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      11-25-2011, 08:34 PM   #1
beto_L.A.
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Amber turning lamp replacement

Hello everyone,
I was wondering if any of you in the US has replaced the front amber turning lamps to LED or other type of lamp.
I was surprised that my 2012 X3 has regular front turning lamps, when my \'09 E90 had LED cluster turning lights.

Any recommendations???

I don\'t mind the amber color when flashing but when the lamp is off I think it would look better if the lamp wouldn\'t reflect the amber color in the housing.
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      11-25-2011, 10:08 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by beto_L.A. View Post
Hello everyone,
I was wondering if any of you in the US has replaced the front amber turning lamps to LED or other type of lamp.
I was surprised that my 2012 X3 has regular front turning lamps, when my \'09 E90 had LED cluster turning lights.

Any recommendations???

I don\'t mind the amber color when flashing but when the lamp is off I think it would look better if the lamp wouldn\'t reflect the amber color in the housing.
There is a replacement P21W bulb with a bunch of LEDs that sort of looks like corn on cob, but it won't give you LED look like the E90.
For now, neither of the X series has LED front turning lamps, including X5 E70 LCI.
If you just want to get rid of the "egg yolk" look, maybe you could look into silver coated bulbs. They look silver when off, and amber when on.
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      11-26-2011, 12:16 PM   #3
beto_L.A.
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Thanks....I'm not looking to make the turning lamps look the same as the E90 but install a lamp that make the housing look cleaner then the amber lamp..
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      11-26-2011, 12:26 PM   #4
powertech83
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Quote:
Originally Posted by beto_L.A. View Post
Thanks....I'm not looking to make the turning lamps look the same as the E90 but install a lamp that make the housing look cleaner then the amber lamp..
Yep, you can try silver coated bulbs like stealth bulb from stealth auto (www.stealthauto.com). I have a pair on order too.
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      11-29-2011, 02:24 PM   #5
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I put in silver coated bulbs from ebay and the "egg yolk" look is gone. Now if there were a more inexpensive solution to getting rid of the amber reflector I would be happy (as opposed to changing out to the euro headlights w/ the clear reflector)!
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      12-01-2011, 12:10 PM   #6
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Take a look at my other post on the following link

LED turn signal with loaded resistors. Cheers!


Quote:
Originally Posted by beto_L.A. View Post
Hello everyone,
I was wondering if any of you in the US has replaced the front amber turning lamps to LED or other type of lamp.
I was surprised that my 2012 X3 has regular front turning lamps, when my \'09 E90 had LED cluster turning lights.

Any recommendations???

I don\'t mind the amber color when flashing but when the lamp is off I think it would look better if the lamp wouldn\'t reflect the amber color in the housing.
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      12-02-2011, 08:57 AM   #7
litt
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The question in my mind is how do you get from the yellow turn signal to the clear turn signal, it seems like it is more than just a bulb. Can someone confirm? Thanks.

Yellow:



Clear:

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      12-02-2011, 09:26 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by litt View Post
The question in my mind is how do you get from the yellow turn signal to the clear turn signal, it seems like it is more than just a bulb. Can someone confirm? Thanks.

Yellow:



Clear:

The way to eliminate the amber plastic lens is replace the complete headlight assembly:

28i halogens P/N
63127217287 (left)
63127217288 (right)

Xenon w/LED DRLs P/N
63117276991 (left)
63117276992 (right)

Xenon Adaptive w/LED DRLs P/N
63117276997 (left)
63117276998 (right)

Effective, but not inexpensive.

Currently, although the US NTSB recommends amber turn signals over clear ones (white) but, the actual legality of clear lamps is left up to the individual states, and most states allow "either white or amber at the front and either red or amber at the rear". That may change soon since the NTSB is considering requiring all cars to have amber turn signals (both front and REAR) since those have clearly demonstrated safety advantages over the other alternatives, especially at the rear. Those changes may be implemented in 2013. Most European countries already require ONLY amber rear turn signal lenses, but not amber front lenses.
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      12-02-2011, 09:31 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lotus7 View Post
The way to eliminate the amber plastic lens is replace the complete headlight assembly:

28i halogens P/N
63127217287 (left)
63127217288 (right)

Xenon w/LED DRLs P/N
63117276991 (left)
63117276992 (right)

Xenon Adaptive w/LED DRLs P/N
63117276997 (left)
63117276998 (right)

Effective, but not inexpensive.

Currently, although the US NTSB recommends amber turn signals over clear ones (white) but, the actual legality of clear lamps is left up to the individual states, and most states allow "either white or amber at the front and either red or amber at the rear". That may change soon since the NTSB is considering requiring all cars to have amber turn signals (both front and REAR) since those have clearly demonstrated safety advantages over the other alternatives, especially at the rear. Those changes may be implemented in 2013. Most European countries already require ONLY amber rear turn signal lenses, but not amber front lenses.
That's the only proper way... unless the chinese market is going to come out with some leaky, cheap version of them. The other way is risky but you can take the lenses apart and remove them yourself. I've done it in the past but its not very fun nor is it easy.

IF you are going to drop that kind of money on the above part... maybe wait for the LCI version? I'd imagine they will be LED and remove the orange completely.
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      12-02-2011, 09:35 AM   #10
litt
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lotus7 View Post
The way to eliminate the amber plastic lens is replace the complete headlight assembly:

28i halogens P/N
63127217287 (left)
63127217288 (right)

Xenon w/LED DRLs P/N
63117276991 (left)
63117276992 (right)

Xenon Adaptive w/LED DRLs P/N
63117276997 (left)
63117276998 (right)

Effective, but not inexpensive.

Currently, although the US NTSB recommends amber turn signals over clear ones (white) but, the actual legality of clear lamps is left up to the individual states, and most states allow "either white or amber at the front and either red or amber at the rear". That may change soon since the NTSB is considering requiring all cars to have amber turn signals (both front and REAR) since those have clearly demonstrated safety advantages over the other alternatives, especially at the rear. Those changes may be implemented in 2013. Most European countries already require ONLY amber rear turn signal lenses, but not amber front lenses.
Yea that's what I figured. Thanks for the confirmation. If there is one thing I really dislike about the x3, it's those orange signals......they just look very out of place to me....especially on AW.
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