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      11-30-2014, 06:30 PM   #1
jonsc
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LCI X3 Interior Lighting to LED

Hey guys, I recently replaced the interior lights in my X3 and I noticed that the lights are a bit different in the LCI model.

All of the roof lights are the same (dome, map, passenger) but to my surprise I found that the footwell lights in the front and the rear are different than the earlier years. The housing is one piece and there is no bulb to replace. It uses a small LED now but the light is quite dim and much warmer than the LED's I installed.

Does anyone else have any experience with this and have any solutions? It can probably be replaced if the light housing is replaced with one that contains larger/different LEDs.

As seen in the photo I attached, the footwell lighting is much warmer relative to the LED's I installed.
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      11-30-2014, 07:09 PM   #2
jonsc
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After opening the housing, it appears to be a circuit board with 4 LEDs on it. Two warm white ones when the door open lights are on, and one very dim white (or orange if you select it in idrive) one that makes ambient light when the headlights are turned on.
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      11-30-2014, 09:56 PM   #3
Bimar
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They look very white I like warm ones I stock. I wonder if I can retrofit the lighting package, missed that in my order.
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      12-01-2014, 09:50 AM   #4
chx437
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A question to jonsc:
How did you manage to open the front dome? It seems to be a bit different than in the pre-LCI models: there is no more a surrounding "easy to remove" trim. So any hints how to get access to those traditional bulbs (3 x 5W5) of the front dome in a new LCI X3.
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      12-01-2014, 10:02 AM   #5
jonsc
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It is really easy on the LCI. the entire unit is held in by those easy to open clips. Just start from one side and work your way around it should easily pop out.
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      12-01-2014, 02:12 PM   #6
chx437
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Thanks jonsc!
Now also the three remaining bulbs in the front dome changed to LEDs!
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      12-01-2014, 08:45 PM   #7
jonsc
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Awesome! Glad I could help. Did you leave the foot well lights the same?

Also, was the wire for the puddle lights for the back 2 doors extremely short? I can't find a way to securely put the light back into the enclosure.
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      12-02-2014, 05:38 AM   #8
chx437
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jonsc View Post
Awesome! Glad I could help. Did you leave the foot well lights the same?

Also, was the wire for the puddle lights for the back 2 doors extremely short? I can't find a way to securely put the light back into the enclosure.
Yes, the foot well ligths were the same as in your car. I have not done anything with them yet, but perhaps later...

Also the rear door cables were very short in my car as well (and also short in my old pre-LCI X3 car ...so I consider this to be a BMW design fault). But anyway you can bypass this problem by making a pair of "extension cables". You need a pair of pin header connector (both male and female) blocks, see the picture. You get these connectors typically from electronic component stores (this connector type is very commonly used in all electronics). The pin spacing must be 0.1" (2.54mm)

For both the rear doors you have to cut small blocks of two pins from each connector type and then connect these blocks together by a short (about 10 cm) cable (consisting of two thin wires). When soldering the pins to the individual wires you should use thin heat shrinking (neopren) tube around each wire/pin to make the structure more "stable" and to avoid short circuits.
Finally you connect the male connector side to the existing female connector inside the rear door (even though it is hard to see there, it is relatively easy to get the connectors together). The female connector end of the cable then goes directly to the socket of door light housing.
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      12-03-2014, 02:14 PM   #9
jonsc
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Wow, thanks for that! I have no experience with anything like that but I will definitely give it a try.
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