LED Fog lights

[yewlock]

Originally Posted by hufington

Here you go. This is the only one so far I snapped since the car is dirty. Sorry for the weird vignette effect that the phone added automatically for some reason. I will take more close up pics after I wash the car.





I installed a separate switch for both pairs. I did not want them to turn on at the same time all the time as I am going to change the light covers and get yellow ones to cut thru rain and fog.

I manufactured a hard plastic plate to cover the ash tray and installed the switches on top of it.



I was actually going to replace the OEM fog light and install the BD lights into the 4-inch factory opening but then I decided that it was not worth going through all the possible error messages and additional coding to make them work like the factory ones.

Cool features. I think that if you add a auto eject button, the car will be perfect.

[hufington]

Originally Posted by yewlock

Cool features. I think that if you add a auto eject button, the car will be perfect.

In fact, I had one eject button similar to the missile button that I'd put in the back but some valet stole it. lol

[hufington]

Two quick pictures to show the setup and the lights when they are on:

[Rydogg21]

Originally Posted by hufington

Two quick pictures to show the setup and the lights when they are on:

No Picts showing up for me?!

[hufington]

Originally Posted by Rydogg21

No Picts showing up for me?!

What do you mean?

[Rydogg21]

Originally Posted by hufington

What do you mean?

The pictures you said you posted are not showing up? Not sure if its my PC or how you uploaded them.

[hufington]

I guess it's you as I see them in my PC, iPad and Bimmerpost Android App on my phone.

[Rydogg21]

Work firewall blocked them, sorry about that.

[hufington]

Originally Posted by Rydogg21

Work firewall blocked them, sorry about that.

No prob.

[hufington]

Now it is time for some rear fogs.

[ixlr8]

I find the LED fog/cornering lights on my 2016 X5 to be useless. They shine about 3 ft in front of the car and about 2ft off to the side of the car. I had the car over a year before I finally noticed them coming on in a turn. Is there any way to adjust/aim them?

[MK2018]

Originally Posted by ixlr8

I find the LED fog/cornering lights on my 2016 X5 to be useless. They shine about 3 ft in front of the car and about 2ft off to the side of the car. I had the car over a year before I finally noticed them coming on in a turn. Is there any way to adjust/aim them?

Replace the bulbs with LED bulbs and you will see big difference

[hufington]

Originally Posted by MK2018

Replace the bulbs with LED bulbs and you will see big difference

I did not know that there are brighter LED bulbs to replace the OEM LED bulbs.

[delviacv2]

Originally Posted by hufington

Here you go. This is the only one so far I snapped since the car is dirty. Sorry for the weird vignette effect that the phone added automatically for some reason. I will take more close up pics after I wash the car.





I installed a separate switch for both pairs. I did not want them to turn on at the same time all the time as I am going to change the light covers and get yellow ones to cut thru rain and fog.

I manufactured a hard plastic plate to cover the ash tray and installed the switches on top of it.



I was actually going to replace the OEM fog light and install the BD lights into the 4-inch factory opening but then I decided that it was not worth going through all the possible error messages and additional coding to make them work like the factory ones.

You have the perfect Solution already Installed from factory!
Get Esys and Code your LED Headlight for GFHB, I had this in my previous 35d and is amazing how much more you can see, specially Deer, I miss it so much that my current 50i has xenon headlights and i'm in the process of retrofitting LED headlights that I found on Ebay from a 2018 X5, my car is a 2014.
below is a video of my previous 35d after the coding

Below is a video from BMW that explain the system

[MK2018]

Originally Posted by hufington

I did not know that there are brighter LED bulbs to replace the OEM LED bulbs.

I don't know how bright are OEM LED, I had regular bulbs and in this case it makes big difference

[hufington]

Originally Posted by delviacv2

You have the perfect Solution already Installed from factory!
Get Esys and Code your LED Headlight for GFHB, I had this in my previous 35d and is amazing how much more you can see

I have had coded full adaptive headlights with night vision in my F10 550 as well and even with coding, I've preferred to use an extra pair of PIAA RF Cube spots in addition to aftermarket LED bulbs in OEM fog lamps to assist in dark wooded areas and especially in foggy conditions.
The headlights have their limits in terms of illumination and although coding makes them more efficient than the decoded state that BMW delivers them in the US, this does not get rid of the limitations. I have MULTIBEAM LEDs in my MB E63 and there is no comparison in terms of iillumination power and efficiency.
Also, the additional lights allow me to see better and more in rainy conditions where it is harder to see the road surface and potholes.
Another benefit of these Baja Design lights is that you can change the lenses to change the beam patterns and output color.

[hufington]

Originally Posted by MK2018

I don't know how bright are OEM LED, I had regular bulbs and in this case it makes big difference

The OEM LEDs suck! As you did, I also replaced the OEM halogen ones in my previous car with aftermarket LEDs and it made a huge difference as you mentioned. But the factory LED foglight bulbs are slightly better in illuminating the road surface than a couple of candles and I could not find any replacement aftermarket bulbs.

[hanggaw]

Originally Posted by hufington

Two quick pictures to show the setup and the lights when they are on:

Hi. The fog lights look good.

Did you have this installed professionally?

How are the fog lights secured to the bumper?

I'm thinking of doing this too.

Thanks.

[hufington]

Originally Posted by hanggaw

Hi. The fog lights look good.

Did you have this installed professionally?

How are the fog lights secured to the bumper?

I'm thinking of doing this too.

Thanks.

It is easy if you use the included mounting brackets. I just added some stainless washers to make them more stable. The plastic of the bumper is sturdy enough to carry them without issues.

[ixlr8]

Originally Posted by hufington

Now it is time for some rear fogs.

Please keep us posted on what you do for rear fogs.
I find the reverse lights to be useless and was thinking of adding some rear fogs to come on with the reverse lights so I could actually see something when backing up at night.

[hanggaw]

Originally Posted by hufington

It is easy if you use the included mounting brackets. I just added some stainless washers to make them more stable. The plastic of the bumper is sturdy enough to carry them without issues.

I hope you don't mind, I have a few more questions.

I just couldn't find any other guides for doing this out there.

Did you have to remove the bumper for the install? I'm wondering how you were able to access the nut on the other side.

Also, did you have to make a hole through the firewall for the switches?

Do you notice any vibrations/movement on the fog light beams when going through rough roads? The bumper itself seem to vibrate a little when the engine is running.

Thanks.

[hufington]

Originally Posted by hanggaw

I hope you don't mind, I have a few more questions.

I just couldn't find any other guides for doing this out there.

Did you have to remove the bumper for the install? I'm wondering how you were able to access the nut on the other side.

Also, did you have to make a hole through the firewall for the switches?

Do you notice any vibrations/movement on the fog light beams when going through rough roads? The bumper itself seem to vibrate a little when the engine is running.

Thanks.

No worries.

To install, you'll need to remove the bumper. I used this as a guide: https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/f...per/1VnXh8y6Xl

There is no vibration or movement when driving, which would have annoyed me immediately.

I used an existing grommet with a cable harness running through the firewall and used a screw driver to poke through one of the indentations to push the cable through.