[Strigz]

Hey guys, I was thinking about doing the yellow drl on my 2020 x3m. I was wondering what is involved on installing. I believe the bumper has to be removed, but I see on g80s only the wheel liners have to be removed. I can't seem to find any videos on the topic. I'd also like to buy extra heat fins for the headlights to install the module instead of taking apart the old ones. Any good place to find those? Any little input is greatly appreciated. Thanks guys!

[Strigz]

Here are my headlights. I believe I can do it, correct?

[95wildtt]

Originally Posted by Strigz

Hey guys, I was thinking about doing the yellow drl on my 2020 x3m. I was wondering what is involved on installing. I believe the bumper has to be removed, but I see on g80s only the wheel liners have to be removed. I can't seem to find any videos on the topic. I'd also like to buy extra heat fins for the headlights to install the module instead of taking apart the old ones. Any good place to find those? Any little input is greatly appreciated. Thanks guys!

Here is one of the more detailed and lengthy threds:
https://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showt...ght=yellow+drl

There are several threads on this topic, so maybe do a search for some of the others

[Strigz]

Originally Posted by 95wildtt

Here is one of the more detailed and lengthy threds:
https://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showt...ght=yellow+drl

There are several threads on this topic, so maybe do a search for some of the others

Thanks so much! I appreciate your help big time

[JABCAT]

Not related to your how to, but I find it interesting this is now "cool" again. Everybody hated yellow DRLs when they were introduced and couldn't jump fast enough on the white DRL train. Now ppl want to go back to yellow.

[R0ot.Us3r]

Originally Posted by JABCAT

Not related to your how to, but I find it interesting this is now "cool" again. Everybody hated yellow DRLs when they were introduced and couldn't jump fast enough on the white DRL train. Now ppl want to go back to yellow.

Fashion is Cyclical

[Strigz]

Originally Posted by JABCAT

Not related to your how to, but I find it interesting this is now "cool" again. Everybody hated yellow DRLs when they were introduced and couldn't jump fast enough on the white DRL train. Now ppl want to go back to yellow.

I think its mainly because of the CSL having them, but definitely inderstandable

[dinan5m3]

Originally Posted by Strigz

I believe the bumper has to be removed,:

pre-lci?

Nothing (bumper and light assembly) required to come out for this mod for pre-lci.

Also, older (E) cars, yeah, "amber" != "yellow".

[bad430benz]

Originally Posted by dinan5m3

pre-lci?

Nothing (bumper and light assembly) required to come out for this mod for pre-lci.

Also, older (E) cars, yeah, "amber" != "yellow".

Not if you have a dremel and are willing to use it

[dinan5m3]

Originally Posted by bad430benz

Not if you have a dremel and are willing to use it

(still) looking for any picture showing where that was done (deemed necessary).

[bad430benz]

Originally Posted by dinan5m3

(still) looking for any picture showing where that was done (deemed necessary).

I will take a couple of photos when I get home to show what I did . Of course you have to remove the bracket that holds the hood bump stop first .

[dinan5m3]

Originally Posted by bad430benz

I will take a couple of photos when I get home to show what I did . Of course you have to remove the bracket that holds the hood bump stop first .

Anytime now... You are giving the much-needed motivation for me !!!

[bad430benz]

Originally Posted by dinan5m3

Anytime now... You are giving the much-needed motivation for me !!!

I completely forgot about this......I left town and forgot after I got back . Let me get some pics during the weekend .

[spta97]

Originally Posted by JABCAT

Not related to your how to, but I find it interesting this is now "cool" again. Everybody hated yellow DRLs when they were introduced and couldn't jump fast enough on the white DRL train. Now ppl want to go back to yellow.

I still hate it

[dinan5m3]

Originally Posted by bad430benz

I completely forgot about this......I left town and forgot after I got back . Let me get some pics during the weekend .

anytime now...

[bad430benz]

Originally Posted by dinan5m3

anytime now...

Not sure how this pic will help but I really didn't feel like removing all the covers and stuff to show it 100% . You can see from the pic that I cut off enough of the plastic to remove it .

Removed the black bracket that holds the hood bump stop

Removed the 3 T25 (I think) bolts holding the module

Cut away enough of the plastic headlight housing to be able to pull the module back away from the headlight and up enough to unplug it to completely remove it . The unplugging of the module was IMHO the hardest part . I could have cleaned up the part I cut off a little better but didn't really care too much since the plastic covers hide enough to where not many people would notice .

Swap the boards out and reverse the steps and you are done !

Yes , mine looks ugly from the pics but it's not my DD so I haven't gone back and cleaned everything up . I thought about actually going back and Gorilla taping them so you can't even see where i cut off the black plastic .

[dinan5m3]

Originally Posted by bad430benz

Not sure how this pic will help but I really didn't feel like removing all the covers and stuff to show it 100% . You can see from the pic that I cut off enough of the plastic to remove it .

Removed the black bracket that holds the hood bump stop

Removed the 3 T25 (I think) bolts holding the module

Cut away enough of the plastic headlight housing to be able to pull the module back away from the headlight and up enough to unplug it to completely remove it . The unplugging of the module was IMHO the hardest part . I could have cleaned up the part I cut off a little better but didn't really care too much since the plastic covers hide enough to where not many people would notice .

Swap the boards out and reverse the steps and you are done !

Yes , mine looks ugly from the pics but it's not my DD so I haven't gone back and cleaned everything up . I thought about actually going back and Gorilla taping them so you can't even see where i cut off the black plastic .

Thanks man.

I'm sure you had all the right tools, and you seem like a capable DIYer.

With that said, i'm going to assume here that you've "exhausted" all options (short of removing bumper and headlight) to do this (i.e. to have enough of clearance to remove/unplug/re-plug/re-insert) "without" that extra cutting.

Would i be right about that?

Perhaps i am mis-judging just how much clearance i will get after removing the bracket that holds the hood bump stop, because after playing with in my head i came out "thinking" having enough clearance to remove/unplug/re-plug/reinsert.

In other words, after removing the bracket that holds the hood bump stop, that helps to clear the space A that blocked that area behind the module, the depth from B is still too long/deep to not able to cleanly remove and unplug the module?

[bad430benz]

Originally Posted by dinan5m3

Thanks man.

I'm sure you had all the right tools, and you seem like a capable DIYer.

With that said, i'm going to assume here that you've "exhausted" all options (short of removing bumper and headlight) to do this (i.e. to have enough of clearance to remove/unplug/re-plug/re-insert) "without" that extra cutting.

Would i be right about that?

Perhaps i am mis-judging just how much clearance i will get after removing the bracket that holds the hood bump stop, because after playing with in my head i came out "thinking" having enough clearance to remove/unplug/re-plug/reinsert.

I tried everything without cutting first but the actual piece of the body that the bracket is bolted against is too close to the back of the module . I know from experience because I actually broke off one of the bolt corners of the module trying to pull it out before cutting . I was able to secure it back on with just 2 T20 bolts and it held on nice and sturdy but why risk it after I was the guinea pig .

.......and yes I did have all proper tools ( even had to go buy some extra tools ) and I consider myself a more than capable DIYer . In one of my posts , I showed which ratcheting tool I used for the T20 bolts because the one I originally had would allow the bit to come out the back of the ratchet and I almost lost it down into the engine bay a few times . Found the closed end ratchet at Harbor Freight and it worked great because it's a tight fit between the module and bracket area . It takes a little time and patience but it worked perfect .

https://www.harborfreight.com/8-piec...RoCCJgQAvD_BwE

[bad430benz]

Originally Posted by dinan5m3

Thanks man.

I'm sure you had all the right tools, and you seem like a capable DIYer.

With that said, i'm going to assume here that you've "exhausted" all options (short of removing bumper and headlight) to do this (i.e. to have enough of clearance to remove/unplug/re-plug/re-insert) "without" that extra cutting.

Would i be right about that?

Perhaps i am mis-judging just how much clearance i will get after removing the bracket that holds the hood bump stop, because after playing with in my head i came out "thinking" having enough clearance to remove/unplug/re-plug/reinsert.

In other words, after removing the bracket that holds the hood bump stop, that helps to clear the space A that blocked that area behind the module, the depth from B is still too long/deep to not able to cleanly remove and unplug the module?

Correct....the depth in B is still not enough to remove without cutting . I would cut a little and then try to pull it out and then go back in to cut a little more until I finally got it .

[dinan5m3]

Originally Posted by bad430benz

... and I consider myself a more than capable DIYer .

You probably already looked at removing the two screws holding the headlight from the top, and ruled that out as worthless?

Looks like the headlight is held in 3 different spots, top, bottom and latch on the side.

With the bracket that holds the hood bump removed, removing the 2 screws that hold the headlight from top didn't give (just) enough clearance to "tilt" the headlight to front of the car to create additional room?

[bad430benz]

Originally Posted by dinan5m3

You probably already looked at removing the two screws holding the headlight from the top, and ruled that out as worthless?

Looks like the headlight is held in 3 different spots, top, bottom and latch on the side.

With the bracket that holds the hood bump removed, removing the 2 screws that hold the headlight from top didn't give (just) enough clearance to "tilt" the headlight to front of the car to create additional room?

On mine personally , I did remove those to try it and the headlight didn't even budge one bit . You could always try it on yours and see if you get any wiggle room . You will need about an inch or more of movement in order to possibly get the module out .

[dinan5m3]

Originally Posted by bad430benz

On mine personally , I did remove those to try it and the headlight didn't even budge one bit . You could always try it on yours and see if you get any wiggle room . You will need about an inch or more of movement in order to possibly get the module out .

Then probably all 4 (2 on the top, and 2 on the bottom rear) need to be loosened to see if the headlight can be loose for ~1 inch of added clearance. Just my guess. The 2 screws on the bottom rear of the headlight do require removing the liner in the wheel arch. I don't know why BMW didn't add an access plastic panel to get at these screws.

But then there is a locking tab (maybe not needed to move the headlight out by an ~1 inch or so) on the side of the headlight that do need front bumper in that area to be loosed. But to loosen that front bumper in that area requires extra trim pics to be first removed.

Damn, i could pay someone to go investigate this, (make video) and report back. Interested? Easy $ earned ?

EDIT: nm, i don't think the headlight will move out to the front of the car, without the front bumper area that touches the headlight to first come out to the front. urgh... this would be okay if install and forget about it, but i'm fairly certain it's not going to be that lucky, and in time will need to replace the broken module, and go through all this, again