[Sam_M550i]

Just placed my order with the ebay seller from earlier in this thread. He accepted $575 shipped.

[Norris83]

Got my taillights from Amazon canada. However I had some issues, the car kept showing up an error for reverse lamp malfunction and the passenger side didn't work. I also couldn't connect the adaptor to the outer light so the inner light only works with parking lights and no brake lights. When I connect it, it would throw the turn signal light as if I had a light that was out and it would flash fast. I got frustrated and had to get to the office. I put everything together and left the outer lights plugged directly to the car.

I realized after that I had changed my reverse light bulbs to LED and had coded the car with BimmerCode to get rid of the led reverse light error. I coded it back to stock and now both reverse lights work and no errors. However I noticed upon start up the reverse lights do flash for cold and warm checks. I was able to code that out. Now I wonder if I can plug the outer lights to the adapter and get the inner lights working with the brake lights. When I did it initially it was giving me another error and the turn signal would go quick, as if I had a burnt out turn signal bulb.

[Sam_M550i]

Update?

[Norris83]

Originally Posted by Sam_M550i

Update?

So initially when I installed the lights, I plugged both lights with the adapters supplied which gave me issues with the reverse lights and the fast turn signals. Two errors on the idrive screen, one for reverse lights and the other for taillights module. So I plugged the outer lights directly to the oem plug, without the adapter and wire to connect it to the inner light. That worked fine with the exception of the reverse light errors and one side didn't work at all.

I realized after that I had coded the car with Bimmercode a couple of years ago, to have LED reverse bulbs but that caused one of the reverse light in these taillights not to work and errors. I first coded the car back to stock. That got both reverse lights working and no errors. I then noticed that the reverse lights would randomly flash when the car is on, so I turned off the warm and cold reverse light bulb checks.

Here's the coding I used, expert mode on bimmercode.

3061 RFS_L_WARMUEBERWACHUNG = nicht aktiv
3061 RFS_R_WARMUEBERWACHUNG = nicht aktiv
3061 RFS_L_KALTUEBERWACHUNG = nicht aktiv
3061 RFS_R_KALTUEBERWACHUNG = nicht aktiv

I left these not active. Activating them gave me the reverse light issues.

3061 RFS_L_IS_LED = nicht aktiv
3061 RFS_R_IS_LED = nicht aktiv

I haven't tried plugged the adapters to the outer taillights, which I think give you the dynamic turn signals and connects the inner trunk brake light. I believe Gautam had the same issues when he plugged the outer lights, he got the fast flashing turn signals. I will give it another try next weekend.

Currently the lights are working as they should, no errors everything works for the exception that the inner trunk lights red part works with driving/parking lights but no brake lights. Reverse lights, signals, brake lights on outers works.

[RonronEG]

You guys are plugging the adapter with the black box and load resistor to the inner light then running the long jumper along your hinge and to the outer light were you then plug the original wire into the Y adapter (only has a capacitor in series) then into the outer light plug. Yeah? Basically the end of the harness with all the bulk should be installed with the inner light.

I'm trying to think if it's possible to connect the harness backwards and that's why a couple people have weird issues.

[Norris83]

Originally Posted by RonronEG

You guys are plugging the adapter with the black box and load resistor to the inner light then running the long jumper along your hinge and to the outer light were you then plug the original wire into the Y adapter (only has a capacitor in series) then into the outer light plug. Yeah? Basically the end of the harness with all the bulk should be installed with the inner light.

I'm trying to think if it's possible to connect the harness backwards and that's why a couple people have weird issues.

That's exactly what I tried but no go. You can't plug it the other way, the plugs are different.

[Sam_M550i]

Could it be cause something is still coded from before and you are not aware? I should receive mine in a few days and plan to install later in the week. Hoping everything works without a glitch.

[RonronEG]

The common thread between the two is Canadian spec cars.

[Norris83]

Originally Posted by Gautam

I'm so sorry I caused confusion. But now I'm confused as well. If I used the adapter on both the inners and the outers, neither of them worked properly, and I got fast blinking in the cockpit. I spent an hour myself going back and forth on it- but mine work as they should with no adapter on the outer tails…as far as I can tell.

My car is Canadian spec, I wonder if that has something to do with it. I took some videos this evening, here's how it looks with the brakes on, which I think is expected.

Originally Posted by Sam_M550i

Could it be cause something is still coded from before and you are not aware? I should receive mine in a few days and plan to install later in the week. Hoping everything works without a glitch.

Originally Posted by RonronEG

The common thread between the two is Canadian spec cars.

The fact that both cars are Canadian spec could be the issue. I'm planning to give this another try next weekend since I changed the coding. Hopefully that enables me to get the brake light on the trunk too.

[Sam_M550i]

Do we know what the differences are between US and Canadian spec? Is it the 5th wire or something else?

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by Sam_M550i

Do we know what the differences are between US and Canadian spec? Is it the 5th wire or something else?

The fifth wire is specific to LCI tails and LCI cars, so it really doesn't matter what the market it. Even Euro pre-LCI owners need to run the fifth wire or jump if they want tp upgrade. So I doubt these issues have to do with that.

One thought, are rear fogs standard in Canada? If so, Canadian cars will have 5 wires from factory, the fifth being for rear fogs. From memory, it is in pin #1 inner and is black with stripes. Since this plug and play harness seems to try to rewire/reassign the pin mapping through a harness, I wonder it the fog is getting in the way. Maybe try pulling it from the connector.

Unrelated, do these knock off lights have rear fogs?

[Sam_M550i]

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

The fifth wire is specific to LCI tails and LCI cars, so it really doesn't matter what the market it. Even Euro pre-LCI owners need to run the fifth wire or jump if they want tp upgrade. So I doubt these issues have to do with that.

One thought, are rear fogs standard in Canada? If so, Canadian cars will have 5 wires from factory, the fifth being for rear fogs. From memory, it is in pin #1 inner and is black with stripes. Since this plug and play harness seems to try to rewire/reassign the pin mapping through a harness, I wonder it the fog is getting in the way. Maybe try pulling it from the connector.

Unrelated, do these knock off lights have rear fogs?

I am not sure, I just looked at my order and no info on fog light. I have seen some other knock-offs show fogs in their pics so I am not 100% sure. I will review tomorrow when mine arrive if they have fogs. I personally do not plan to run or care about the fogs.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/22451764955...torefresh=true

[RonronEG]

Yes, these aftermarket lights have rear fog on both sides.

The adapter doesn't try to reassign the 5th wire, it uses a jumper from the outer to the inner.

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by RonronEG

Yes, these aftermarket lights have rear fog on both sides.

The adapter doesn't try to reassign the 5th wire, it uses a jumper from the outer to the inner.

That's what I assume with connecting the inner and outer with their harness. It's doing the jump.

[RonronEG]

You either reassign or use a jumper wire, you don't do both lol.

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by RonronEG

You either reassign or use a jumper wire, you don't do both lol.

Oh, I am well versed on how to install LCI's... jump, run from BDC or repurpose the fog wire if you have it by repinning and moving the terminal at the BDC. What I was saying is, the knock-off harness is performing the jump from outer to inner and reassigning pin placement via the harness.

I've got plenty of documentation and schematics should you need them.

[Gautam]

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

The fifth wire is specific to LCI tails and LCI cars, so it really doesn't matter what the market it. Even Euro pre-LCI owners need to run the fifth wire or jump if they want tp upgrade. So I doubt these issues have to do with that.

One thought, are rear fogs standard in Canada? If so, Canadian cars will have 5 wires from factory, the fifth being for rear fogs. From memory, it is in pin #1 inner and is black with stripes. Since this plug and play harness seems to try to rewire/reassign the pin mapping through a harness, I wonder it the fog is getting in the way. Maybe try pulling it from the connector.

Unrelated, do these knock off lights have rear fogs?

The knockoffs have fogs. My Canadian spec from November ‘17 does not have the 5th wire.

[Norris83]

Originally Posted by Gautam

The knockoffs have fogs. My Canadian spec from November ‘17 does not have the 5th wire.

My car doesn't have fogs in the front or rears. According to the Amazon ad the taillights are supposed to have fogs. The seller wants me to send him pictures of what's happening with the lights to try and help.

[Norris83]

Originally Posted by RonronEG

Yes, these aftermarket lights have rear fog on both sides.

The adapter doesn't try to reassign the 5th wire, it uses a jumper from the outer to the inner.

I'm almost positive that my car's oem harness/plug had 5 wires connected to it on the inner trunk lights and 4 wires on the outer plugs. I will double check and take pictures when I take everything apart again.

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by Norris83

I'm almost positive that my car's oem harness/plug had 5 wires connected to it on the inner trunk lights and 4 wires on the outer plugs. I will double check and take pictures when I take everything apart again.

If the inner had five wires stock, the fifth wire is the rear fog wire in pin location #1.

If you want to use the rear fogs in the knock off lights, you need to buy a dash switch with the rear fog button and code it.

[AmooManiak]

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

If the inner had five wires stock, the fifth wire is the rear fog wire in pin location #1.

If you want to use the rear fogs in the knock off lights, you need to buy a dash switch with the rear fog button and code it.

Does this mean they are plug and play if fog lights are not desired?

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by AmooManiak

Does this mean they are plug and play if fog lights are not desired?

I have the real deal, but from all I have read, these knock-offs are advertised as plug and play. If you have a US car, then even if it has the fog wire, the fogs are coded off and the switch the car came with is coded, so this should not matter in terms of these being plug and play. If you get them installed and they are working fine and you desire to have the rear fogs function, you need to buy the right switch and the code it.