2013 E70 X5M INTERIOR LED DIY INSTALL
NOTES
-THANKS to everyone on this forum who wrote DIYs and provided tips, as well as the NEWTISINFO website. I suggest you search and read as many DIYs as you can. If you find a better way to do something or have additional information, then post and share here.
-THERE are various types of LEDs that work and each with varying costs. I used entirely OEM LEDs, as such, this approach is not the cheapest method of LED light swap. I have no errors. The F85 footwell lights appear overbearing in the photos. These light the footwell area pretty well and do not exactly match the bluish light style of the OEM LED Kit.
-THIS approach swaps in four F85 X5M Footwell LED lights in lieu of the four E70 X5M Footwell lights. Then I used the OEM LED Lighting Kit (10pc) to swap the remainder. It didn’t go exactly as planned, because I was one round LED short and had one flat LED extra. I used door projector kits, purchased used from the classifieds section, in the door locations. I will soon replace the visor lights with the OEM LED Kit.
TOOLS
-THE two tools shown are all that is really needed. I actually used other shaped pry tools, but kept coming back to the BSW tool. The pick was only used for the upper rear lights and the pliers for the visor lights.
Attachment 2011288
INTERIOR OEM LIGHT LOCATIONS & QUANTITIES
Attachment 1992832
OEM Bulb Style, All Locations:
Attachment 1992839
(1) Glovebox Light – in glovebox, Qty.1 bulb, 12V/5W
(2) Front Footwell Lights - driver and passenger side, Qty.2 bulbs, 12V/5W
(3) Front Ceiling Light (Roof Switch Unit) – front, center console on headliner, with two reading lights and one dome light, Qty.3 bulbs, 12V/5W
(4) Mirror/Visor Lights – on headlinder behind folded visor, Qty.2 bulbs, 12V/5W
(5) Interior Rear Ceiling Lights – above each rear door on headliner, includes lighting and reading light each side, Qty.4 bulbs, 12V/5W
(6) Luggage/Trunk Hatch Lights – interior side of hatch, Qty.2 bulbs, 12V/5W
(7) Rear Footwell Lights - driver and passenger side, under seat bench, Qty.2 bulbs, 12V/5W
(8) Footwell Door Lights - bottom of door panel, Qty.4 bulbs, 12V/5W
PARTS
Qty.4, 63-31-7-941-911, F/R Footwell, F85 LED Light
Qty.1, 63-12-2-212-788, OEM LED Interior Light Kit; Qty.6 round LEDs (overhead lights); Qty.4 flat LEDs (footwell lights)
Attachment 1992816
Qty.2, 63-31-2-414-105, OEM LED Projector Light Kit; Qty.2 per Kit
Attachment 1992833
Qty.1, 63-12-2-351-265, OEM LED Interior Lamp Kit, Qty.2
Attachment 1992836
GLOVEBOX LIGHT INSTALLATION
-I don’t have the DVD and it appeared the DVD trim cover was in the way, so I removed it.
Attachment 1992814 Attachment 1992819
-TO remove the light, you’re supposed to pry down the light starting from the right side. However this was not as simple as it seems b/c the light is in there very tight, at least on my car. And there was little space to maneuver with tools. Using the BSW pry tool, I wedged to wedge both sides of the light down enough for me to get my fingers on it and pull down. Start on the right side and use wedge end of the bsw pry tool (not forked end) oriented so the tool is perpendicular to the dvd cover trim opening. Push the tool forward while wedging the tool between the light and the cutout. This will drop that end of the light down a small bit. I repeated for other side of light. Then I could grab and pull it straight down and out. Very tight fit.
Attachment 1992815
-LED installation is as easy as removing original bulb and plugging in a flat LED from the OEM kit. CAUTION, BULB IS HOT. Note to install such that the LED side (yellow square) will face down when installed. Also take care to ensure the LED is not touching the metal surround on the light fixture…if it touches it will blow the F2 fuse, located under the passenger side dash. If needed, remove lower passenger side dash cover (one phillip screw and two T-20 screws), lower fuse box (one green phillips screw), and replace F2 fuse (10A, ATC Fuse type). Press light fixture back in place and reinstall DVD trim cover.
Attachment 1992820
FRONT/REAR FOOTWELL LIGHTS INSTALLATION
-ONE edge on each of the light fixtures has a slot detent to allow you to pry the light fixture from the footwell location and/or black surround frame. Use the prytool to remove. The rear footwell lights have this detent on the lense part…there is no need to remove the black surround frame.
-ONCE the light is removed, simply connect the F85 X5M light fixture and install into the original location in reverse order of removal. The F85 light fixture has two pins, align the E70 connector to the F85 light fixture, ignore the keying of the E70 light connector. Shown below installed.
Attachment 1992829
FRONT CEILING LIGHT (ROOF SWITCH UNIT) INSTALLATION
-REMOVE U-shaped trim surrounding dome light. Use the pry tool to open a gap and insert an old credit card. Push forward and down and it pops off. You then have access to the two clips holding the unit to the headliner. Unlatch the clips and pull the front of the unit down with unit hinged from rear. I did not remove unit and replaced bulbs with unit hanging.
Attachment 1992813 Attachment 1992826
-THERE are three bulb locations, see image of OEM bulbs installed. Rotate the bulb holder 90 degrees and pull out bulb. CAUTION, BULB IS HOT. Replace with round LED bulb from OEM kit and re-install.
Attachment 1992825
-INSTALLATION of unit is reverse of removal, but on my vehicle pushing the unit into place is not enough to engage clips. Note that to the outside and next to each exposed front clip is a rectangle hole in the unit. Using the wedge side of the pry tool, insert tool into the hole and push upwards with force until you hear the click. Repeat for opposite side clip. Ensure the unit is sufficiently installed. Reinstall U-shaped trim surround.
MIRROR/VISOR LIGHT INSTALLATION
The visor light can be easily pried down, front of vehicle to back using the nylon tool. You will need Qty.2 two-pole LED Kit p/n: 63-12-2-351-265 from BMW. These are shorter than the OEM original bulb, so take the pliers and bend the tangs on the visor light inward until they accommodate the LED bulb taught. You don't want the LED bulb loose or moving around or you'll get blinking. The tangs appear to be tough, but just pay attention and proceed cautiously. The pliers I show allowed me to plant them at the base of the tang and bend inward allowing support at the base while bending...avoid pulling upward.
Attachment 2011286
Attachment 2011287
INTERIOR REAR CEILING LIGHTS INSTALLATION
-I was one bulb short. RealOEM shows I can purchase one bulb, but the part number doesn't show up on ECS Tuning or advantagebmwparts.com (local dealer site with discount).
-EACH rear light fixture is installed into a metal rectangular frame which is fixed to the headliner.
Attachment 1992835 Attachment 1992824
-TO remove you will use the pry tool and the pick. The TiS removal image doesn’t tell the whole story, see below. First wedge the pry tool oriented 90 degrees from what’s shown in the TiS image. Friction will keep the pry tool in place and allows you to use both hands in the next step. As shown in the image below, the clip can barely be seen in the headliner. Insert the pick (straight red arrow) as shown and pry clip away from metal rectangular frame. Simultaneously, with other hand, pull down on light fixture (clip end) until released.
Attachment 1992834
-THERE are two bulb holders. Rotate them 90 degrees and remove. CAUTION, BULB IS HOT. Replace with round LED bulb from OEM kit and re-install. The rear light is installed in reverse order of removal.
LUGGAGE/TRUNK HATCH LIGHTS INSTALLATION
-ONE edge on each of the light fixtures has a slot detent to allow you to pry the light fixture from the trunk hatch location. Use the prytool to remove.
-LED installation is as easy as removing original bulb and plugging in a flat LED from the OEM kit. CAUTION, BULB IS HOT. Note to install such that the LED side (yellow square) will face outward from the hatch when installed. Image shows one LED light installed.
Attachment 1992818
FOOTWELL DOOR LIGHTS INSTALLATION
-THESE lights are found on the bottom of the door panel. One edge on each of the light fixtures has a slot detent to allow you to pry the light fixture from the footwell location . Use the prytool to remove. Note that the connector cable for the light may appear to be very short. I was able to pull the connector cable carefully to expose additional slack (about an inch).
-ONCE the light is removed, simply connect the OEM Light Projector fixture and install into the original location in reverse order of removal. The Projector Light fixtures have two pins, align the E70 connector to the Projector Light fixture pins and ignore the keying of the E70 light connector.
FINAL IMAGES
Attachment 1992830
Attachment 1992831