Touring Taillights Facelift question.

[Ayakimc]

Apologizing in advance, I've read the other threads and they're too confusing and I can't get a solid answer.

So I just got some cheap facelifted US tail lights and I'm planning on face lifting them on my 99 528it.
I know I need to splice the wires to the new connections from the 01-03 tails and I need a new LCM. My friend has a 01-03(Not sure the year yet) 525It that he's willing to give me his LCM from. I need to get that new LCM coded to regulate the voltage for the LED's. I honestly don't care about the tail light out warning but I just want the tail lights to be working properly.
I also read something about BMW themselves being able to code the LCM for me?

Also, will I be needing to drill new holes in the touring to fit the new tail lights or do they line up with the old holes.


Aaaaaaaaaand, here are some photos of the touring since I haven't shown it here before.

IMG_0196.jpgFullSizeRender.jpgIMG_0056.jpgIMG_0499 (1).jpg

[theshafro]

I hate your stupid face

[dannyzabolotny]

The lights themselves will just bolt right up. Not too sure about the LCM— I've retrofitted the facelift taillights and they work properly for the most part. I just disabled all the light warnings in PA Soft, that was my ghetto way of getting it done, haha.

[kingdomking]

Face lift and pre face lift tail lights for the touring bolt up the same, plug in the same.
I have a late 99 and i just did this retrofit. I put in a LCM 3B (LCM 3A would work), code it via PA soft, and use NCS to disable the bulb checks.

[ghostbutts]

The lights themselves will just bolt right up. Not too sure about the LCM— I've retrofitted the facelift taillights and they work properly for the most part. I just disabled all the light warnings in PA Soft, that was my ghetto way of getting it done, haha.

my hatch/inner lights are in really bad shape compared to the body lights (2001). I wonder will have to do something similar to this if I end up going in the opposite direction of replacing my existing lights with pre-facelift inners. There are a bunch of inner tails on ebay right now in europe that all seem to be pre-facelift in decent shape.

[SCRSUVS]

I like the look of the amber lights, found some on e-bay IM thinking of, anybody know for sure if the 2000 - 2002 corner lights fit a 2003 540i wagon? Guy from Poland has these...pair amber.jpgCarlova789 pics I hijackedAmber light.jpgred light.jpg...lights dated 2001...what is needed if they do fit?

TKU for any help...

[blackknight530i]

I like the look of the amber lights, found some on e-bay IM thinking of, anybody know for sure if the 2000 - 2002 corner lights fit a 2003 540i wagon? Guy from Poland has these...pair amber.jpgCarlova pics I hijackedAmber light.jpgred light.jpg...lights dated 2001...what is needed if they do fit?

TKU for any help...

They fit fine, but you will need to make a couple changes in the LCM coding to separate the turn signal light from the brake light. There are two settings that need to be changed and in NCSdummy, they are called the same thing. Both say something to the effect of "use turn signals as brake lights" and another one that says "use hazards as brake lights". You want to change those away from whatever they are currently. This will leave the lower bulbs as brake lights and the upper ones exclusively as turn signals and hazards. Other than that, they will bolt right in.

[SCRSUVS]

They fit fine, but you will need to make a couple changes in the LCM coding to separate the turn signal light from the brake light. There are two settings that need to be changed and in NCSdummy, they are called the same thing. Both say something to the effect of "use turn signals as brake lights" and another one that says "use hazards as brake lights". You want to change those away from whatever they are currently. This will leave the lower bulbs as brake lights and the upper ones exclusively as turn signals and hazards. Other than that, they will bolt right in.

Thank you Blacknight really appreciate the confirmation and clarification of what is needed, read so many different posts many with different answers little stuff gets confusing to sort out, your input expertise well deserving the board gives you with much respect of your vast knowledge...TKU much...

[blackknight530i]

Thank you Blacknight really appreciate the confirmation and clarification of what is needed, read so many different posts many with different answers little stuff gets confusing to sort out, your input expertise well deserving the board gives you with much respect of your vast knowledge...TKU much...

You're very welcome! Thanks for the compliments.

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[JaxPlanet]

SCRSUVS > As mentioned above, they will fit. IMHO: I like them but I would have to disable the lower turn signal bulb so they don't don't blink amber and red. The downside of this is that one bulb failure means no rear signal. That was enough for me to nix them and the ones with white lenses in the same place. Two bulbs on either side is safer and looks best with same colored lenses on each. Again, just my opinion.

The retrofit requires three things:
1.Facelift tail lights
2.LCMIIIB or greater to eliminate the tail light bulb out warning in the instrument cluster. Regardless of what your software shows you, prior LCMs don't support this change.
3.Ballasts to provide constant voltage and a fixed amperage to the LED bulbs so they don't flicker and burn out prematurely*
*BMW or the translation process has resulted in these drivers being referred to as ballasts. My point is that, if you are going to make your own LED "ballast" you need to be looking for LED "drivers" or you will be lost. Ballasts are for gas-filled bulbs, like the Xenon head light bulbs.

As you know, #1 is plug and play.

This forum got me through #2 in this post: https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...light-retrofit

I have been living with the flicker of #3 for a while but I am sure I will return to it and either find some used BMW "ballasts" or find off the shelf LED drivers to do their job.

[dannyzabolotny]

I've been living with the flicker because I'm lazy and don't want to deal with/pay for coding. Still running my old LCM, but I went and disabled the warnings for it in PA Soft.

[SCRSUVS]

SCRSUVS > As mentioned above, they will fit. IMHO: I like them but I would have to disable the lower turn signal bulb so they don't don't blink amber and red. The downside of this is that one bulb failure means no rear signal. That was enough for me to nix them and the ones with white lenses in the same place. Two bulbs on either side is safer and looks best with same colored lenses on each. Again, just my opinion.

The retrofit requires three things:
1.Facelift tail lights
2.LCMIIIB or greater to eliminate the tail light bulb out warning in the instrument cluster. Regardless of what your software shows you, prior LCMs don't support this change.
3.Ballasts to provide constant voltage and a fixed amperage to the LED bulbs so they don't flicker and burn out prematurely*
*BMW or the translation process has resulted in these drivers being referred to as ballasts. My point is that, if you are going to make your own LED "ballast" you need to be looking for LED "drivers" or you will be lost. Ballasts are for gas-filled bulbs, like the Xenon head light bulbs.

As you know, #1 is plug and play.

This forum got me through #2 in this post: https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...light-retrofit

I have been living with the flicker of #3 for a while but I am sure I will return to it and either find some used BMW "ballasts" or find off the shelf LED drivers to do their job.

Thank you as well Jax, appreciate your experience and opinions, after reading many posts on what is involved thought something so easy, would be actually easy. Many before had some trial and error experiences to get the look they wanted for a colored light. LOL...simple but the amber just enough of a change to stand out / many hate it preferring the clear. Choices...what happened to the good old days of plug and play? The little stuff many miss stands out like a sore thumb to me see it does you too & appreciate your view of the different bulbs blinking, some dont care but that is attention to detail / understand well. Good info for consideration...thanks to you for the help. Appreciate it...

[blackknight530i]

Thank you as well Jax, appreciate your experience and opinions, after reading many posts on what is involved thought something so easy, would be actually easy. Many before had some trial and error experiences to get the look they wanted for a colored light. LOL...simple but the amber just enough of a change to stand out / many hate it preferring the clear. Choices...what happened to the good old days of plug and play? The little stuff many miss stands out like a sore thumb to me see it does you too & appreciate your view of the different bulbs blinking, some dont care but that is attention to detail / understand well. Good info for consideration...thanks to you for the help. Appreciate it...

The difference between your car and the OPs is that yours is already a facelift, right? This means it basically is plug and play with no wiring changes needed, just coding and the coding is easy and cheap.

For a prefacelift, I believe you only need to repin one wire on each side at both the LCM and taillight ends, so it uses the PWM controlled output rather than the 12v output and coding the LED taillight option in addition to the coding changes I mentioned above for the colored turn signals. Check WDS for the exact wire that needs to change. I'm also somewhat certain that the LCMIIIA will work fine with the wiring change and coding changes, but safer to make sure you get a LCMIIIB or LCMIV. If you change to a different LCM, you will need to change the mileage and VIN in PA Soft to match the car and code to defaults for the car's ZCS before making the changes for the facelift taillights. If anybody wants to do the upgrade and doesn't want to do the coding, PM me since I offer this.

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[SCRSUVS]

The difference between your car and the OPs is that yours is already a facelift, right? This means it basically is plug and play with no wiring changes needed, just coding and the coding is easy and cheap.

For a pre facelift, I believe you only need to repin one wire on each side at both the LCM and taillight ends, so it uses the PWM controlled output rather than the 12v output and coding the LED taillight option in addition to the coding changes I mentioned above for the colored turn signals. Check WDS for the exact wire that needs to change. I'm also somewhat certain that the LCMIIIA will work fine with the wiring change and coding changes, but safer to make sure you get a LCMIIIB or LCMIV. If you change to a different LCM, you will need to change the mileage and VIN in PA Soft to match the car and code to defaults for the car's ZCS before making the changes for the facelift taillights. If anybody wants to do the upgrade and doesn't want to do the coding, PM me since I offer this.

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Yes, correct have the facelift, really appreciate knowing should be just the coding, after reading many posts on the prefacelift made me want to be sure nothing was missing in the to-dos, my skills take me longer than most hate second guessing on such a small change to the amber when the reds have are pristine, but the colored amber keeps calling...its always in the little details to get the finished look desired...

Appreciate your specifics in detail...

Update 3/31/2018, still haven't bought the lights, second-guessing small change worth time, result and $$ invested. Lights. Like amber color, but hate buying parts and being unhappy with the results. Looked for lights on line, this stlye is in the range of $140ish to $160ish. Any thoughs appreciated...know many dont like the amber...

[carlova789]

I like the look of the amber lights, found some on e-bay IM thinking of, anybody know for sure if the 2000 - 2002 corner lights fit a 2003 540i wagon? Guy from Poland has these...pair amber.jpgCarlova pics I hijackedAmber light.jpgred light.jpg...lights dated 2001...what is needed if they do fit?

TKU for any help...

Not a problem!

They fit fine, but you will need to make a couple changes in the LCM coding to separate the turn signal light from the brake light. There are two settings that need to be changed and in NCSdummy, they are called the same thing. Both say something to the effect of "use turn signals as brake lights" and another one that says "use hazards as brake lights". You want to change those away from whatever they are currently. This will leave the lower bulbs as brake lights and the upper ones exclusively as turn signals and hazards. Other than that, they will bolt right in.

Thanks! I needed to know this as I've been driving around with the original turn signal behavior. They do bolt right in, but require coding.

[SCRSUVS]

Not a problem!



Thanks! I needed to know this as I've been driving around with the original turn signal behavior. They do bolt right in, but require coding.

Your car is a major reason thought of doing this, loved the before and after on the white, looks great, are you overall happy with the choice? Keep going back and fourth as the ones on my car are so pristine second guess worth doing it...same guy IM sure is who you bought yours from is who I found and what he has looks pristine as well. This older style lens only one I found close to the amber on silver for my application...touring w silver amber.jpgstill thinking...

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

I actually like the original red tail lights on my wagon, just sayin'.....

[SCRSUVS]

I actually like the original red tail lights on my wagon, just sayin'.....

Appreciate all input, like seeing everyone's cars, some beautiful builds...thought more about this taillight change than necessary...IM too picky spending $$$ and not being happy afterwards, this has been borderline decisions...

[jp5Touring]

Appreciate all input, like seeing everyone's cars, some beautiful builds...thought more about this taillight change than necessary...IM too picky spending $$$ and not being happy afterwards, this has been borderline decisions...

The amber looks good with the alpine white.

[carlova789]

Your car is a major reason thought of doing this, loved the before and after on the white, looks great, are you overall happy with the choice? Keep going back and fourth as the ones on my car are so pristine second guess worth doing it...same guy IM sure is who you bought yours from is who I found and what he has looks pristine as well. This older style lens only one I found close to the amber on silver for my application...touring w silver amber.jpgstill thinking...

Heck yeah I'm happy with it. I'm really digging the contrast and the fact that I still have cellis.

[ghostbutts]

Hey guys, if anyone is planning on swapping their facelift/celis all red outers for clear corners or ambers, please let me know... Just discovered a crack in one of my outers, would happily take them off your hands.

Edit/update - further info. So I was already replacing my inners due to crazing/scratching as well as warping of the reverse/clear portion. What I discovered yesterday was a crack in the upper portion of the outer that appears to have been caused by heat (I am saying this because right next to the crack is an area that looks scarred/blackened and cratered through heat exposure.

I dont know how old these lights are since the car has only been with me for 2 years, but I see a pattern of heat damage associated with the incandescent bulbs in the tails. Does anyone know of a cool solution (literally cooler) ? I think Evan mentioned retrofitting LEDs for color matching but not doing anything for error cancelling - has anyone else done LED retrofit - and if so what did you use and how do you manage to keep the heat low?

[SCRSUVS]

[QUOTE=ghostbutts;29992218]Hey guys, if anyone is planning on swapping their facelift/celis all red outers for clear corners or ambers, please let me know... Just discovered a crack in one of my outers, would happily take them off your hands.

I've been wishy-washy, like the amber / not 100% positive worth the change, pic doesn't show reds have a nice crystal pop in the sun, if I pull the tigger on the ambers, you will have first choice if by some chance you're still looking & I decide to do it.

Rear wagon 002.JPG

[ghostbutts]

Evan how is the heat in your LED reverse lights compared to incandescent?

[carlova789]

They all crack inside. My centers were refinished and clear coated. Looks a lot better than before.