DIY - 750Li - AIB installation

[glgpc]

Here's the promised DIY. Understand that this is E66 specific and I cannot make any statements regarding whether it is the same with the E65. I can say that this is a big job just to replace a couple of bulbs. The result is great, and really makes a difference, but this is definitely not a "plug and play" installation for the E66.

1. I ELECTED TO RAISE UP THE FRONT OF THE CAR. MAKE SURE THE CAR IS SECURELY RAISED. THIS IS NOT STRICTLY NECESSARY, BUT IT MAKES ACCESS TO ANYONE OVER 4 FEET TALL MUCH EASIER.
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb314/glgpc/DSC00435-1.jpg


2. IF YOU OWN BMW'S FAMOUS "SPECIAL TOOL" USE IT FOR THIS STEP. I DON'T HAVE ONE SO I USED A PROTECTED FLAT HEAD SCREWDRIVER. THIS IS THE FIRST TRIM PIECE THAT COMES OFF.

TAKE OFF THE TWO OUTER TRIM PIECES, THEN THE CENTER PIECE WHICH MAKES UP THE LICENSE PLATE HOLDER. UNDER THIS TRIM PIECE ARE TWO TORX SCREWS WHICH ARE PART OF SECURING THE BUMPER COVER AND MUST BE REMOVED (SEE PHOTO A FEW STEPS DOWN). THE PDC IS PART OF THESE TRIM PIECES. AS YOU SLOWLY PULL THEM OFF, UNPLUG THE CONNECTION. MAKE SURE TO LEAVE THE ACTUAL SENSOR ON THE TRIM PIECE.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb314/glgpc/DSC00436-1.jpg

3. PULL OFF THE LOWER PLASTIC MESH GRILLS. OUTER ONES FIRST, CENTER ONE PUSHES IN THEN COMES OUT. BEHIND THE TWO OUTER MESH COVERS ARE FOUR MORE TORX SCREWS, TWO FOR EACH SIDE AS SHOWN. THE UPPER ARROW POINTS TO ONE OF THE TWO TORX SCREWS BEHIND THE CENTER TRIM/LICENSE PLATE HOLDER.
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb314/glgpc/DSC00439-1.jpg

4. THESE ARE THE TWO CENTER TORX SCREWS
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb314/glgpc/DSC00437-1.jpg

5. AT THE TOP OF THE BUMPER COVER ARE TWO MORE (LARGER) TORX SCREWS ON EACH SIDE. THIS PHOTO IS POST REMOVAL.
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb314/glgpc/DSC00438-1.jpg

6. THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 10 TORX SCREWS WHICH MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE FRONT AREA AS SHOWN IN THE PHOTOS TO TAKE OFF THE BUMPER COVER. THERE ARE ALSO 4 MORE SECURING POINTS:

A. IN THE WHEEL WELL, REMOVE ONE SCREW IN THE AREA OF 2 O'CLOCK (IF THE WHEEL WELL WERE A FULL CIRCLE) THIS CAN BE FOUND JUST ON THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL WELL BEHIND THE PAINTED EDGE. THIS SCREW GOES IN STRAIGHT UP (90 DEGREES)

B. AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WHEEL WELL IN FRONT OF THE WHEEL IS A PLASTIC PUSH RIVET WHICH MUST BE REMOVED AND REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE.

C. AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WHEEL WELL JUST AHEAD OF WHERE THE PLASTIC RIVET IS LOCATED IS ONE LAST SCREW WHICH IS LOCATED ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BUMPER COVER.

D. THE LAST ATTACHMENT POINT IS A PLASTIC "RAIL" WHICH SECURES THE UPPER SIDE EDGE OF THE BUMPER WHERE IT MEETS THE STEEL FENDER RIGHT BEHIND THE SIDE LIGHT FIXTURE. GET SOMEONE TO HELP YOU AND PULL THE COVER OFF STRAIGHT OUT. MOST LIKELY THIS RAIL WILL BREAK OR FAIL AND YOU WILL HAVE TO BUY TWO NEW ONES. THEY ARE EACH LESS THAN $15.00.

7. HERE'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WITH THE BUMPER OFF
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb314/glgpc/DSC00440-1.jpg

8. NEXT, UNCREW THE HATED CAR WASH KILLER, I.E. HEADLIGHT WASHER. (NOTICE THE PLASTIC PIECE RIGHT UNDER THE PAINTED FENDER AT THE FAR LEFT IN THE PHOTO. THIS IS THE FRONT END OF THE PLASTIC RAIL MENTIONED IN 6(D) ABOVE.
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb314/glgpc/DSC00444-1.jpg

9. REMOVE THE LIGHT FIXTURE. FIRST UNDO THE TWO TOP SCREWS.
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb314/glgpc/DSC00441-1.jpg

10. UNDO FIRST "INNER" BOTTOM SCREW.
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb314/glgpc/DSC00442-1.jpg

11. UNDO SECOND "OUTER" BOTTOM SCREW
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb314/glgpc/DSC00443-1.jpg

12. UNDO TOTAL OF THREE CONNECTIONS. THE ONE MARKED BY A BLUE ARROW HAS ALREADY BEEN DISCONNECTED. THE RED ARROW SHOWS THE MAIN CONNECTION. THIS ONE HAS A STANDARD BMW STYLE SECURING SHELL WHICH MUST BE PULLED UP TO RELEASE THE PLUG.
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb314/glgpc/DSC00445-1.jpg

13. THE LIGHT FIXTURE PULLS STRAIGHT OUT, AND HAS A BOTTOM OUTER ALIGNMENT "TRAY" WHICH MUST BE REMOVED. AFTER THE TRAY COMES OFF, THERE IS A "ROUNDED" PLUG WHICH EASILY SCREWS OFF. UNDER THIS PLUG IS THE ANGEL EYE BULB. UNDO THE CONNECTION AND TURN IT COUNTER-CLOCKWISE. PULL IT OUT AND THIS IS THE LAME BULB BMW SEES FIT TO ILLUMINATE THE ANGEL EYES.
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb314/glgpc/DSC00446-1.jpg

14. THIS IS THE AN GE L i BR IGHT. WHAT A DIFFERENCE!
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb314/glgpc/DSC00448-1.jpg

15. REVERSE THE STEPS TO PUT THE BUMPER BACK ON.

16. HERE'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE:

DAYTIME
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb314/glgpc/DSC00480.jpg

NIGHTTIME
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb314/glgpc/DSC00481.jpg

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb314/glgpc/DSC00483.jpg

IT REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

[diznik007]

Looks good and instructions are clear, concise w/ great pix. Still won't do it myself. Everytime I mess with removing/reinstalling car parts, a screw gets loss, I end up w/ an extra screw. Whatever happens, the car never seems quite the same. End result is always an annoying loose rattle. I think I'll leave it to the pros. Lights look good. Probably what I do next.

[STRTWYZ]

Excellent write up!

Mods, please make this a sticky.

[erunithug]

nice. pretty scary/intimidating though.

[tbal69]

wow, what a krazy procedure to do ae's lol... Can you get aes in the oem color but brighter?

[LBC X5]

Nice.. looks good.. i did mine from Umnitza through the hood w/o taking the bumper or headlights out.. so mine wouldn't have the steps showing what you did.. but it would have pics showing the bleeding knuckles and a DIY on how to put a band aid on while your hands are covered in grease! lol

:)

[diznik007]

I'll take some bloody knuckles over removing the bumper anytime. Unbelievable the 7designers couldn't come up with easier access for a common problem (fried bulb). Of course, if they were really "plug and play" as advertised, then BMW couldn't charge you the $200 in labor for the install. What a racquet.

[Mikey83]

Sticky this, great writeup

[1bad540]

wow the whole bumper huh??? Your a nut but tghey def look great, maybe the e65 you dont have to remove the whole bumper???????

[glgpc]

From reading the responses, it seems like the E65 does not require a bumper shell removal. Unfortunately, the E66 does. Not only the bumper shell, but the light assembly and the alignment tray on the light assembly has to come off. finding the angel eye bulb on the E66 is akin to the script of "National Treasure", layer after layer has to come off until you get to the very well hidden "treasure".

I will say that one of the most satisfying aspects of the job was discovering the awesome engineering that makes up just this little section of the 7. It was a hard part to get to, but the fit and finish of all the parts was excellent. These BMW guys really know how to build cars!

Also, I was happy to clean up all those parts you see in the photos. You can't tell after you put the car back together, but I like knowing the front end is as clean as when the car came off the factory floor.

[blk45]

From reading the responses, it seems like the E65 does not require a bumper shell removal. Unfortunately, the E66 does.

It's not an E65/66 difference, it's the difference between 2002-5 & 2006+. They changed the shape of the headlights and the way that the headlights mount, etc., there by necessitating the removal of the bumper to get to the lower mounting bolts.

Great write up btw! :thumbup:

[momo's_se\/en]

It's not an E65/66 difference, it's the difference between 2002-5 & 2006+. They changed the shape of the headlights and the way that the headlights mount, etc., there by necessitating the removal of the bumper to get to the lower mounting bolts.

Great write up btw! :thumbup:

thank you , its the face lift and not the facelift body type, none to do with 65/66

great info though

Sticky it please

[glgpc]

It's not an E65/66 difference, it's the difference between 2002-5 & 2006+. They changed the shape of the headlights and the way that the headlights mount, etc., there by necessitating the removal of the bumper to get to the lower mounting bolts.

Great write up btw! :thumbup:

Got it. I was mistaken and thought E65 meant pre-06 model, not the difference between i (E65) and Li (E66). (Hey, WTF do I know, I'm just the grease monkey!)
I would go back and edit the post but there's no longer an edit button. Thanks for the info.

[blk45]

Got it. I was mistaken and thought E65 meant pre-06 model, not the difference between i (E65) and Li (E66). (Hey, WTF do I know, I'm just the grease monkey!)
I would go back and edit the post but there's no longer an edit button. Thanks for the info.

No problem bro! We are all learning new stuff here.

[Dr Feelgood]

Diznik 007,
is your ride lowered?what springs?:confused:

[ImolaMMM]

Great job! Thank you!

[diznik007]

Diznik 007,
is your ride lowered?what springs?:confused:

yes, dropped on H&R's.:thumbup: