European rear lights...silly question ?

C

chester2000

Member
Ok this may be a stupid question and apologies if it is.

I've just fitted some rear lights that were puchased from Germany but the wiring must be different as when i engage reverse the fog light comes and and vice versa.

I've read that others have also purchased lights from Germany and had to swap lights over....here's the stupin question.....how do i do this ??

swapping the bulbs wont make any difference !! :headbang: :headbang:
 
If you have pre facelift lights I fear you will need to pull the pin out of the plug, extend the wire to the other side. When I did the facelift light update it appears the loom only carries reversing light on one side and fog on the other. The facelift lights have fog and reversing on each side but on mine of course only reversing on one side and fog on the other since doing the upgrade. It might be possible to code it to swap sides but the easiest method would be to identify the wire in the plug and extend from one side to the other tucking it behind the trim prob an hours job, get some nice speaker type wire from B&Q / Wilkinsons / Maplin and a set of connector crimps.
 
oooooo sounds a little more involved than I'd hoped.

I love my new lights :thumbsup:

20121119_144345.jpg
 
Chester2000,

I bought lights from Germany and the reverse light and fog light were reversed. Mine were clear so I simply swapped the bulbs around and all was as per UK spec.

When you turn the fog light on, is it the right or left light that comes on? if it is the right then you need to swap bulbs around, if it is the left then it needs to be rewired.

If both bulbs are the same colour and the lens is producing the red or white colour you have a bigger problem.

It is quite easy to rewire and if you need advice on this I am happy help.
 
Doesn't look like you'll have a 'white' reverse light with those lights anyway.

Do the indicators flash orange?
 
When I switch the fog light on it comes up on the right hand side. ..the reversing light is on the left.

How will swapping the bulbs help ?...Both bulbs are clear.

Do I need to rewire ??

The idicators flash orange so no probs there :)
 
I had to swap bulbs as my lenses are clear and the bulbs produce the colour.

A rewire is not required as the correct side (offside) is lighting up when the fog light is turned on. If it is showing as a white light then I would either get a red bulb (if they make them) or colour the lens red.

As far as the reverse light I am guessing you could not de-colour the red lens, having said that I do not think it would fail an MOT with a red reverse light although someone with more knowledge may correct me.
 
Good point FAARN, I forgot that a fog light needs to be drivers side. In that case what I would do is piggy back the fog light wire onto the inner brake light circle wire on the drivers side (similar to the full circle brake light mod) this means when the fog light is switched on the inner circle lights up brighter acting like a fog light (21w) then I would run a piece of wire over from the passenger side to the drivers side carrying the reversing light 12v and place onto what was the pin for the fog light in the plug.

You should then get a stock reversing light and a acceptable and bright red fog light. Reversing light should be white IMO especially for things like car supermarkets, always good to clearly see someone reversing.
 
Wow this sounds more involved than i thought...lol

The thought of rewiring fills me with dread and breaks me out in cold sweat :wink:
 
Bringing the reversing light across is easy as it originally comes from the right side anyway. All you need to do is remove the connector and take out pin 2 from the left side. Remove the boot trim panel and peel it back to the right side (a pain but not hard). Take out pin 5 from the right connector and plug the pin you have brought over from the left side into the same slot. That is the reverse light sorted.

You could then use a quick splice connector (scotchlok) or solder to connect the wire from pin 5 on the right hand side onto wire going into the pin for the inner circle (I think it is pin 4 but yg54sg has more knowledge of this and could advise).

As yg54sg has said it is better to have the reversing light. If you don't care you could replace the reverse bulb with one of these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-P21W-B...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item5ae497afe1

gaining a red fog light but losing an obvious reverse light (it would be red).

Hope this helps.
 
wow thanks guys for all you help, i'll order some cable and the scotchloks and give i a go......any preference on cable ?

i think i'll stick to having reverse light also... :driving:
 
Morning all,

This weekend I'll be attempting the fix detailed above. When I run the cable from left to right for the reversing light I'm assuming I need to take the old connector out of the right hand side and insert new cable.....what size/type connetor do i need ?

I'm also thinking of changing the inner brake light on both sides the fog light...thoughts ?
 
The connectors are the same on both sides so the reverse light will simply plug in. I couldn't find the part number for the connector end and BMW were none the wiser either. I did remove the existing one by cutting the cable and drilling it out carefully but you shouldn't have to do this. With the fog light scotchlok it and make sure the end connector is well insulated. I wouldn't cut it off as it will make it harder to return to standard if you ever needed/wanted to.

Again, I am no electrician so someone with more experience may advice better.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

:thumbsup:
 
Sorry but am i missing something here ? / being thick !

When i remove cable from pin 2 in the connector on the left hand side this then needs to be "extended" to the right hand side. Surley the new cable/extension needs to have a crimp connector on the end to fit into the multi block ?

With the fog light i'm assuming that as the connector on the right hand side is removed during the process above this is then just scotcklocked / piggy backed to the inner brake light.

Sooo sorry if i'm being thick here :headbang:
 
No stupid question, just poor explanations on my part.

The Fog light from the left is routed past the right hand side anyway so it is plenty long enough to reach back to the right. It will be clumped in with the other left light wires in the loom but if you remove the tape binding it it can easily be separated. All you need to do is remove the plastic trim below the boot catch to trace the path of the loom. No need to remove the connector at all.

What you say about the fog light is correct. :)
 
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