One for the fog lights and one for the reverse lights.

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Re: Rear Light Facelift Update Cheap How to

Post by ThreeOZ » Tue Feb 11, 2014 11:36 pm

@half and LukeMace, we don't have rear fogs in the US so they are not part of the coding in the LRZ. It's probably switched off by default in the US.

@sebeast, you nailed it when you said moron. Keep callin' around until you find somebody with an Autologic, or at least more patience and more smarts.

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Re: Rear Light Facelift Update Cheap How to

Post by half » Wed Feb 12, 2014 8:05 am

Hi ThreeOZ. The encoding is to turn on the led lights only of positions.
If you don't do the encoding the led turns on and the brake light (low voltage then when brakes increases brightness).
After encoding you have the only led position and 12v brake light.
Another advantage of coding is that you don't have to put the heater led does not tremble.
Excuse my English :))

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Re: Rear Light Facelift Update Cheap How to

Post by sebeast » Thu Feb 13, 2014 8:09 pm

update;
So i went no an indy shop and was able to get the car coded, however he could not get the check controls to turn off. :|
could it be because the imbeciles at the dealer changed the wires around so that both reverse lights would work?

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Re: Rear Light Facelift Update Cheap How to

Post by mac27040 » Thu Feb 13, 2014 10:49 pm

I don't understand how you can get both reverse lights working by changing the wires round, prefacelift only had one reverse and one fog light, to get both you need to add extra wires to both rear lights. If you follow my instructions then code the car correctly then it works. Coding only does the following, a) changes the voltage to the rear lights from 6v to 12v, b) removed the "T" effect and c) switches the check warm bulb as you have LED's so no bulb out on dash.


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Re: Rear Light Facelift Update Cheap How to

Post by sebeast » Fri Feb 14, 2014 1:43 am

[quote="mac27040"]I don't understand how you can get both reverse lights working by changing the wires round, prefacelift only had one reverse and one fog light, to get both you need to add extra wires to both rear lights. If you follow my instructions then code the car correctly then it works. Coding only does the following, a) changes the voltage to the rear lights from 6v to 12v, b) removed the "T" effect and c) switches the check warm bulb as you have LED's so no bulb out on dash.


I agree with you, when i was done with the facelift when i reversed only one reverse light and one foglight would turn on. after the morons at the dealers tried to code it they changed things around so that both work. Now that I got the coding elsewhere everything is fine except not my hazards won't work when i lock and unlock the car? :headbang:

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Re: Rear Light Facelift Update Cheap How to

Post by ThreeOZ » Fri Feb 14, 2014 2:21 am

sebeast wrote:update;
So i went no an indy shop and was able to get the car coded, however he could not get the check controls to turn off. :|
could it be because the imbeciles at the dealer changed the wires around so that both reverse lights would work?
My indie couldn't get the check control to turn off either. I'm not the least bit concerned. I use it as a reminder to check my lights every now and then.

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Re: Rear Light Facelift Update Cheap How to

Post by half » Fri Feb 14, 2014 7:40 am

I confirm, it is so.
mac27040 wrote:I don't understand how you can get both reverse lights working by changing the wires round, prefacelift only had one reverse and one fog light, to get both you need to add extra wires to both rear lights. If you follow my instructions then code the car correctly then it works. Coding only does the following, a) changes the voltage to the rear lights from 6v to 12v, b) removed the "T" effect and c) switches the check warm bulb as you have LED's so no bulb out on dash.


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Rear Light Facelift Update Cheap How to

Post by mac27040 » Fri Feb 14, 2014 8:55 am

sebeast wrote:
mac27040 wrote:I don't understand how you can get both reverse lights working by changing the wires round, prefacelift only had one reverse and one fog light, to get both you need to add extra wires to both rear lights. If you follow my instructions then code the car correctly then it works. Coding only does the following, a) changes the voltage to the rear lights from 6v to 12v, b) removed the "T" effect and c) switches the check warm bulb as you have LED's so no bulb out on dash.


I agree with you, when i was done with the facelift when i reversed only one reverse light and one foglight would turn on. after the morons at the dealers tried to code it they changed things around so that both work. Now that I got the coding elsewhere everything is fine except not my hazards won't work when i lock and unlock the car? :headbang:
I fail to see how a dealer could code the LCM to get both reverse and foglights on when there is no wires connecting to the bulb!! They have used SSS software to code the LCM where as the check control is done with ncsexpert or can be done with navcoder.


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Re: Rear Light Facelift Update Cheap How to

Post by E85-Instructor » Mon Dec 22, 2014 1:03 pm

Hi Mates,

I did this Job also on march 2008.
I used all Facelift Components to set my car in Facelift look.

At first, I recoded my Lcm to get the rear lights work (as the schould). I think thats the easyest way.
In 2010 I updated my LCM from CI34 to CI 37 by flashing new Software on it. So now ist an Facelift LCM :D

But some Information about the Lcm.
in the first lifetime of the Z4 (Pre FL) there are following LCM Models with differnt CI Identities (CI = Codier Index)
CI 32
CI 34
CI 35
You can code all LCM Models in Detail to get work with the rear Facelift Lights.

In 2006 the Facelift appears and the LCM Models changed too.
At the Facelift there are two models CI36 and CI37

When you go to your local dealer to code it, sometimes there are a lot of Problems, the dealer cant code the LCM.
Why.....???

At first the SSS (old) now Ista/P load your vehicle order. This is a digital key, located on your Cluster and Lcm. This Key tell the Software whar Kind of car it have to program.
For Example: Z4, 2.5i, SMG Gearbox, Leather black, rain sensor, 17 alloy rim, Xenon headlights and so on......

So the Software knows, how to code every unit.

When you know fit the Facelift headlights, the dealer can ad a Special Service tag to your vehicle order, to get the lights work. But the Software knows, the Facelift lights only work with the CI 36 and CI 37. When the softwarecode your car, it checks the actually CI of every Module. Here is the Problem, your original LCM has CI34 and the Sofware Needs CI36 Minium, so coding Comes fail.

To get it work:
1. Code it with BMW Tools (you know what I mean) seperatly
2. Update the existing LCM

Some pics of mine:
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please also note my newbie thread
http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic ... 11&t=72535

regards ulli

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Re: Rear Light Facelift Update Cheap How to

Post by ZLuke » Wed Mar 11, 2015 5:54 pm

TH3R4POR wrote:welcome, excellent write-up :thumbsup:
Agreed! Great write up, too much work for me though :(
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Rear Light Facelift Update Cheap How to

Post by Ant » Mon May 30, 2016 8:48 am

Lads can someone confirm that the ground us the third cable on the original harness setting?

I thought it was the Brown one which looks like it's beside the blue/yellow reverse in the picture at the start

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Rear Light Facelift Update Cheap How to

Post by jaimebt » Mon Jul 25, 2016 11:26 pm

yg54sg wrote:Hi All, I have been lurking round these forums for quite a few years so thought I would do a how to on updating the rear lights from 2004 to 2007 model.

Things you will need:

Parts

Rear 2007+ E85 Bumper Skin <I paid £70 from ebay and £190 for bodyshop to rub down and spray sterling grey>
2007+ E85 Rear Lights <£120 for pair on ebay>
Twin Wire (same thickness as bmw light wiring) <£2 from local electrical shop>
Frame surrounds (not essential) <£68 for pair from bmw>
Long Plastic Panel Under boot (not essential) <£38 from bmw>

I will be avoiding buying the expensive light control module needed to run the facelift lights by doing a bit of simple electronics! :-)

Tools

9mm Socket or spanner
Philips Screwdriver
Flat Screwdriver
Electrical Screwdriver
Multimeter (not essential)
Electrical tape
Soldering Iron (of you can use those horrble press splice connections)
Heat Shrink Tubing


The Steps:


1. Remove old tail lights by undoing 3 nuts behind each light clusters, unplug the 1 cable and it should then pop out.

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2. Bumper Removal: The bumper removal is pretty straight forward, 5x 9mm bolts underneath, then 3 press in studs in each wheelarch which pull out with pointed nose pliers. You then tug hard on lip nearest the wheel arch and it all comes away... tug means tug hard!!

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3. Frame surrounds: You have a choice, the old frame surrounds for the lights (these are the painted pieces of plastic that sit above the lights) it will work to an extent if you cut of the small lugs that stick down where the old light fits into. The downside to doing this is you wil see a bit of a gap in the top left and right hand corners when the new lights are fitted, but it still looks 100% better than the old lights! So its your choice... I have ordered the frame surrounds but it looks like they will need paiting so unlike me, better to get it done with the bumper at the same time! Look at the pics and see if its something you dont mind (the small gap) its all water tight so its purely costmetic issue. If you do remove the frame surround there are 3 really easy to see screws on top then one hidden one in the corner which you can unscrew and remove once the bumper is removed.

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4. Remove the screws holding the piece of long plastic (about length of the boot under the boot behind the bumper) you have the option to cut this down with a hacksaw or use a grinder eg put a curve on it so the new bumper fits over it (we are talking 2-3cm of plastic to cut off it) or order a new one for the 2007 model. I ordered a new one but left this piece off the car until it arrives so I can still drive the car. When the boot/trunk is shut you dont know its missing its there to stop the bumper flexing and add additional fixing clips its the only removable piece of plastic behind the bumper below the boot so you will know what I am talking about.

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5. Remove license plate lamps from the old bumper just by pushing the clips out, fit them into the new bumper.

6. Cut the positive wire going to each license plate lamp and join 1 strand of new wire to it, cover with hear shrink tubing and solder it for a water tight seal. The positive wire is the grey one, the negative is the brown. Run this wire through the spare rubber gromit on each side of the car. Make as small a hole as possible in the spare rubber gromit so you have watertight fit.

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* The reason why we are doing this is because the standard pre facelift light control module feeds 6v to the tail lamps (the circle) and increases to 12v when the brake is applied. Since the new lights use 12v with LED's for the tail light we need a 12v supply marker lamp power from somewhere, since its LED in the new lights the load wont present a problem for existing fuses etc so the license plate light feed are ideal to take the tail light positive feed from also with no bulb out light issues.

7. Tape using black electrical tape your new singular wires leading from the positives on each license plate lamps to the wiring harness leading to each plug for the taillights, I did this every 10cm or so.

8. The Left Lamp wiring .................

Open up the plug by undoing the white clip you can then see all the little terminals inside the plug, using a small screwdriver push down on the tiny catch on the terminal and then tug the wire, the whole terminal should slide out you are going to do the following:

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Pin Out Old Cluster:

1 = Nothing
2 = Reversing Lamp +
3 = Tail Lamp +
4 = Indicator +
5 = Negative -
6 = Brake +

Pin Out New Cluster

1 = Fog Lamp (we will not use) +
2 = Reversing Lamp +
3 = Negative -
4 = Brake +
5 = Tail Lamp +
6 = Indicator +

Then:

-Remove pin 3, pull the wire out and carefully remove the 'pin' from the wire using wire cutters, open up the gripper then Tape the wire from pin 3 back up the harness out the way making sure you tape the end of it so it cant short anywhere, for now we will not be using it.

-Pull pin 5 move to pin 3
-Swap Pins 4 and 6.
-On your new wire you ran from the license plate lights, put the pin you removed from wire 3/pin3 onto this new wire by soldering it and insert into pin hole 5

You should now have 5 wires going into the plug with one taped back up the harness.

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* We do not use this taped up wire as its 6v and useless. With the new light cluster, we can do 1 of 3 things 1: leave it taped up if you do not mind the bulb out light coming on the dash 2: Put a load resistor on it to fool the car into thinking there is a bulb connected 3: Add a bulb for extra lighting in the trunk/boot so the bulb out light goes out because its lighting up something... I think I will go with the load resistor as there is plenty of metal around the rear lights to screw one too, they get quite hot so you need to keep them away from plastics. For now I will just let the dash bulb out light come on... more explained later...

Conect the light while it is in the boot and test all lights... if al is well move on:

9. Right Side:

Old Cluster:

1 = Brake
2 = Negative
3= Indicator
4 = Tail Light
5 = Fog Light
6 = Nothing

New Cluster:

1 = Indicator
2 = Tail
3 = Brake
4 = Negative
5 = Reverse (We will not use)
6 = Fog Light

- Remove wire from pin 4 and remove the actual pin from the wire.
- Pull pin 2 and move to pin 4
- Swap pins 1 and 3
- add wire from license plate lights + into pin hole 2 suing pin you removed from wire we are not using.

* Note that if you wanted to you could run the fog light from one side to the other and same with reversing light so that they come on both sides, however i was not too bothered and perhaps worried that the extra load might cause a relay of triac somewhere to fail. After all, how often do we use these?? Not much so to me not an issue would rather keep as close to stock wiring as possible but I my be tempted with the reversing lights!

10. Fit new bumper in same way you took off the old one everything matches up perfectly (screws etc)

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11. Remove the large bulbs from the new light clusters (indicator and brake lamp) take a small hacksaw and saw off the excess plastic grip on the back of the holder (picture below)

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* the correct procedure would be to use a metal saw and saw out the new holes on the body panel behind the light cluster BMW actally provides a template for this... however since I have never replaced a bulb in the 5 years I have had the car i dont see why I should saw up part of the metal on the car. Using my method if you really have to change a bulb just undo the 3 nuts and let the whole cluster come out, takes 2 minutes! The lights fit perfect and you can still change the bulb easily... so no hard done!

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12. test all lights to check they are working.

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Points to note:

Ok so as mentioned above we will need load resistors on those unused wires in order to get that light out on the dash, I will add a how to on that shortly when I have bought them. Another issue is that the brake lamp wire also carries 6v for the other half of the circle on the old light cluster, this translates to showing the brake section same brightness as the LED section when the tail lights are on. We do not want this to happen so I plan to use a relay so the brake section only comes on fully when the brakes are applied and does not light dim at all on tail lights, I will post a how to when I add the new frame surrounds it should be quite straightforward. Note that this again is purely cosmetic and totally road legal as is from behind you see a T shape as in the pic below for the tail lights with the brake section part getting really bright when applied like on the old light cluster (outer circle)


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Thats it for now!!! Note to moderator, please move to how to section also, if you want to host the images on z4 forum feel free as my hosting will expire in a couple of months.

Thanks :)

All i need now is clear fronts!!


yg54Shane
images are not showing up :( could you verify the links?

sorry for the trouble, you will really help me out.

my best regards!

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