DIY: Installing Interior LED Bulbs

DIY: Installing Interior LED Bulbs

Published by yamazaho
06-16-2009

DIY: Installing Interior LED Bulbs

DIY: High-Powered LED Interior installation guide

Tools needed: Flat head screw driver or pick tools

Length of installation: 30 mins

The LED interior kit used during this install was purchased from Mike@F1AutoHaus. I have been testing this kit out for several months to make sure there were no errors or any other LED related issues and everything works 100% perfectly fine just like stock. My sedan kit comprised of the following:

12 LED panels (x2) - front and rear center dome lights

T10 bulbs (x8) - map lights, footwells, doors

39mm festoons (x1) - glovebox

42mm festoons (x3) - visor lights and trunk lights

*Coupe interior kits has an additional four (4) T5 bulbs that goes in the back seat area.

I’ll start off with the easier sections first.

Step 1:

Door lights-

Footwells-

Glovebox- Please notice there is an error in this picture. The blown fuse that you will need to replace is #61, NOT #51 as shown in the picture.

Still having trouble finding the right fuse or your fuse number does not match to mine? Please click HERE for additional video and pictures regarding locating and purchasing the correct 10amp fuse (big thanks to member Jz for writing this up ).

Trunk-

Visor lights-

After installing the trunk LEDs there should be two 42mm festoons remaining. They go into the visor lights and should be straight forward. Simply pull the housing down and replace the bulb.

*T5 bulbs for coupe models-

Remove the cover with a flathead. Once the housing has been exposed you may remove all the stock halogen bulbs. Before installing all the T5 bulbs, insert each LED half way to check for polarity so that it turns on before inserting them in all the way. Also be sure that the metal pins make contact for a secure connection. This will save you some time and trouble.

Rear dome-

Front dome-

*Front dome (non-sunroof)-

Installation of 12 LED panels (front/rear center dome)-

The T10 based adapters for the LED panels should be pre-installed during the previous front/rear dome steps (not shown in picture above). Connect the panels together to see if they light up. If not, disconnect the two and reverse the polarity. Also, double check the T10 base connection in the bulb holder. Once it’s up and running, remove the red backing and mount it up in the center housing. Replace the frosted lens back on and the installation is complete.

Here I will demonstrate how to install this center dome LEDs board (12 LEDs in total).

After removing the frosted lens, remove the OEM bulb. Watch out if the bulb is hot, you may use a little piece of clothe to remove the bulb. Then you first connect the base of the LED wire to the socket, like this...

Next connect the board to the wire.

Remove the sticker in the back of the board.

Stick the connector onto the back of the board.

Push the whole board upward and the board should fit snugly as demonstrated below. If the board tends to fall off, try to push it forward a little or backward a little bit and it will stay just fine.

Replace the frosted lens back on and you are done.

Pictures installed-

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By second_2_nun on 06-17-2009, 11:56 AM

great writeup

By E92-Lighting on 06-17-2009, 12:37 PM

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yes, great writeup

By Drakos on 06-17-2009, 04:30 PM

Looks great man!! Thanks for the write up

By yamazaho on 06-17-2009, 04:42 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by second_2_nun

great writeup

Quote:

Originally Posted by E92-Lighting

yes, great writeup

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drakos

Looks great man!! Thanks for the write up

Thanks guys, I hope I helped.

By r1 335i on 06-19-2009, 11:10 AM

do the LED's fade on and off when you arm/disarm the car and when you open/close the doors?

By yamazaho on 06-19-2009, 02:21 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by r1 335i

do the LED's fade on and off when you arm/disarm the car and when you open/close the doors?

My car does not have alarm, and no my interior LEDs do not fade at all when I lock or unlock my doors.

I have updated the installation for the LEDs board for the front and back center dome.

By LaYzEe on 06-19-2009, 02:23 PM

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regarding the back seat area for the coupe, just use the flat head screwdriver to take out the cover right?

By yamazaho on 06-19-2009, 02:30 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by LaYzEe

regarding the back seat area for the coupe, just use the flat head screwdriver to take out the cover right?

You mean the center dome cover or the rear seat footwall light covers? Well if it's footwall cover, yes just use your flat head screw driver to remove it. There should be a little groove on the side where you can stick your screw driver in. As for the dome cover, you just need to use your finger and pull down in the front. It should pop out very easy.....

By choicez on 06-19-2009, 05:56 PM

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Great writeup. Followed your directions for my installation.

#10

By Mike@F1 Autohaüs on 06-19-2009, 06:58 PM

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For car's equipped without a sunroof, here's another way of accessing the front center dome lights courtesy of Kev:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kev

..

There is a much, much easier to get to the front dome lights.

1. Flip down your sun visors and turn them to the side windows

2. With a trim tool or something that has a pointy edge, open the flap door on the sun visor mount closer to the front dome light

3. Unbolt the torx screw behind the flap door, remove the visor mount.

4. Repeat 1-3 for passenger side.

5. Now with both visor mount removed, you should have enough slack to pull down the headliner in front of the dome light

6. Fish your hand in and push the metal tabs on the front dome to release it

7. Reverse to put it back together.

#11

By wutasi on 06-21-2009, 03:49 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike@F1 Autohaüs

For car's equipped without a sunroof, here's another way of accessing the front center dome lights courtesy of Kev:

+1

I would recommend this to all e90's with or without sun roof.

Picture for better understanding:

#12

By VTECaddict on 06-25-2009, 07:43 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by yamazaho

My car does not have alarm, and no my interior LEDs do not fade at all when I lock or unlock my doors.

I have updated the installation for the LEDs board for the front and back center dome.

so the dome/footwell lights do not fade in and fade out at all anymore when you unlock and lock the car? theyre just either 100% on or 100% off?

do you know if those T10 bulbs are 1W or 1.5W?

#13

By choicez on 06-25-2009, 07:51 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by VTECaddict

so the dome/footwell lights do not fade in and fade out at all anymore when you unlock and lock the car? theyre just either 100% on or 100% off?

I bought a set from khoalty and the dome lights fade when you arm/disarm the car and when you open/close the doors.

#14

By m400 on 07-03-2009, 06:07 PM

Has anyone had a problem with the lights not working at all, or coming on and then not deciding to back on?

#15

By LaYzEe on 07-03-2009, 06:48 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by choicez

I bought a set from khoalty and the dome lights fade when you arm/disarm the car and when you open/close the doors.

i have the Euphoria 6k LED kit and no fading or dimming at all.

#16

By LaYzEe on 07-03-2009, 06:49 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by m400

Has anyone had a problem with the lights not working at all, or coming on and then not deciding to back on?

u mean when you're installing them? or when its already installed and have worked already, but now it aint working any more? maybe the fuse blew?

#17

By Mike@F1 Autohaüs on 07-06-2009, 04:05 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by LaYzEe

i have the Euphoria 6k LED kit and no fading or dimming at all.

The interior LEDs should fade in and out just like OEM LED door handles

#18

By LaYzEe on 07-06-2009, 09:56 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike@F1 Autohaüs

The interior LEDs should fade in and out just like OEM LED door handles

oh u mean the fading like that, yeh it does fade like the door handles. i thought fading like the bulbs are being underpowered but i guess i didnt read the previous comment correctly. my bad.

#19

By tarheel325 on 07-10-2009, 06:22 PM

excellent writeup... thanks so much! I did manage to blow my trunk/glovebox fuse, however... I didn't put the metal cover back on the trunk light before trying to put it back in, I saw sparks, and I immediately though, "sh!t." Where can I get the right fuse and where do I install it?

#20

By yamazaho on 07-10-2009, 09:10 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by tarheel325

The fuse can be obtained from any auto shop man. I got mine from O'Reilly auto parts. Your fuse box is located behind a hidden plastic cover in the glove box. There's a little knob on the right side where you can turn and remove the cover. Find fuse #51 and replace it with the fuse pliers supplied in there.

#21

By mikeokimster on 07-14-2009, 08:04 PM

Thanks for this DIY. There were some times during the install in which I kept switching the polarity with no success b/c I didn't know at the time that the accessory power shuts off after some time. The front Dome lights were a major PITA. I did it the most unconventional way. That was by sliding my hands through the top and twisting the bulbs out through the top since I had no idea as to how the housing was lowered. Anyways, I am glad everything works.

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