changing fog light side

[clairerox]

Please can anyone help I have a RHD car in Portugal and need to change the rear fog light side to be legal - any ideas? Also due to lack of use because of rain battery keeps gloing flat any way of resetting aircon, fan and rear screen from being in standby mode without going to dealer?

Thanks Claire

 

[PawnSacrifice]

Hi Claire,

Welcome to the forum

Reference the lights, what year of car do you have?

Not sure on the aircon etc being in standby... if I wasn't using my car a lot I'd fit a trickle charger, just plug the car in when you're not using it and it maintains the battery - you can fit connectors in the car that stay in place so it's easy to plug in each time. The chargers have been discussed on here if you do a search.

 

[clairerox]

Hi

The car is a 06 facelift model, thanks I will try the trickle charge

Claire

 

[PawnSacrifice]

:| ...not too sure on facelift lights. I know the bulbs are the same rating for fog and reverse so I was going to suggest re-routing the cables one way or another - even if it's taking out the cable at the connector that goes into the rear lights. But I don't know how sophisticated the facelift electrics are? Or if they are in the same place on each.

The only other thing I don't know is if the light construction is the same on each side - primarily does the fog light have a red lens or clear with a red bulb? If the former you would simply need to source a RHS light from Europe - eBay. If the latter, just swap the bulbs around once wired.

So, while we wait for someone more knowledgeable to come along, rubbish my theories and tell you how it should be done, are you going to get over to the newbies section for a proper introduction and some pics?

 

[frenchmick]

Hi Claire,

just about to have the lights changed to left hand drive on my car, when I found out that the rear fog light needs changing, just taken the rear lights out (very simple) to see if I could do it my self, but the wiring does look complicated. So will be getting the BMW garage to do the rear lights as well.

They are charging €1045 to supply and fit the front, but I got the rear section out in 15 mins, so I would assume the labour for the rear will be no more than 1 hour. When this is done I will check out the wiring and see if I can relay what changes they have done to the wiring to you.

Mick

 

[frenchmick]

Hi ,

the switch on the front lights are only for a temporary measure, say for touring abroad and all they do is block out some of the light so they do not shine into on coming traffic , this is the same effect as putting them stick on decals on your existing lights. To pass a ( French) mot and get the car re registered you need the front lights and rear fog changed by law. As for Portugal no idea, but I would have thought it would be the same.

 

[frenchmick]

Got the fog light changed over at local BMW garage, charged about €100.

Mick

 

[clairerox]

Thanks, have been to Portuguese BMW who said back lights needed changing 1000Euros managed to get some lights from German Ebay (LHD) lot cheaper. Ooops still wrong foglight!!!! :| Never listen to the Portuguese!!! Will get someone to try to change the wiring!!! Thanks Claire