BMW Orange Glow From Ceiling

[Clanche]

I noticed that the newer 3 series (e46, e90) have little LEDs on the ceiling that make the shifter area glow a dim orange.. wondering what those lights are called and if anyone has tried installing them???

thanks :)

[AllGoNoShow]

Sounds interesting...


Try searching on realoem.com for the parts/part numbers if your interested in it, maybe give you an offical name too.

[Clanche]

I tried looking but I can't seem to find it:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=VB13&mospid=48522&btnr=63_0911&hg=63&fg=30

I took some pictures of the ones in the e90...
http://www.spheregraphics.com/pics/e90_GlowLEDs01.jpg
http://www.spheregraphics.com/pics/e90_GlowLEDs02.jpg

any ideas what those are called? they create a very dim glow all in the dash area but it makes an amazing difference :drool:

[blinkme_210]

It's called ambiance lighting. Looks awesome at night! My 530xi has 2 sets, one by the sunroof switch, and another set for the rear passengers.

[blinkme_210]

Overview
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v454/blinkme_210/al.jpg

Center Console
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v454/blinkme_210/al2.jpg

Overexposed which shows the glow a little better
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v454/blinkme_210/al3.jpg

[Clanche]

ya that looks amazing! I think Im gonna need the whole lightbox above in order to make it work in my car... don't think I can find the LEDs seperate :(

someone was telling me they took a whole ceiling assembly from a passat and put it on their golf (passat has the same feature).. maybe its possible to make the e46 stuff work in my e36 :dunno:

[AllGoNoShow]

Damn that looks sweet, I'm look into it myself. The light switch in my main lighting is a little on the touchy side so I've got ot pull it all apart anyways, maybe I'll throw some LED's in there too.

[benyl]

I have noticed it, but I guess when you have it, it doesn't make a difference.

Hell, my moms Dodge Caravan has it!

[Clanche]

Originally posted by benyl
I have noticed it, but I guess when you have it, it doesn't make a difference.

Hell, my moms Dodge Caravan has it!

i think it makes a huge difference.. adds an ambience to the car without really noticing it.. not bright enough at all to disturb you at night either :bigpimp:

[projekz]

Looks like someone's enjoying the E90...Now try finding the dipstick?

And please nobody tell him where it is.:D :nut:

[HillBilly]

my e39 has those lights in it too. really nice at night for reading stuff. Don't have to turn on any lights. just hold it under the little orange ones.;)

[JordanLotoski]

ive got them in my car..i didnt notice till someone told me...its kinda cool

[blinkme_210]

I always knew I had ambiance lighting, but didn't quite know what it was. I assumed it had something to do with the light coming on when the doors were opened. Was driving the first night, I looked down to put the transmission into manual mode, and I see this glow on the shifter :D

[A|pine]

There's a DIY about installing them into your cup holder.
maybe this will be helpful

:dunno:

http://www.tmk.com/cupholders/

[///|ndy]

I don't think you guys should waste your time DIY.
Kinda cool, but not noticeable enough to go out of your way to get it.

[Goblin]

Its the little things hey.

Its funny how some people have it, but dont know where its coming from haha

I knew it from day 1. It helps to illuminate the shifter, incase you forget your shift pattern.

[projekz]

Then you might need an illuminated shift knob...or those 5 million candle power lights from canadian tire:rofl:
Are you still looking for the Dipstick Nic?:confused:

[Clanche]

Originally posted by projekz
Then you might need an illuminated shift knob...or those 5 million candle power lights from canadian tire:rofl:
Are you still looking for the Dipstick Nic?:confused:

hahahaha i'm not even gonna open that hood.. :D that's just got bad news all over it!!!! any news on my car btw.. no rush of course i'm loving the e90 :bigpimp:

[Clanche]

Originally posted by A|pine
There's a DIY about installing them into your cup holder.
maybe this will be helpful

not really what i had in mind but thanks :)


Originally posted by ///|ndy
I don't think you guys should waste your time DIY.
Kinda cool, but not noticeable enough to go out of your way to get it.

i think tuning a car in general is a waste of time so I'll be the judge of what I waste my time on... :thumbsup:

[HillBilly]

Originally posted by Goblin
I knew it from day 1. It helps to illuminate the shifter, incase you forget your shift pattern.

if you don't know the shift pattern, you don't deserve a BMW

[///|ndy]

Originally posted by Clanche

i think tuning a car in general is a waste of time so I'll be the judge of what I waste my time on... :thumbsup:

:rofl:

I was under the impression that you were looking for feedback on the lights, hence your thread. But hey, go ahead and waste your time installing something you can hardly notice. :thumbsup:

[Clanche]

Originally posted by HillBilly


if you don't know the shift pattern, you don't deserve a BMW


pretty sure he was being sarcastic ;)

[Goblin]

Originally posted by Clanche



pretty sure he was being sarcastic ;)

at least someone got that. I think buddy is not all there lmao

[bart]

vw's had them a few years ago.... :)
here are pics of mine i posted a looooong time ago. its a nice touch!

btw Clanche, thanks for the test drive! :p

http://servfiles.com/265/
http://servfiles.com/264/

[Clanche]

Originally posted by ///|ndy
:rofl: I was under the impression that you were looking for feedback on the lights, hence your thread. But hey, go ahead and waste your time installing something you can hardly notice. :thumbsup:

:rolleyes: i was asking what the lights were called not whether or not you liked them

[///|ndy]

Originally posted by Clanche


:rolleyes: i was asking what the lights were called not whether or not you liked them

WOW, buddy pull the dildo out of your anus. Did you really need to make a thread to ask what they were called?? Are you that challenged that you couldn't make a phone call to the dealership?? Plus I was only trying to give you some feedback, chill the fuck out. :whocares:

[Goblin]

Originally posted by ///|ndy


WOW, buddy pull the dildo out of your anus. Did you really need to make a thread to ask what they were called?? Are you that challenged that you couldn't make a phone call to the dealership?? Plus I was only trying to give you some feedback, chill the fuck out. :whocares:

Waits for you to get banned..

again..


Your the one that needs to chill out.

[FiveFreshFish]

Originally posted by bart
vw's had them a few years ago.... :)

Ditto for Audi. The VAG ambient lighting is red compared to BMW orange.

[///|ndy]

Originally posted by Goblin


Waits for you to get banned..

again..


Your the one that needs to chill out.

Yep, I should be banned for providing feedback. :rolleyes:
If he was just looking for a part number, he could have just dialed the dealership parts dept. as I am sure most ppl on here wouldn't actually be able to tell him what its called. By making a thread he should be expecting ppl to give their opinions.

[Goblin]

Originally posted by ///|ndy


Yep, I should be banned for providing feedback. :rolleyes:
If he was just looking for a part number, he could have just dialed the dealership parts dept. as I am sure most ppl on here wouldn't actually be able to tell him what its called. By making a thread he should be expecting ppl to give their opinions.

The way you go about your feedback.

And thanks for your PM continuing your "feedback".

True, the way he went about it was really weird.

At first I thought he wanted it for his e36, then it turns out he has a e90..

lmao yeah, what is the point of this thread?

[Clanche]

Originally posted by Goblin


The way you go about your feedback.

And thanks for your PM continuing your "feedback".

True, the way he went about it was really weird.

At first I thought he wanted it for his e36, then it turns out he has a e90..

lmao yeah, what is the point of this thread?

ya i got a pm from Indy as well continuing is feedback..... :rolleyes:


Originally posted by Clanche
I noticed that the newer 3 series (e46, e90) have little LEDs on the ceiling that make the shifter area glow a dim orange.. wondering what those lights are called and if anyone has tried installing them???

thanks :)

^^^^^ anyways.. like i said in my first post.. the point of this thread was to find out what are they are called (yes.. i have part numbers from realoem.com but it doesnt tell me what that style of lighting is called) ... and I was wondering if anyone had tried installing them in a e36

doesn't seem like a complicated thread to me.....

[Goblin]

So you have an e90, found out it has them....

Now you want them in your e36?

Check out that super bright led place, superbrighled.com i think, and see if you could do a custom install with a wide L.E.D.

There is lots of power to be had up in the roof...

[FiveFreshFish]

Originally posted by Goblin
There is lots of power to be had up in the roof...
:werd: There is also lots of room underneath the sunroof switch panel. Just get your fingers around both sides and pull it off to have a look.

You want to get LEDs that have a threaded panel mount like the ones in the attached pic. The sunroof switch illumination is also controlled by the instrument panel dimmer switch so it could be for brightness adjustment of the LEDs. For ultimate control, use a potentiometer to fine-tune the light level; they're the blue boxes in the pic.

Build and test it on a breadboard before implementation.