Lci taillights not lighting up when unlocked

[koluka]

I have lci blacklines on my tail lights and they dont seem to light up when i unlock the car.

Asked my Bmw SA about it, but got a reply of saying that 1 series taillight led bars dont light up when unlocked.

I think thats bs, when seeing other 1series unlock with taillights come on.

I have every my lights on auto and every setting is turned on the key configuration settings.

Im a newbie to bmw Do i need to get my car recoded at the dealer???? Please help

[1-2MANY]

Maybe you got the non led version.

[Cozy]

Hi .

I assume by the fact that you have autolights that you have xenon and LED tails too? Do your tails light up when your lights are turned on with your car running? How about the brake bulbs or turn signal?

Have you tried unlocking multiple times? I find that if you keep doing this i.e. just to check out your lights then the welcome lights disable until you start the car, switch off, lock and unlock again.

If that doesn't work then check your connections, there should only be two connectors, one in the centre of the back of the light unit and one in the far corner nearest the rear quarter. I believe that the centre one gives power to the bulbs, the outer one gives power to the LEDs.

Assuming you're xenon that's all I can think of as Pre-2012 (Pre-LCI) xenon equipped cars don't need an adapter harness at all, the lights are straight swap.

Can you tell us the part number of your light kit? The correct kit for cars with Xenon's ends in 282

[koluka]

Originally Posted by JamJay

Hi .

I assume by the fact that you have autolights that you have xenon and LED tails too? Do your tails light up when your lights are turned on with your car running? How about the brake bulbs or turn signal?

Have you tried unlocking multiple times? I find that if you keep doing this i.e. just to check out your lights then the welcome lights disable until you start the car, switch off, lock and unlock again.

If that doesn't work then check your connections, there should only be two connectors, one in the centre of the back of the light unit and one in the far corner nearest the rear quarter. I believe that the centre one gives power to the bulbs, the outer one gives power to the LEDs.

Assuming you're xenon that's all I can think of as Pre-2012 (Pre-LCI) xenon equipped cars don't need an adapter harness at all, the lights are straight swap.

Can you tell us the part number of your light kit? The correct kit for cars with Xenon's ends in 282

Thanks for the response!

Its a 2011 135i with xenon headlights. 63-21-2-225-282 was the part number for the black-line taillights I have ordered from schmiedmann.

I dont think it was in the process of installation of the taillights that is causing this. As the taillights did not light up to unlock beforehand of the black-lines.

I have tried to reset the car by pulling the negative charge of the batteries out for 15 minutes(maybe not long enough?) and tried countless times to unlock and lock after messing with the configurations on the key setting(via steering wheel buttons; no nav).

I know it is a small thing that can be ignored but I am a person that cant handle these things

BTW the taillight led stripes work perfectly fine on all other conditions..(daytime running lights, auto headlights, parking lights, etc)

it just doesnt want to light up when unlocked

help is in need!

[New21er]

Thats odd, I just tried mine (2011 with Sch-mann blacklines) they light up when I unlock with the fob.

[AKopp]

Do you have iDrive? Make sure your day time running lights are enabled. Also, my car's lights won't light when I unlock and lock a few a times. It gets annoyed and just stays off, I suppose.

[koluka]

No, I dont have iDrive. Configuration settings for day time running lights are all enabled. The front angel eyes come on. Tail lights do not

very weird... wondering if I have to visit a local shop.

[Dackelone]

OP... for the tail lights to light up(LED bars) you will need to have the headlight switch set in the AUTO position. When the headlights are turned on manually (ie set to off or on) the LED tubes in the tails WILL NOT light up.

Set your headlights to AUTO and report back.

Also note... IF your car is parked and your constantly locking and unlocking the car... after a few cycles the tail light LEDs will not light up. I think this is a safety feature as not to drain the battery.

Btw... the #282 (#63212225282) Blackline kit is the correct xenon kit for our cars.



PS: When your car's SW is flashed to a new version... often times you will need to go into the BC and reset your preferences for things like lights flashing when locking and unlocking, how long your lights stay on for when parked, and how many times your turn signal flashes(3x's vs 1x's).

[miro2296]

Originally Posted by 1-2MANY

Maybe you got the non led version.

+1 to this. Trying to find the another thread reporting issues like this with a non led version.

[koluka]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

OP... for the tail lights to light up(LED bars) you will need to have the headlight switch set in the AUTO position. When the headlights are turned on manually (ie set to off or on) the LED tubes in the tails WILL NOT light up.

Set your headlights to AUTO and report back.

Also note... IF your car is parked and your constantly locking and unlocking the car... after a few cycles the tail light LEDs will not light up. I think this is a safety feature as not to drain the battery.

Btw... the #282 (#63212225282) Blackline kit is the correct xenon kit for our cars.



PS: When your car's SW
is flashed to a new version... often times you will need to go into the BC and reset your preferences for things like lights flashing when locking and unlocking, how long your lights stay on for when parked, and how many times your turn signal flashes(3x's vs 1x's).

Yes... It is currently and mostly set at auto. LED bars do not light up upon key unlock.

What I have noticed was that on auto during the day while day time running lights are activated, the rear led bars do not light up.

I think this has something to do with not lighting up on unlock?

As I said before the BC configuration are all set golden for the led bars to light up.

CONFUSED! lol..... I wonder if another visit to the bmw dealership will be a good idea.

After all they try to send me back with BS excuses such as "oh its because 1 series is different from 3 series"

I started this thread only because after searching for 1~2 hours, I did not find any useful information regarding this topic. Maybe it is just me?

[bxsinster]

do they even turn on at all ? the tail lights might just be broken altogether

[koluka]

Originally Posted by bxsinster

do they even turn on at all ? the tail lights might just be broken altogether

they turn on when I have low beams on. When on AUTO, if it is dark outside the tail lights come on like usual with xenon headlights.

[Cozy]

This is really odd and I don't feel like wasting money at BMW is your answer.

It's got to be something with coding, SW level or settings in the trip computer. Go back into your trip computer using the indicator stalk and check everything, maybe you missed something or think you've enabled this function but haven't? That said, why would the front angel eyes light up on unlock and not the rears? What BMW told you is BS as we know, the rears do light up.

[can128]

Whenever I unlock, the LEDs under the handles always come on, and it's a hit or miss with the parking lights/Front Halos/rear license plate lights and rear tail light LEDs...

I have never been able to figure why they turn on whenever they feel like it...

[Naoto]

Originally Posted by can128

Whenever I unlock, the LEDs under the handles always come on, and it's a hit or miss with the parking lights/Front Halos/rear license plate lights and rear tail light LEDs...

I have never been able to figure why they turn on whenever they feel like it...

mine is the same way. when i first got the car the lights would always come on, but now it does it at random times.

[can128]

Originally Posted by Naoto

mine is the same way. when i first got the car the lights would always come on, but now it does it at random times.

I've tried messing with manually turning the exterior lights on and off, while the key is in the off position, accessory position, and while the car is running and none of those attempts seem to make a difference. Chances are they will just start working again at some random point this week as they usually do. Really weird though. I wish someone knew the answer to this... Bugs the hell out of me!

[Dackelone]

Could be you have a bad footwell module (FRM) or loose connector.

Have you guys ever had any work done at the bottom of your A-pillars. ? That is where the footwell module is located.

[andybui82]

could it be that you got the non LED ones? Because that website has 2 sets of blackline LCIs. Ones significantly cheaper as well.

[can128]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

Could be you have a bad footwell module (FRM) or loose connector.

Have you guys ever had any work done at the bottom of your A-pillars. ? That is where the footwell module is located.

Interesting... I'll check that out tonight.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by cokbui

could it be that you got the non LED ones? Because that website has 2 sets of blackline LCIs. Ones significantly cheaper as well.

He order/got the #282 Blacklines. Those are the correct ones for Xenon cars with LED tubes that light up. I have those on my car (as does many other people here) and they work just fine.

IF he said his LED tubes never light up... then he got the wrong blacklines. He said sometimes they light up when unlocking. That can only mean bad wiring or a footwell module.

[andybui82]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

He order/got the #282 Blacklines. Those are the correct ones for Xenon cars with LED tubes that light up. I have those on my car (as does many other people here) and they work just fine.

IF he said his LED tubes never light up... then he got the wrong blacklines. He said sometimes they light up when unlocking. That can only mean bad wiring or a footwell module.

damn. i was hoping he ordered the wrong one lol. Cause i am looking to get a set this week. I still cant decide if i should get Blacklines or just the LCI. I also do not want this issue.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by cokbui

damn. i was hoping he ordered the wrong one lol. Cause i am looking to get a set this week. I still cant decide if i should get Blacklines or just the LCI. I also do not want this issue.

I would say get the Blacklines. They really look good in person! Here is the correct part number for xenon cars... bmw #63212225282