[ooshnoo]

Originally Posted by Dinan_Rated

Dealer refused to replaced led modules under warranty. Bought parts for 25$ a piece and 1 hour work to replace all led modules. About 60% brighter

Hey what part numbers did u buy?

[perryo91]

Originally Posted by Dinan_Rated

Dealer refused to replaced led modules under warranty. Bought parts for 25$ a piece and 1 hour work to replace all led modules. About 60% brighter

Gonna go ahead and bummp this again, can we get part numbers for that. Also in terms of the work time, doesn't it reqiuire removing the door panels, breaking off the old strip, then re "soldering" the new strip? Thanks!

[ooshnoo]

Originally Posted by perryo91

doesn't it reqiuire removing the door panels, breaking off the old strip, then re "soldering" the new strip? Thanks!

No. the trim strip and the light bar stay. You're only replacing the LED part...which projects it's light down the light bar.

[perryo91]

Originally Posted by ooshnoo

No. the trim strip and the light bar stay. You're only replacing the LED part...which projects it's light down the light bar.

Ahhh, I see thank you.

So I guess I wouldnt feel so bad asking the dealership to possibly replace it because it's so dim... since it's such an easy job. Right?

[BMW DIY Guy]

Originally Posted by perryo91

Ahhh, I see thank you.

So I guess I wouldnt feel so bad asking the dealership to possibly replace it because it's so dim... since it's such an easy job. Right?

Well I am convinced there was a serious design change in the LCI parts because of those LEDs being so dim.

Originals I think didn't put out nearly enough light, so they rev'd the part and made them a little brighter, but realized the bad design. One LED emitter and that plastic light tube/channel just doesn't conduct enough light. The LCI stereo surround (with lights) retrofit I think is an example of what they changed. The part is a series of smaller LEDs through the whole channel to give even brighter lighting throughout.

I BET (since I cant tear the door panels off an LCI refresh model I don't have) that the newer pieces are a series of LEDs rather than just one bright one.

Dealerships are clearly hit or miss in replacing this, I got lucky after grousing quite a bit, but honestly while brighter, its not a TON brighter for sure. I have been wondering what it would take to retrofit the new LED channels into my doors, assuming my assumption is right.

[Dang3r]

You're right, with beginning of 2015 they'd changed something within the LED applications and the LCI models no longer have the problem of uncommanded slower dimming until zero and out.
Im convinced that they'd changed the type of module and/or the emitters, because after a complete software update my ambient light was back on track again, not that brightness I'd remembered but the falling back to zero speeds twice the time as before. At every lights-on switching the ambient lights dropping more intensity, I really hated this.

[BMW DIY Guy]

Well *ponder*

So here is the part for the PRE-LCI (this is the REFRESHED LED emitter)
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/part...&q=63319350967

Here is the latest part that REAL OEM shows for the 2017 LCI 440
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/part...&q=63319350967

Same damn part number.. *ponder*

they ABSOLUTELY changed something.. last loaner I had was a 2016 F30, and the doors were BRIGHT! I used it as a physical example to the dealership of what was wrong with mine and being so dim. They changed from the original part to the refreshed part, as I checked, and brightness definitely increased but still nowhere near what the 16 F30 was by comparison.

[Billfitz]

Originally Posted by raichean

Same damn part number.. *ponder*
they ABSOLUTELY changed something.. .

If you look at these pics:



They appear to use the same LEDs, but the values of the voltage limiting resistors are different. That would result in different brightness levels.

[BMW DIY Guy]

Right.. the refreshed part is what they are using in both places, but at least for me, the LCI F30 was still MUCH brighter, even with the same black interior. It makes me think that while the LED emitter may be the same (now), but its something in addition to that too.

[perryo91]

So i should forget about trying to have my dealer replace it due to a "worn out" part or "non functioning" ?

[BMW DIY Guy]

Originally Posted by perryo91

So i should forget about trying to have my dealer replace it due to a "worn out" part or "non functioning" ?

Worst they can say is NO.. and the part isn't expensive if they do. Be bold, ask!

[perryo91]

Originally Posted by raichean

Worst they can say is NO.. and the part isn't expensive if they do. Be bold, ask!

Alright, I'll muster the courage

[ooshnoo]

Originally Posted by perryo91

Alright, I'll muster the courage

hey..whatever happened with this? Did they replace them?

[perryo91]

Originally Posted by ooshnoo

hey..whatever happened with this? Did they replace them?

Hey man, they dont bother me enough to bother asking... Because I have to go early in the morning or late at night so they can "see" what I'm talking about... and it just sounds like too much of a hassle.

Also, I do believe it is an issue with black interiors that they just absorb so much of the light.


I just dont give enough of a fuk to bring it up lol, learnt to deal with it as a quirk.

[ooshnoo]

Originally Posted by perryo91

Hey man, they dont bother me enough to bother asking...

That's cool. I've tried another method using clear TPU strips, but even that doesn't give the best effect. It is probably the black interior absorbing the light, but willing to give one last try. I just ordered 1 of what's supposed to be the "newer" part number, and if that doesn't make a difference then I'll be done w/it as well.

[BeFantastic]

Has anybody tried removing/replacing the light pipe/optic cable from the door panels before? Can it be done without actually removing the trim piece? I do not have the ability to melt/remelt the plastic rivets.

I actually bought and installed the TPU pieces that ooshnoo is speaking of, and while putting them in I noticed that my driver side strip actually had dark spots and was noticeably darker than my passenger side. I can only guess that my light pipe is broken in several spots (god only knows from what) and I would like to try replacing it.

[perryo91]

Originally Posted by ooshnoo

That's cool. I've tried another method using clear TPU strips, but even that doesn't give the best effect. It is probably the black interior absorbing the light, but willing to give one last try. I just ordered 1 of what's supposed to be the "newer" part number, and if that doesn't make a difference then I'll be done w/it as well.

Nice man, update the thread when you get that done. Interested in how it turns out.

[ooshnoo]

Originally Posted by BeFantastic

I actually bought and installed the TPU pieces that ooshnoo is speaking of, and while putting them in I noticed that my driver side strip actually had dark spots and was noticeably darker than my passenger side. I can only guess that my light pipe is broken in several spots (god only knows from what) and I would like to try replacing it.

Nothing is broken. I had the same dark spots and it seems there are some trim connector pieces hidden up in the door behind the trim that prohibit the pieces from going up in there fully. You can feel them if you run your trim tool back and forth under the trim. I cut little U-shaped piecers out of the TPU to accomodate them.

[rob132]

I recently bought a 2013 F32/435i coupe which still has the dim ambient LED lighting. In Australia, this model when fitted with the lighting package S563A had ambient lighting strips on the 2 doors, and also on the fixed panels adjacent to the rear seats, and that's what mine has. It does not have lighting around the central AC console. My wife's 218d F45 Active Tourer has a similar setup (without it being designated as a S563A package), but the strips are just the right brightness for ambient lighting. The LED modules fitted to her F45 are the same as fitted to later versions of the F32, namely with part number 63319353133, so that module is definitely capable of providing sufficient illumination.
However, if you look at the photos in Posts # 84 and # 184, you can see the later module has lower value resistors (the little rectangular black devices with their resistance code imprinted) in series with the two LED's - 2.32 kohm v 3.92 kohm for the Classic LED, and 1.58 kohm v 1.62 kohm for the Sports LED. It's not surprising that there's not much difference between the early and later modules. If the full DC battery voltage from the iDrive-controller is 12.6 volts, and this is applied to each LED through its corresponding series resistor (the current drawn by the LED's will range between about 3 and 8 milliamps (mA). This is way, way less than the current needed to achieve maximum LED brightness - typically 25 mA. So for those of you with steady hand, perfect eyesight, and the necessary soldering equipment, the two resistors should be replaced with 500 ohm devices - coded either 501 or 5000. In the modules supplied by BMW, the differing values of each resistor are intended to produce the same light output for each LED - each having slightly different lumens output for a given current flow. However, if the resistors are replaced with identically valued devices, any difference in brightness between Sports and Classic can be adjusted using the iDrive brightness control. By the way, the light from the LED's is coupled via their holder to the end of the plastic light tube which runs along the door or rear panels, and is transmitted along the tube by internal reflection and refraction.
I'll be ordering new modules from our dealer soon, and will check applied voltages and current flows, and make the above changes to the series resistors if necessary. I'll then post the results for any one who's interested, although this whole issue does seem to have gone "off the boil" recently.

[godzR35a]

Originally Posted by rob132

I recently bought a 2013 F32/435i coupe which still has the dim ambient LED lighting. In Australia, this model when fitted with the lighting package S563A had ambient lighting strips on the 2 doors, and also on the fixed panels adjacent to the rear seats, and that's what mine has. It does not have lighting around the central AC console. My wife's 218d F45 Active Tourer has a similar setup (without it being designated as a S563A package), but the strips are just the right brightness for ambient lighting. The LED modules fitted to her F45 are the same as fitted to later versions of the F32, namely with part number 63319353133, so that module is definitely capable of providing sufficient illumination.
However, if you look at the photos in Posts # 84 and # 184, you can see the later module has lower value resistors (the little rectangular black devices with their resistance code imprinted) in series with the two LED's - 2.32 kohm v 3.92 kohm for the Classic LED, and 1.58 kohm v 1.62 kohm for the Sports LED. It's not surprising that there's not much difference between the early and later modules. If the full DC battery voltage from the iDrive-controller is 12.6 volts, and this is applied to each LED through its corresponding series resistor (the current drawn by the LED's will range between about 3 and 8 milliamps (mA). This is way, way less than the current needed to achieve maximum LED brightness - typically 25 mA. So for those of you with steady hand, perfect eyesight, and the necessary soldering equipment, the two resistors should be replaced with 500 ohm devices - coded either 501 or 5000. In the modules supplied by BMW, the differing values of each resistor are intended to produce the same light output for each LED - each having slightly different lumens output for a given current flow. However, if the resistors are replaced with identically valued devices, any difference in brightness between Sports and Classic can be adjusted using the iDrive brightness control. By the way, the light from the LED's is coupled via their holder to the end of the plastic light tube which runs along the door or rear panels, and is transmitted along the tube by internal reflection and refraction.
I'll be ordering new modules from our dealer soon, and will check applied voltages and current flows, and make the above changes to the series resistors if necessary. I'll then post the results for any one who's interested, although this whole issue does seem to have gone "off the boil" recently.

Hoping this doesn't fall in deaf ears... Any update with the led/resistor swap... I'm really interested in this as well... Would rather go down this route as opposed to replacing the entire setup with an LED strip...

Would it be ok to simply replace the resistors with a lower value... Will the OEM LED buckle under the added current... Or do I need to replace the LED and resistors...

[ooshnoo]

Originally Posted by RahulWalia

Hey so I jus bought the BMW OEM led door logo projector from amazon and it isn't bright enough is there anything I can do any input would be appreciated. My car is 2017 BMW M Sport GC 430i

Create your own post. Don't thread-jack this one with an issue that's not related to the existing discussion. Or simply return the product. Nothing you do will increase its brightness.

[RahulWalia]

Originally Posted by ooshnoo

Create your own post. Don't thread-jack this one with an issue that's not related to the existing discussion. Or simply return the product. Nothing you do will increase its brightness.

Thanks bud I thought it was related to the post but will do