E87 Pre-LCI to LCI tail lights - coding

[JHS130]

Hi all I'll be getting some LCI blackline tail lights with the LED light tube/strips for my E87 soon and wanted to know if they need to be coded like the coupe/cabrio LCIs...

Anyone tried this retrofit so far? I've not been able to find a thread related specifically to this topic, ie. for the E87. Thanks in advance!

[37&TenCents]

I'm just doing the same right now!
I've found this thread on a German forum (google translate makes it pretty understandable)

You need the 2 new LCI lights (duhhh), and about 2 - 3m of 0.7mm diameter wire (to draw power from the license plate lights to light each of the the LED strips). You can modify the wire harness connectors to fit in the LCI lights.

I think you can get away with no coding, but if you want to change/fix up how the led strips work with the parking lights/brakes then you'll have to code that...

[JHS130]

Originally Posted by 37&TenCents

I'm just doing the same right now!
I've found this thread on a German forum (google translate makes it pretty understandable)

You need the 2 new LCI lights (duhhh), and about 2 - 3m of 0.7mm diameter wire (to draw power from the license plate lights to light each of the the LED strips). You can modify the wire harness connectors to fit in the LCI lights.

I think you can get away with no coding, but if you want to change/fix up how the led strips work with the parking lights/brakes then you'll have to code that...

Haha yep that's the thread I followed
Did you end up getting the contacts for the LED strip from BMW? I picked mine up from the parts dept today and they look smaller than the pins in the wiring harness... hmm... I've also got some similar looking ones from Bunnings which may or may not work.

[37&TenCents]

I was just gonna pick up some 3mm spade connectors from Jaycar and hold them in with a bit of blu-tac or something, it won't make any difference as far as I can tell?
I'll have an answer either way tomorrow... haha

[JHS130]

Finally had some time to finish the wiring on mine today!

Yeah I used some that I picked up from Bunnings. They don't stay in because there aren't any clips but you can hold it in place using electrical tape. I'll upload some photos in a few hours.

The LEDs looked great this morning... and I'd imagine they look better at night... although I won't find out today as my battery is dead Forgot to turn my light off whilst installing my BMWP intake and had the iPod playing through the speakers.

[JHS130]

Okay here are the photos:

As you can see I used the green rubber bits from the contacts I got from BMW hoping that they'd help hold it in place.

LCI Blackline LED Tail Install by J.H. Sohn, on Flickr

Testing fit

LCI Blackline LED Tail Install by J.H. Sohn, on Flickr

All taped up and ready to go

LCI Blackline LED Tail Install by J.H. Sohn, on Flickr

Dodgy wire taps... used a small square file to remove some of the plastic so the new wire could come out of the housing. Had the blue ones like in the 1erforums post but it looked like it was meant for a larger gauge of wire.

LCI Blackline LED Tail Install by J.H. Sohn, on Flickr

Left side of the boot trim is back in. Most difficult part of this install BY FAR.

LCI Blackline LED Tail Install by J.H. Sohn, on Flickr

Right hand side in...

LCI Blackline LED Tail Install by J.H. Sohn, on Flickr

Complete!

LCI Blackline LED Tail Install by J.H. Sohn, on Flickr

The result. Looked fantastic while it lasted

LCI Blackline LED Tail Install by J.H. Sohn, on Flickr

[37&TenCents]

I've also just installed my BMWP intake this week! Talk about coincidence...
I have a shark fin aerial I'm about to get painted and I'll throw that on. I was actually sent 2 so if you want the other I could send it your way??? haha

Your wire taps, do you have 2 grey wires from the license plate lights? I only have one by the look of it, wondering what to leech off of...

[37&TenCents]

As you can hopefully see here:
Was yours similar or did you have two grey wires? I can't quite tell from your photos.



Everything else works like it ought to, obviously just without the LED strips.

[JHS130]

Originally Posted by 37&TenCents

I've also just installed my BMWP intake this week! Talk about coincidence...
I have a shark fin aerial I'm about to get painted and I'll throw that on. I was actually sent 2 so if you want the other I could send it your way??? haha

...I think our thoughts are connected or something. I've been looking at shark fin aerials on other cars for the past three or four days and was seriously considering it. There was a video from Germany of a 130i with an X3 one I believe? Anyway, might have to take you up on that offer... how much you want for it?

By the way, the intake sounds amazing. Finally got the chance to give it a good test today and the sound from 2.5k onwards is awesome!! Sounded even better on the track

Your wire taps, do you have 2 grey wires from the license plate lights? I only have one by the look of it, wondering what to leech off of...

Hmm to me it looks like youre searching for the wire a bit further up from where they split into smaller bundles.. if you look all the way down, there should be a small bundle that goes into a rubber boot and through the chassis. Should be two grey wires with a brown stripe. I'll find you a better photo of what I'm talking about.

EDIT: Okay I think I know what the issue was.. there is a foam/polystyrene cover that needs to come out to expose the wiring loom further down... photos up in a min.

[JHS130]

Not sure if that explains it any better haha tell me if you still can't find it


There are two grey + brown striped wires but one is taped up in the photo so you'll just have to trust me when I say it's there haha..

[37&TenCents]

Thanks for the photos, I ended up just tapping into the one wire for both LED strips, worked fine & they look great. I was just worried that if I did leech power for both LEDs from the one wire then maybe one license plate light would be dimmer than the other since they appear to be wired individually (with the 1 grey and 1 brown wire each).

As for the shark fin, ygpm.

[JHS130]

Originally Posted by 37&TenCents

Thanks for the photos, I ended up just tapping into the one wire for both LED strips, worked fine & they look great. I was just worried that if I did leech power for both LEDs from the one wire then maybe one license plate light would be dimmer than the other since they appear to be wired individually (with the 1 grey and 1 brown wire each).

As for the shark fin, ygpm.

Make sure you post up some photos when you get the chance!

Some more of mine:


LCI Blackline LED "High" Version by J.H. Sohn, on Flickr


LCI Blackline LED "High" Version by J.H. Sohn, on Flickr


BMW 130i by J.H. Sohn, on Flickr

Looks a billion times better than the pre-LCI tails

[p4ddY]

Looks good. But you still need to get some coding, so the other bulbs don't light up, while the LED strips are lit. So the others only light up for breaking/fog rear lights (if you got these). I'm coming from the German forums

[37&TenCents]

Yeah, I'll be getting that sorted soon, but that's not top priority since they work fine as they are for now...

[comar1979]

standart:



pre LCI Blacklines:



LCI Blacklines:

[xcharles1]

Great thread!

[1-18BMR]

Mmmmm LCI's Look soo good on the black cars! Great work guys. Making me want to do it now

[iastute]

Just got to do this today!!

It looks awesome!! BTW anyone got the english instructions on the programming of the lights. TIA!

[Sarge135]

That looks great!