xenon light retro-fit

[TOM14S]

Hi,
Now this isn't the first OEM xenon retro fit i've done however could be the most costly and probably one of the more problematic.
The halogen lights on the z4 are, well, 'pants' and i've tried adjusting them upwards, better bulbs could help but i enjoy tinkering so thought i'd do another xenon retro-fit. keeps me out of trouble i suppose. :hattip:
The easy bit...
I managed to source a pair of xenon headlights with clear indicators 2nd hand, plus all the light components (bulbs, ignitors, ballasts). however had difficulty sourcing the leveling sensors and the hardware to attach them to the suspension. There's a fair few breaking z4's but none had xenon's on... is that saying something about how bad the non-xenon lights are?!? so i had to get all the suspension sensor components from BMW but got a reasonable discount, and so that came to ~£150. :fightwall:

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=BT53&mospid=47799&btnr=33_1137&hg=33&fg=30&hl=13

Now I have the wiring diagrams so was prepared to make up the wiring looms however, i firstly searched BMW parts catalogue for wiring looms and found there are only two different looms for 3.0ltr cars: one for automatic and one for manual cars, with no distinction between xenon and non xenon cars. So great! Means the car probably has the loom's already. So I went hunting! Found the electrical connectors for the leveling sensors quite easily. One cable tied to another wire within the front right wheel arch and the rear one tied up under the car at the rear on the right hand side close to where the level sensor would fit. :brucelee:

Now this is the difficult bit and the bit i'd like advice on:
Getting the LCM (light control Modual (the switch)) to control the xenons...

Now I thought the current LCM would not run the xenon's, causing the headlights to flicker when it goes into diagnostic mode due to a different loading from the xenon lights as opposed to the halogens. But I quickly wipped the connector out through the front of the wheel arch and tried them and at first i thought, great! They work no flickering... then started the engine up and... Doh they don't as they did start flickering.

So... what do I do next? ...

Do I get the standard light switch (LCM) reprogrammed? (£40) But whilst this will make it run the xenon lights without flickering, will this still cause me issues with the leveling system due to the manual control on the switch?
If this is the case i will have to source a new switch at huge expence? £200 new, or 2nd hand? Which as yet has been impossible to source as not only does it have to be from a xenon car but also have front fog light control and auto wipers and lights!

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=BT52&mospid=47797&btnr=61_1681&hg=61&fg=35

But then sourcing a new switch may then cause me another issue... If i change the LCM i'm worried that it may flag up the milage tampering warning as the LCM contains milage information. So this means I'd also probably have to get bmw to fit this...
But if i bought a new one would it take the information from the dash and be a simple plug and play?.
If i were able to source a second hand one I assume this would definately cause me milage issues and BMW probably wouldn't even want to fit it or be able to fit it? :chairfight:

Any comments experience or information would be greatly appreciated. before i have to go splash out on buying a new one and getting bmw to fit it due to uncertainties. :surrender:

Tom

 

[Wondermike]

The xenon lights were available as a dealer retrofit so I would ask them how they get round the LCM issue - I suspect you need a new one, and their help in getting it to work.

 

[cj10jeeper]

Nice conversion and you seem to have got most of the main issues sorted

Simple way is to take it to BMW or an Indy and get the existing LCM programmed and that will make the lights work, but of course you'll not have the right switch and no idea if it will pick up the auto ajust functionality from the sensors you've fitted. I know this route works because one of my buddies has done this with me on his Z. He didn't botjher with the sensors, but impossible to tell.

Better route is to get the correct LCM since you went to all the trouble of getting the sensor fitted and sourcing the new xenons.

Mileage seemed to be stored in other paces too and I have done a temporary LCM swap between 2 Zeds with no adverse effect on mileage readout.

 

[TOM14S]

Indeed they were offered as a retro-fit "kit" but that is/was way way too expensive for me to afford. However, talking about the kit, i'm prety sure IIRC that the kit instructions state "LCM not included" and toward to the end mentioned "reprogramming required".
Now would i be right in saying a new one wouldn't need any programming so the instructions are refering to re-programming of the old switch. and if a new switch was definately needed wouldn't this also be included in the kit?!?
I've spoken to two bmw dealers both of which weren't exactly informative. I guess next step will be Indy bmw specialist they tend to be more forthcomming.
I suppose the investment in a new LCM is probably the way forward as then they will be identical as if fitted from new.
cj10jeeper, are you sure if i swap the LCM for a new one i'm not going to have any milage indication issues? :?

 

[srhutch]

I owuld try and get more confirmation as you say. why replace the LCM with an identical one minus the headlmap adjuster if the existing one will work after programming.

If the kit suggests a LCM is not included it would indicate that reprogramming is OK. Are all the sensors included in the kit?

 

[cj10jeeper]

Let me clarify a little more to the extent of my knowledge:

I know for certain of a halogen Z converted to xenon that the owner purchased a new 'xenon' LCM and then afterwards found that the old one could be programmed and make the lights work. He later sold the new unit. That conversion did not have the sensors fitted to the suspension (so was in theory illegal or at least incomplete) I don't know if the LCM controlled the auto levelling function or not, but assume it does. My knowledge does not extend to the internals of each LCM unit of which there are at least 6 variations

Clearly the fitting of a new LCM alone cannot cause mileage problems per se, however it is one of several places that mileage is stored in and would likely need dealer or Indy programming to make it work and ensure no tamper indicator showed on the dash (supposedly a dot in the mileage readout. I can tell you that I swapped LCM's with annother Zed to test them out and niether car showed any error or problem. Guarantees - it's a website...lol

I think your research needs to continue to :
1) Does a dealer have to programme a new LCM to ensure full compatibility
2) Does the LCM control auto adjustment (not to be confused with the self adjustment tha all headlights do) If it does then your retrofit sensors will be wasted unless oyu buy new.

Will dealers help you - doubt it as I'd say only 1 in 10 will have even done a retrofit it's so rare to do. A few will have swapped out like for like LCM's. Indy's will just help you do it ant your expense and their learning curve.

Hope this clarifies.

 

[TOM14S]

Thanks for clarifying cj10jeeper, i'll do some more digging...
srhutch, yes all sensors are included in the kit.
I had a spare hour this evening so put the car on the ramp and fitted the levelling sensors.. It's bloomin' freezing out there tonight i tell ya!
Thought a few pics would be helpful for anyone else deciding to do it as i didn't bother looking at any how to fit them and so spent a little time figgering out what went where.
front connector tucked behind here:

Rear connecter found here: (view from underneath right hand side)

Front levelling sensor fitted:

Rear levelling Sensor Fitted



Next step LCM

 

[TOM14S]

Busy life an all, so it's taken me a little time to get around to finishing this off but took my car to indy BMW sprecialist to get new LCM coded and all now working brilliently!

Fitted the xenon headlights last night, that was half hour job with removal of front bumper and old light and reinstallation of new lights and bumper.
Another 15minutes to figure out how to remove the aluminium from around the light unit :roll: and left the LCM unit connected
Probably could be quicker if you look up how to remove the parts first but i was just playing it by eye.
Took it to the garage this morning making sure not to turn on the lights. :!:
They unplugged the old light unit, plugged in and coded the new one to the car and hey presto all sorted!

Now I suppose you want to know what it cost...

Light units second hand from here £400
Suspension sensors £150
New LCM £200 (Apparently could use original LCM so not required but i wan't to do the job properly)
Coding £34 (Thanks Bensten Motors St. Ives excellent garage and service!) (BMW quoted £90 to code it... rip off!)

So £784 in total. not too bad!

 

[Mr Whippy]

That isn't bad at all, considering you spent £200 on a new LCM...

I suppose the old lights/LCM could recoup some of the cost though, bringing your total down to nearer £600 maybe?!

Keep the old LCM and sell your old lights only, maybe making it £475 ish!?


Very tempting at those kinds of prices if you do a great deal of night driving... as always these kinds of things help resale appeal and in a better market than now, help resale value too!

Dave

 

[TOM14S]

...and just to finish this off. the old light units sold for £134
so final cost of retro fit £650

 

[Gazzypants]

There seems to be some knowledgeable people on this thread hope you don’t mind me popping in with a related but different question.
Just had an MOT fail due to “headlamp levelling device inoperative offside front” as in pic. Other issue sorted.

Anybody know;
- where to find the sensor?
- what might be causing that?
- is it a fix I can do myself? (intermediate tinkerer)
- what might a garage repair cost?

Thanks in advance legends