[iBMW]

Hi,

My E90 comes with a rear interior light that does not have any switch (control from front) on it...
Can anyone advice if I can just buy the rear interior light with reading light and replace it?

Cheers

[Magic]

Hi!

I live in sweden and i have tried to replace my rear console to get the reading lights in the rear but it is a bit complex to do.
If you don´t have the lightning package you only will have two cables runing from the front interiour console to the back lightning.
If you buy the rear console you must also buy the cable that runs from
the front console to the back (8 cables). The back lightning
is controlled from the front console by a electric card that runs all electonic in the roof area, motion sensor for alarm, sunvisor light and so on.
I Have bought the rear Console and i am trying to get the cable here from BMW in Sweden, but i haven´t got an answer if the cable is up for sale.

Best regards Peter

[iBMW]

Hi Peter,

Thanks for the clear explaination.
Yes, you are right on the existing 2 cables connecting the rear console, looks like I do not have lighting package on my car.

From you explaination, if I have both the rear console and the cables I will be able to get it working?

Do you have the part number for the cable?

I understand the front console have around 3 main connectors, but all are connected already. Do you have have the wiring diagram?

Thanks.

Cheers.

[Magic]

Hi

I have been in contact with the local BMW dealer here and he says thet you can´t buy the single cable needed, you can only buy the complete wiring cable.

If you can get the wiring diagram for the lights you can make cables that runs from the front unit to the back, 8 in total.
The front unit only got two cables in that connector in it now so the problem is to find how to attatch them in the connector both front and rear.

The local BMW dealer are not able to provide me with the diagram thats needed.

So, i am stuck with the rear console and now i´m trying to get hold over the wiring dagram and connectors needed.

Please advise me if you get any mor information about this..

Peter

[iBMW]

Hi Peter,

Thanks. I'm also stuck with the new rear console and can't get it installed.

If someone can provide the connector pin out or wiring diagram I will be able to make the cables and get it working...

Btw, do you know which connector is it?

Hope someone can assit us on this...

Cheers

[iBMW]

Hi, I hope someone can help us to trace the two connectors (from front to rear interior light) pin out...
Appreciate that.

Cheers

[iBMW]

Any one can help to provide the part number for the cable?

Cheers & Thks

[iBMW]

[Magic]

Hi!

I have now changed my original light and got some funktions to work!
After the change i got my rear light and the ambient light to work, but i still
have to figure out how to get the individual light to work.

I used new wires running from front to back with small connectors on the individual pin´s in the sockets, and scrapped the old one.

The back lightning is controlled from pin 13 to 20 on the front lightning modules (20 pin socket) (white).
13 is ground and 20 is power to the rear dome light.
16 and 17 is for the ambient light.
As you might think the light for left and right individual light should be on 14-15 and 18-19 and i have tried to connect it in all possible ways without getting it to work.

On the rear console nr1 pin is for power to the dome light, nr8 is for ground and 4,5 is for ambient lightning.

So it works ok now without individual light but with the cool ambient light.

It could be so that you have to program something by Bmw to get the other funktions to work!!

Hope this helps something!

Peter

[iBMW]

Hi,

Thanks for the information, will try it this weekend.

From your explaination, please advice if the below is correct,

Front Console (20pins Connector)
Rear Console (8pins Connector)

Pin 20 -> Pin 1 (+Ve)
Pin 19
Pin 18
Pin 17 -> Pin 4 (Ambient)
Pin 16 -> Pin 5 (Ambient)
Pin 15
Pin 14
Pin 13 -> Pin 8 (-Ve)

Btw, how did you re-wire the 20pin front connector?

Cheers

[mmm def]

Hmm any pics of this? I have no idea what's going on here.

Thanks.

[Magic]

Hi

I re-wired with 4 single cables front to back by using female pins right on to the male pins in the connectors (front and rear).

And yes you have got it correct.

The only snag is to connect 16,17 right, if you don,t the rear ambient light will not glow as bright as the front, if that happens just swap them in the rear connector.

Peter

[iBMW]

Thanks, will try it this weekend and let you.

Cheers

[iBMW]

Hi Peter,

I've tried as per your wiring, the ambient is working but not the center lamp.
But if I connect rear pin 3 to front pin 20, the center lamp will work as the same as before (control from front).
Did you get yours working? (meaning the rear center switch can switch on or off the rear light)

I manage to trace the circuit board on the rear console and it seem we will need to program the front console to get the rear console working...

Rear Console Circuit
Pin 1, Right reading lamp (Pin 1 -> Right Lamp -> Pin 6)
Pin 2, Right reading lamp switch (Pin 2 -> Right Switch -> Pin 6)
Pin 3, Center lamp (Pin 3 -> Center Lamp -> Pin 6)
Pin 4, Ambirnt lamp (Pin 4 -> resistors -> Ambient LEDs -> Pin 6)
Pin 5, Center lamp switch (Pin 5 -> Center Switch -> Pin 6)
Pin 6, Common
Pin 7, Left reading lamp switch (Pin 7 -> Left Switch -> Pin 6)
Pin 8, Left reading lamp (Pin 8 -> Left Lamp -> Pin 6)

Cheers

[iBMW]

Hi,

Just manage to get the Rear Ambient and Dome light working, following are the connections,

Front Connector -> Rear Connector
Pin 20 -> Pin 3 (Center Dome Light signal from front dome console)
Pin 19 ->
Pin 18 ->
Pin 17 -> Pin 4 (Ambient Light)
Pin 16 ->
Pin 15 -> Pin 5 (Center Light Switch)
Pin 14 ->
Pin 13 -> Pin 6

Now the rear dome light works together with the front and you can use the rear switch to on or off it too.

I will continue to work on the rear mapping reading and update.

Cheers

[Magic]

Thank you for that info, i will try to reconnect mine as you have!

Please post if you are able to get the individual lights to work.

Keep up the good work

[iBMW]

Hi, Just tried the remaining 4 wires (for left/right map reading) to the rear connector...
Unfurtunately non of the combinations works...

Cheers

[freddywaters]

Hey Guys,

hope this thread is still active ....

I'm working on the same, ... The leasing company forgot to order the light-pack and I'm now trying to figure out if I can install the back reading lights myself. I have the BMW ETK, TIS and WDS dvd's in which I found quite some info. The only thing I can't get to work is the pictures in the TIS, so I don't know exactly at what side I have to start to remove the front light console. I understood there are 2 'clips' that hold the console in the roof, I just can't find the place where they are ... (already cracked the frosted glass surroundings ... and I don't want to destroy more)

any help appriciated ...
Freddy 2U

[Magic]

Hi !
The easiest way to remove the front console is to loosen the right or left
sunvisor and pull down the inner roof a bit and push it out from the rear.

The rear console is easier to remove.

If you read the entire thread maybe you can tell us what cables goes were from front to back. The rear individual light is the problem for us.
You should be able to find that out on the wds.

Best regards Peter

[freddywaters]

Hey Peter,

Thx for the tip ...
I tried again during my lunchbreak, and I succeeded ... indeed the rear console is easier then the front !!

I expect my rear console to arrive next Monday/Tuesday, so I couldn't test it, but attached you'll find a printscreen of the wiring diagram I found in WDS for a E91/320d of 2006.
I also asked my local dealer for some extra 'pins' or 'clips' that I can insert into the white 20-pin connector. Slots 14 - 19 are empty, so I guess if I connect these to the back console it should work.

If I complete iBMW's schema :
Front Connector -> Rear Connector
Pin 20 -> Pin 3 (Center Dome Light signal from front dome console)
Pin 19 -> Pin 1 (Left reading light)
Pin 18 -> Pin 8 (Right reading light)
Pin 17 -> Pin 4 (Ambient Light)
Pin 16 -> Pin 7 (Center Light Switch)
Pin 15 -> Pin 5 (Left reading light switch)
Pin 14 -> Pin 2 (Right reading light switch)
Pin 13 -> Pin 6

[iBMW]

Hi, wonderful we can try the wiring configaration and see if it works...

Thanks a million.

Cheers

[rob72]

For those wondering what this is all about (and please correct me if I make any mistakes....)

Basically in most of the world a "Lights package" (option 563) is offered. The contents of this may vary a bit based on region, but mainly it seems to depends on if the car is a 4 or 6-cylinder.

For 6-cylinder cars the package adds:

• Lights in door handles
• exit lights underneath doors

While on 4-cylinder cars the package adds:

• Adds lights in door handles
• exit lights underneath doors
• lights in footholds for front passengers (standard on 6-cylinder)
• individual reading lights (standard on 6-cylinder)

This Lights Package is standard equipment in North-America, and might also be standard in other regions, or on specific model cars. For instance in Belgium, the Lights Package is standard equipment on 335d/335i cars, while in the Netherlands it is standard on all 6-cylinder models, while in Germany it is always a separate option.

Perhaps someone without the lights package can post a picture...