Member
I've just replaced all my "door activated" interior lights with LEDs, but they refuse to work if all five are LED; if I put all five LEDs in, the system turns off and can't be reactivated unless all five incandescents are put back in and the whole thing is reset with the ignition. At the moment I've got LEDs in the dome light and both footwells, with incandescents in the rear quarter lights, and everything seems to work fine.
Can I just add a resistor to one of the LED bulbs to "trick" the system? The LEDs elsewhere in the interior work - glove box, map/reading lights, boot lights and number plate light.
M.
Member
I just went through this same issue with my '02 330ci convertible (so no overhead light or pillar lights).
I bought my LEDs through LEDAutomotive (recommended) and the advice that they gave me worked in the end. Put all of the incandescent lamps back in. Start with the footwells and leave just one of the footwells incandescent. Then, one my one, replace the others with LEDs, testing at every stage to make sure it works. Then, at the last stage, replace the last footwell and they should all work.
It has just been a few days since I have been driving this way and it is not perfect all of the time. For example, when I shut off the ignition the overhead dome is supposed to go on for about 15 secs then shut off. This does not always happen consistently though. But sometimes it works without any issue.
__
2002 330ci 5-speed convertible
Member
I think I might just replace the W5W with xenon incandescents; the removeable bulb holders make it pretty much impossible to fudge a resistor in there!
Member
Let me know how it goes if you do that - and where you get them.
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2002 330ci 5-speed convertible
Wagon meister :)
BMW Tech Expert
I replaced all of my interior lamp with LED's and didn't have any issues. What you do have to keep in mind is that they are directional, you have to put them in the right way. So if the lamp doesn't come on, turn the bulb around, and see if that works.
I did use the BMW upgrade LED's from BMW, so perhaps that maybe why I don't have any problems.
Darin
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M-Flight Member
Jbird
BMW makes an led bulb kit
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