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      08-14-2013, 10:34 PM   #1
azwillnj
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F30 DIY US Headlight Switch Modification for Rear Fog Lights + Coding

I took the headlight switch out of my stock US spec 328xi and modified it to add rear fog lights. The button hardware, the lighting circuit and the button are all in the switch assembly, there are just little plastic tabs that are preventing the button from moving. After modifying the button you just need to code 5 new values to tell the car what to do with the new button and everything will work perfectly.


The first step is to pull the left vent out of the car, basically you just grab it and pull it out.


Next remove the headlight panel, there are little clips that you have to pinch while pulling the panel out at the same time, there are no clips on the bottom, the panel will tip out from the top. The clips are circled in red.


Once you have the switch out pull the wires out of the back, there is no button or catch, just pull them out. Then you need to remove the back of the switch, there are 6 clips that you need to release while simultaneously pulling the back off. The clips are circled in red below.



After you have removed the back you have to pop the button out of the switch assembly. Do this by pinching the four clips circled in red below and pushing the button out of the front.


Now that you have the button out you need to cut the retaining tabs off and smooth everything out. The tabs are circled in the pictures below. I used a box cutter to cut most of the tab off, then used a small flathead screwdriver to smooth everything out. It doesn't look pretty, but it works, and no one will ever see it, so it doesn't matter.



Tabs cut off and everything smoothed out.





After you're all done modifying the button, push it back in the front of the switch, clip the back of the headlight assembly back on, plug the wires back in, put the panel back into the car, then put the vent back in.

Now you have to code the button to work, refer to this thread to learn how to code or find someone in your area to help you. The values you need to code are:

FEM_BODY / 3060 LCEMaster 1C / NSL_Verbaut = Verbaut

REM / 3063 LCELampMapping 2 / Mapping_Nebelschlussl_L_output = nsl_l
REM / 3063 LCELampMapping 2 / Mapping_Nebelschlussl_L_Function = nebelschlusslicht
REM / 3063 LCELampMapping 2 / Mapping_Nebelschlussl_R_output = nsl_l
REM / 3063 LCELampMapping 2 / Mapping_Nebelschlussl_R_Function = nebelschlusslicht

And that's it, you're done. Let me know if you need any help.

Disclaimer: I am not in any way shape or form responsible anything bad that happens to your car, do this at your own risk.
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      08-15-2013, 06:22 AM   #2
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Excellent write up sir.
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      08-15-2013, 09:09 AM   #3
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Wow - Thanks for the great write up; will be doing this today !
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      08-15-2013, 12:00 PM   #4
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Im too afraid to start coding I really want the rear fog light, I bought the euro switch to do it but it obviously doesnt work like the e9x cars did.
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      08-15-2013, 12:49 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by azwillnj View Post
The values you need to code are:

FEM_BODY / 3060 LCEMaster 1C / NSL_Verbaut = Verbaut

REM / 3063 LCELampMapping 2 / Mapping_Nebelschlussl_L_output = nsl_l
REM / 3063 LCELampMapping 2 / Mapping_Nebelschlussl_L_Function = nebelschlusslicht
REM / 3063 LCELampMapping 2 / Mapping_Nebelschlussl_R_output = nsl_l
REM / 3063 LCELampMapping 2 / Mapping_Nebelschlussl_R_Function = nebelschlusslicht

And that's it, you're done. Let me know if you need any help.

Disclaimer: I am not in any way shape or form responsible anything bad that happens to your car, do this at your own risk.
Hmmm... let's say I only want the left rear fog light on... then I'd just code this I assume?


FEM_BODY / 3060 LCEMaster 1C / NSL_Verbaut = Verbaut

REM / 3063 LCELampMapping 2 / Mapping_Nebelschlussl_L_output = nsl_l
REM / 3063 LCELampMapping 2 / Mapping_Nebelschlussl_L_Function = nebelschlusslicht

Edit: Does anyone know if the F30 is like the E46 where you have to disconnect the battery when messing the with car's light control module/switch in order to not trigger an odometer tamper warning? I'd just assume that disconnecting the battery would be best either way, right?

Last edited by SergioK; 08-15-2013 at 12:55 PM..
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      08-15-2013, 04:00 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SergioK View Post
Edit: Does anyone know if the F30 is like the E46 where you have to disconnect the battery when messing the with car's light control module/switch in order to not trigger an odometer tamper warning? I'd just assume that disconnecting the battery would be best either way, right?
You dont need to disconnect the battery mate.

H
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      08-15-2013, 04:24 PM   #7
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Yes, only coding the L values or R values would turn on the respective side only. I can verify this because I was going off of a post in the coding thread and only did the L values initially.

As far as the battery, I hope not, I didnt on this car or my E90 that I also did this same mod on.

Quote:
Originally Posted by SergioK View Post
Hmmm... let's say I only want the left rear fog light on... then I'd just code this I assume?


FEM_BODY / 3060 LCEMaster 1C / NSL_Verbaut = Verbaut

REM / 3063 LCELampMapping 2 / Mapping_Nebelschlussl_L_output = nsl_l
REM / 3063 LCELampMapping 2 / Mapping_Nebelschlussl_L_Function = nebelschlusslicht

Edit: Does anyone know if the F30 is like the E46 where you have to disconnect the battery when messing the with car's light control module/switch in order to not trigger an odometer tamper warning? I'd just assume that disconnecting the battery would be best either way, right?
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      08-15-2013, 06:13 PM   #8
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Thank you!
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      08-15-2013, 06:40 PM   #9
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So glad you did the write up. I won't be doing this exactly but I think you helped me find a great place to 1) find my 12v splice for my radar install, 2) find a place to mount my radar mute button and 3) find a place to mount my switch for my electronic exhaust cutout.

Both of my buttons there are actually dead. I have a black clip of wires that's plugged into that housing and then there's also a white clip of wires that's taped to the black clip's wires. Did you have that white clip too that's not plugged in to anything?
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      08-18-2013, 01:13 PM   #10
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Works like a charm - Quick question in regards to the coding. On my E90, the rear fogs could be turned on with just the parking lights being on. On the F30, the headlights nneed to be on. Anyway on coding it for them to be able to turn on when the light switch is clicked once to the right from the off position ? Thanks
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      08-19-2013, 12:58 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mikew2069 View Post
So glad you did the write up. I won't be doing this exactly but I think you helped me find a great place to 1) find my 12v splice for my radar install, 2) find a place to mount my radar mute button and 3) find a place to mount my switch for my electronic exhaust cutout.

Both of my buttons there are actually dead. I have a black clip of wires that's plugged into that housing and then there's also a white clip of wires that's taped to the black clip's wires. Did you have that white clip too that's not plugged in to anything?
The white plug is actually plugged into the button panel that turns my blind spot monitoring on and off. That stupid button takes away the driver side glove box thats supposed to be there. I ordered the glove box and I am planning on retrofitting it in, so anyone thats missing the box, look for my DIY in a few weeks (its backordered from Germany).
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      08-20-2013, 08:47 AM   #12
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Great DIY

Fantastic job!

Do you have pictures showing the real fog lights on?

TIA
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      08-20-2013, 10:55 AM   #13
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Rear fogs is a standard (mandatory) feature here.

So if I understand correctly, your car has the fog lights, fog bulbs, but no button to activate them?
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      08-20-2013, 11:18 AM   #14
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Correct. In the U.S. the bulbs that are used for fog lamps are used solely for additional brake lights. Coding, etc is needed to convert for fog light use.
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      08-20-2013, 07:20 PM   #15
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So, I just tried this...

I have adaptive head lights and I only coded these two:

FEM_BODY / 3060 LCEMaster 1C / NSL_Verbaut = Verbaut
REM / 3063 LCELampMapping 2 / Mapping_Nebelschlussl_L_output = nsl_l

This setting was already set as below:
REM / 3063 LCELampMapping 2 / Mapping_Nebelschlussl_L_Function = nebelschlusslicht

The good news is that this works. For full disclosure, if you have adaptive headlights once you code the first value you will get an error on the iDrive screen. "Adaptive Headlights Malfunction".

The error will go away. Adaptive headlights will start functioning AFTER you 'reboot' your car. I learned that it must cycle through the up/down, left/right 'power-on-self-test' then after it does this the adaptive headlights will start working again.

Last edited by SergioK; 08-20-2013 at 10:30 PM.. Reason: Follow up.
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      08-20-2013, 10:31 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by howiegu View Post
Fantastic job!

Do you have pictures showing the real fog lights on?

TIA
Here ya go:With and Without
Attached Images
   

Last edited by 4.8 E70; 08-20-2013 at 10:42 PM..
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      08-20-2013, 10:43 PM   #17
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Thanks 4.8 E70, I was hoping someone would do that for me.. haha
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      08-20-2013, 11:42 PM   #18
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The rear fog light is most definitely BRIGHT!
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      09-03-2013, 03:24 PM   #19
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i think you are killing the beautiful led taillights.

you might want to just code your tail lights as DRL and they are ON all the time. even on direct sunlight they are very visible!
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      09-03-2013, 07:49 PM   #20
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On my E92 I only had to modify the switch to make the rear fogs turn on. You have to code a F30 after the button is modified?
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      09-03-2013, 08:01 PM   #21
azwillnj
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MarinoB View Post
On my E92 I only had to modify the switch to make the rear fogs turn on. You have to code a F30 after the button is modified?
Yes, the switch is now CAN controlled so you must code it. I did this mod on my E90 and can verify that the switch just works, here you have to code.
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      10-28-2013, 04:11 PM   #22
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Sweet!!!!!!
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