Rear foglight install instructions (real!) :thumbup:

OK, I've decided to do something about it.

This is not the permanent home of this information, but for the time being this will be its public location.

The instructions are meant to be just that. It is not intended to be a pictorial (you can buy a Playboy for that). It may be revised as I perform more installs, especially on different bodystyles but I really don't have any intention on making major revisions to it.

If anyone can find any reasonably omission or error, please let me know and I will work on fixing them. If you want pictures of how to get the wire through boots or under the doorsills, don't bother. You probably should be asking someone with more mechanical skills to help you anyways. Some of the information, like removing the driver's footrest can be found at other places (that's where I got the info).

http://members.cox.net/kokayasu/BMW/..._retrofit.html

Enjoy!

Good summary, Kaz
I can personnally report that your write-up works for E46 convertibles.

Excelent writeup and definetly worth the wait

Tanks

So, has anyone done this, or know the part numbers specific for a >2002 (facelifted) sedan?

Many thanks Kaz!

Outstanding contribution, Kaz! Thanks!

Originally posted by OBS3SSION
So, has anyone done this, or know the part numbers specific for a >2002 (facelifted) sedan?

Given the recent brouhaha over ETK availability and all, this type of thing is gonna get harder. My own edition is early 2002.

Is there any kind soul out there with an ETK covering 2003 models who can find the p/n for left & right bulb carriers?

Please?

For facelift cars, it's not an issue about part #s. It's an issue of finding out where the heck the rear fogs even go. I've looked briefly at the lighting configuration of one and everything is all moved around. If someone can figure out where the rear fogs even go on one, figuring out what needs to be done to make it work should be pretty trivial.

Hey Kaz, do you have prices on the parts? MSRP or what you paid? TIA

Funny, I can't edit the smiley out of the subject (it's not supposed to be there)...

Anyhow, for the prices:

Obviously parts prices can be all over the map. That's why in my writeup the cost range is so huge. It is based on actual pricing I've seen but not necessarily paid.

but:

Rear contact: ~$2
Front contact: ~$3
bulb holder: ~$6 with bulbs
Switch: I've read about people buying one for as little as $40, but I paid quite a bit more, and some people have been quoted as high as ~$200+.

First of all, thanks to Kaz for sharing the information.

I've just ordered the parts to have the retrofit done today. For the folks in Canada interested in having the foglamps retrofitted, the following is the price I paid for the various parts (in Canadian funds):

Left bulb holder (63 21 8 374 807): $11
Light Switch Unit, Xenon, no auto lights (61 31 8 378 574): $129
Bushing Contact for LCM (61 13 0 008 998): $2.70
Bushing Contact for lights (61 13 0 006 626): $2.70

Total comes to roughly $130 (I get 10% off from my parts guy )

Also, where can I find the following parts?
*Small gauge (18-22AWG) butt connectors
*25ft PVC insulated stranded copper wire (20AWG OK for 1 light; 18AWG recommended for 2)
Maybe RadioShack? Anybody?

The prices I was quoted from Circle are all over the map. I'm thinking maybe some of these are the wrong part, and unfortunately they've not been significantly helpful in sorting this out.

Rear fog light parts
1 61-31-6-911-646 Light switch panel, xenon, autolights $130.00
1 63-21-8-374-807 Left light housing $5.50
1 63-21-8-374-808 Right light housing $1.00
1 61-13-0-008-998 Bushing contact for LCM $1.00
2 61-13-0-006-626 Bushing contact for lights $26.50

The price difference between the left and right bulb holders seems odd, at best. When I asked them to double check that for me, it was ignored. I may just submit my order to Cutter and be done with it.

B.

Wow, that right bulbholder price is odd.

I got mine from Circle and paid $5.20 per side.

I hope that bushing contact price was a typo. Should be less that last 0.

I got my LCM contact from a local dealer (because I thought I had the right one in stock when I placed the Circle order) and it was $3.75 ish.

As for the other parts, I used what I had in stock but you can get the stuff at any Radio Shack or hardware store/home center.

Just a FYI... I got all the parts (except LCM) for $14.05 (both left and right light housings/contacts for both/contact for LCM) + $5 shipping to LA. Parts have to be ordered and should be here in a week. Ordered from Cutter. I just hope I don't have a "Manny" experience with this order.

My parts just came in today, and I've finally completed the install of the foglamps. Thanks to Kaz again for the instructions. I guess I can safely say that this setup works for earlier production 2001 3 series (mine was built in 12/00, last week of December... ugh).

As for how the lights work:
1) no foglights will work if no lights are on
2) if parking lights are on (light switch in the first position), rear foglamps will come on ONLY WITH front foglamps, so you need to turn on the front first, then turn on the rear. Once the fronts are off, the rear will go off too.
3) if headlights are on (light switch in the second position), the foglamps work independently. I can both, or either of them on, without affecting the other. And I don't need to turn on the front first to make the rear work.

I guess that's about it.

If you've read my early research on this retrofit, it is to use the rear fog light switch as an OEM-looking way to operate an electronic deer whistle under the hood.

I'm getting ready to do the install (finally) and I'm looking for suggestions on the best way to get a wire from pin 49 on the LCM into the engine compartment. I assume there are a number of existing holes with parts of the wiring harness in them - I'm looking for hints on the easiest runs, so I don't have to completely disassemble the dash/instrument cluster, etc. if I don't have to. The ideal hole would be reasonably easy to get to on both sides, and would have some space for a single wire without needing to enlarge the hole, etc.

Any suggestions? Also, if there are any documents in the TIS about installing wiring here, pointers to them would be useful.

Check out the instructions for installing front foglamps on the circlebmw site. It shows you how to run the wiring harness from the front of the car (foglamps) to the LCM through a hole (with a water proof boot, i think). Hope the info helps.

If you don't mind getting the wire over to the RH side first, it's a piece of cake. There are plenty of places in the 'empty compartment' in the engine compartment where you can poke a wire through one of the existing grommets and into the back of the fusebox.

There are similar things on the LH side but are more difficult to access because all the brake components and the e-box are there.

Just got a quote of $56.00 for the non-xenon, halogen switch from Hendricks BMW.

Wonder if you can just replace the switch to convert a non autolight to autolight functions?

Originally posted by sp330i
Just got a quote of $56.00 for the non-xenon, halogen switch from Hendricks BMW.

Wonder if you can just replace the switch to convert a non autolight to autolight functions?

No, since the autolight sensor is up where the rainsensor is by the rearview mirror.

I had a follow-up reply from Hendricks regarding part number

61 31 8 378 572 - Halogen/no autosensing

This is what it said...

"I have just found out that the light switch you are wanting will only fit a US 330 convertible. Other than that, it will only fit 3 series euro cars. That part will not work with any other US car. Sorry I have implied false info. Let me know if I can help you with anything else.
Thanks,
Hendrick BMW"

Can anyone with personal experience or an ETK dispute that?

AFAIK I haven't gotten any reports back from any halogen/no auto people. I'll try and verify the PN again, but hopefully someone who's gotten this to work with that PN will chime in.

If the control panel matches the function of the LCM, there's no reason I can think of that it won't work. In fact I have my stock control panel apart at home and it's deceptively simple inside.

Originally posted by sp330i
61 31 8 378 572 - Halogen/no autosensing

Can anyone with personal experience or an ETK dispute that?

I'm not an ETK expert, but that part is used on a wide variety of models, including the 330i:
Used-on diagram
However, from the picture, this switch appears to have two "volume control" knobs, one being the normal instrument dimmer, and I think the other is manual headlight leveling:
Parts illustration
Sometimes the ETK picture is incorrect, though. It would be best if you could find someone with direct experience.

I'm sorry about the huge and funky images - I'm composing this on my home theatre system via cross-system cut-and-paste from a computer in my office running the ETK, and I can't re-size them easily. At least I didn't inline the images, so you don't have to load 'em if you don't want to.

Kaz, any thoughts on installing a fuse inline?

I was thinking of putting one just after the LCM, just in case, to protect it.

Originally posted by sergiok
Kaz, any thoughts on installing a fuse inline?

I was thinking of putting one just after the LCM, just in case, to protect it.

I thought about it, but none of the other circuits that run off the LCM are fused. Any fusing (except for things like the frong fog module or the trailer module) appear to be fused at the power source that feeds into the LCM.