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      06-12-2012, 01:22 AM   #1
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F30 LED turnsignals installed

I was browsing through the code the other day and noticed some interested bits about bulbs, LED's and all that. Because of this, I figured I might as well order a few cheap LED lights and see if they throw a code, and if they would, if I could resolve it...

So I ordered 2 amber lights on eBay for 40 bucks last week, these to be exact: http://www.ebay.com/itm/280709475309...ht_2820wt_1077

And to my surprise there was no error code and they worked as soon as they were plugged in. I figured I share it here with you guys as I'm sure that several of you guys were looking forward to some LED blinkers..

Here's a short clip and some pictures of the LED's in my headlight (sorry for the crappy phone cam quality):











Personally I think it looks so much better with the LED's, just wondering if I should keep the ambers or if I should get some white ones. Thing is, I had white bulbs the last week and it looked pretty cool to have complete white headlights and turnsignals. Either way, first I'll be ordering some LED's for my tail blinker
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      06-12-2012, 01:27 AM   #2
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!!

Woot. This is exciting
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      06-12-2012, 02:21 AM   #3
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looks great!! thanks for sharing.
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      06-12-2012, 03:17 AM   #4
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Nice job Svache, looks great . Is it difficult to change the bulbs? So you dont need canbus led, that's awesome. Is it legal to have white lights as turnsignal, i think the light must be amber? Would also like to change all the bulbs to led in my car, looks so much better .
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      06-12-2012, 03:39 AM   #5
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@svache, you the man!
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      06-12-2012, 03:59 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nero7 View Post
Nice job Svache, looks great . Is it difficult to change the bulbs? So you dont need canbus led, that's awesome. Is it legal to have white lights as turnsignal, i think the light must be amber? Would also like to change all the bulbs to led in my car, looks so much better .
You would have to check your country/state laws. In California, as far as I know, amber and white turn signals (in the front of the vehicle) are allowed by law. The rear turn signals can be either amber or red by law. So if you wanted to change your turn signals, you should double check with what your law allows you.
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      06-12-2012, 04:38 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nero7 View Post
Nice job Svache, looks great . Is it difficult to change the bulbs? So you dont need canbus led, that's awesome. Is it legal to have white lights as turnsignal, i think the light must be amber? Would also like to change all the bulbs to led in my car, looks so much better .
Well, to be honest, another F30post member (yerffejleahcim) changed them for me.. I was just standing ready with my laptop just in case they would throw a code.. thankfully they didn't. However, from the looks of it, it isn't too hard to change them

As for white light, it depends per country/state like Slwdrvr also said. Some allow it, some don't
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      06-12-2012, 05:29 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by svache View Post
Well, to be honest, another F30post member (yerffejleahcim) changed them for me.. I was just standing ready with my laptop just in case they would throw a code.. thankfully they didn't. However, from the looks of it, it isn't too hard to change them

As for white light, it depends per country/state like Slwdrvr also said. Some allow it, some don't
Ok, found this in the manual. It doesn't look difficult.
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      06-12-2012, 05:49 AM   #9
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@svache, you the man!
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      06-12-2012, 07:00 AM   #10
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Looks awesome Svache!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nero7 View Post
Nice job Svache, looks great . Is it difficult to change the bulbs? So you dont need canbus led, that's awesome. Is it legal to have white lights as turnsignal, i think the light must be amber? Would also like to change all the bulbs to led in my car, looks so much better .
It's quite easy to change them out. All you need to do is turn your wheel, remove the 3 8mm bolts on the under wheel fender lining and you will be able to access the lights.

Borrowed these pics from IND.
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      06-12-2012, 07:17 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by yerffejleahcim View Post
Looks awesome Svache!



It's quite easy to change them out. All you need to do is turn your wheel, remove the 3 8mm bolts on the under wheel fender lining and you will be able to access the lights.

Borrowed these pics from IND.
Thanks for the pics. It seems that there is a mix of leds and regular bulbs in F30, why didnt BMW choose to have all leds? I think also the brake lights are regular bulbs, is it true?.
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      06-12-2012, 07:21 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nero7 View Post
Thanks for the pics. It seems that there is a mix of leds and regular bulbs in F30, why didnt BMW choose to have all leds? I think also the brake lights are regular bulbs, is it true?.
Thats correct. Brake lights and also Rear turn signals are bulbs. On the 3Series, LED's usually appear on the LCI's. I don't know why they do this. I wish they gave us an option.
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      06-12-2012, 09:06 AM   #13
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Thanks that looks awesome What's the best quality led amber turn signal light that you would recommend ? Should I buy the same one like you did or any other choices thats of better quality ?
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      06-12-2012, 01:05 PM   #14
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wow this LED combined with corner lights delete code is amazing
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      06-12-2012, 03:23 PM   #15
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Originally Posted by Can I. View Post
Thanks that looks awesome What's the best quality led amber turn signal light that you would recommend ? Should I buy the same one like you did or any other choices thats of better quality ?
I have honestly no idea if cheaper or more expensive ones will be better or worse. I basically just gambled it... the only things I looked at was the correct bulb/fitting size (PY21W (7507)), advertised as errorfree and if the seller was a US seller (since I don't like waiting lol).

I wanted the ones that were advertised as error free to reduce risk of getting errors. Some of those that are not advertised as error free state that they sometimes might blink weird and that there might be need to do some resistor soldering. I kind of wanted to avoid this, it's possible these actually have the resistor soldered inside the fitting).

It's very well possible cheaper LED's will also work, and also possible the more expensive ones are not working. I have no idea really. The current one seems to be of good quality, it has 18 LED's and is quite bright
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      06-12-2012, 10:52 PM   #16
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Hello Svache, can you tell me which is the bulb type, bulb 1156 py21w whit 150 degree conector or whit 180.

Thank you
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      06-12-2012, 11:29 PM   #17
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Originally Posted by BTT 335i View Post
Hello Svache, can you tell me which is the bulb type, bulb 1156 py21w whit 150 degree conector or whit 180.

Thank you
You'll need the one with 150 degree connector for the front turn signals
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      06-13-2012, 02:49 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by svache View Post
I have honestly no idea if cheaper or more expensive ones will be better or worse. I basically just gambled it... the only things I looked at was the correct bulb/fitting size (PY21W (7507)), advertised as errorfree and if the seller was a US seller (since I don't like waiting lol).

I wanted the ones that were advertised as error free to reduce risk of getting errors. Some of those that are not advertised as error free state that they sometimes might blink weird and that there might be need to do some resistor soldering. I kind of wanted to avoid this, it's possible these actually have the resistor soldered inside the fitting).

It's very well possible cheaper LED's will also work, and also possible the more expensive ones are not working. I have no idea really. The current one seems to be of good quality, it has 18 LED's and is quite bright
Thank you svache I will probably just order the same ones like you did I was also wondering if I install these Leds will my car be out of warranty ?
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      06-13-2012, 02:54 AM   #19
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Originally Posted by Can I. View Post
Thank you svache I will probably just order the same ones like you did I was also wondering if I install these Leds will my car be out of warranty ?
I highly doubt it, all you change is a bulb.. and if you are really worried about it, you could always chance the original bulbs back before you claim warranty. It's done in only a few minutes and nobody would notice you chanced them before
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      06-13-2012, 02:56 AM   #20
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I highly doubt it, all you change is a bulb.. and if you are really worried about it, you could always chance the original bulbs back before you claim warranty. It's done in only a few minutes and nobody would notice you chanced them before
True I will try to find same ones in Europe ( not to wait ) if not I ll just order from the link you gave. By the way please let us know how it goes with the tail light bulbs. Did you already find Leds for them ?
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      06-13-2012, 03:08 AM   #21
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Originally Posted by Can I. View Post
True I will try to find same ones in Europe ( not to wait ) if not I ll just order from the link you gave. By the way please let us know how it goes with the tail light bulbs. Did you already find Leds for them ?
Yeah I ordered some LED's earlier today, hopefully I will have them by the weekend. I'll keep you guys posted if they worked out or not. Thing with these is, however, that I couldn't find any that were advertised as error free so I simply bought them and will see if they work by the time I get them =)
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      06-14-2012, 07:04 PM   #22
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Hate to be the debbie downer but the output on plug and play tower LEDs are horrible. You can barely see them during the day (Quite evident in your video)

I would really think twice before replacing your tails.
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