10-29-2024, 02:21 PM | #1 |
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[DIY Guide] Cupholders Ambient Light
Introduction
Generally speaking, the ambient lighting on the F20/21/22 models is far behind what newer BMW models offer today. However, it does include some: two "pin hole" lights that shine from the front dome lights, footwell lights and cupholder lights. My car did not come with the latter, so the cover where the light is supposed to go is just empty. After doing some research, I found out a guy on eBay that sells a "Y" style splitter harness, so you can use the power from the passenger side footwell lights, thus not having to cut any factory wires but also enjoying the brightness/color features from the iDrive. ![]() Parts Needed
Step 1: Remove Radio/HVAC Trim There are a ton of videos on YouTube on how to do this. Note that you will also need to remove the iDrive unit itself to make your life easier when routing the cable. Step 2: Remove Bottom Cover After removing all the radio/HVAC trim, you will need to remove the bottom cover under them, which is the cover where the light is going to be installed. The cover sits pretty tight - just use your hands to pry it towards you. Step 3: Install LED module Install the LED module into the bottom cover - it clips in easily. This is how it should look like after installing the module: ![]() ![]() Step 4: Remove Passenger Side Footwell Cover In the passenger side footwell, there is a plastic cover that is held in by 2x10mm screws on either side. After unscrewing them, the cover can be pulled down slowly. Step 5: Connect the Splitter Harness On the footwell cover, you will see the footwell lights. Unplug the original harness, connect it to the splitter harness, and connect the other side to the footwell light. Step 6: Route the Splitter Harness All now is left to do is route the harness back to the LED module. If you removed the iDrive unit, it should be pretty easy to do - just follow the OEM route of the original harnesses. You can use a ziptie to tie the harness to the OEM harness for a cleaner look. Don't forget to connect it to the LED module and install back everything. ![]() Results To be honest, the results in the pictures look way better than they actually are in real life. The light is very dim, and it isn't really supposed to be strong, only to provide very tiny ambience. I installed it because it is an easy retrofit, and I really hated the fact that this hole is empty. I heard rumors that the aftermarket (AliExpress, etc.) LED module are brighter, so you might want to consider which one you're buying. ![]() ![]() Until next time, Fraysa. |
10-29-2024, 08:10 PM | #2 |
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I recently picked up my F23. While on the 500 mile drive home, I was thinking that it would be nice if the car had a hint of interior light in the console area. I never considered there might be a "factory" solution. Thanks for sharing.
Not sure when I'd be able to get to it, so it's on the "one day" list. |
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10-31-2024, 03:07 AM | #3 | |
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12-06-2024, 07:41 PM | #4 |
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Great write-up Fraysa! Thanks!
I should have asked this before buying the harness and LED module (which are on their way to me): does this cup holder light stay on while driving? In other words, is it true ambient lighting, or does the cup holder light only come on when one of the doors is open. In my car (2017 F23) AFAIK the footwell lights (the tap source) only come on when one or both doors is open. Last edited by 1stBimmer4Me; 12-06-2024 at 07:46 PM.. |
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12-06-2024, 08:34 PM | #5 |
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Foot well lights are both ambient and bright when the door opens. Check it out next time you're in the car in the dark.
You can also toggle the color to orange or white in Idrive. |
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12-06-2024, 09:01 PM | #6 | |
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Looking forward to adding this light. I'm also hoping to make the heated element in my steering wheel functional by adding the switch and coding in the capability. I love mods like this. 👍 |
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12-06-2024, 09:29 PM | #7 |
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I'm lucky/unlucky enough to live in a place where heated steering wheels are standard on these cars.
![]() I'll have to revisit this ambient mod now that it's dark for most of the day again. I pulled the panel and couldn't find where the wires would go, but I think Fraysa's write up made things at least a little bit more clear. |
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12-14-2024, 07:12 PM | #9 |
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So I got the light installed in my M240i this afternoon. This turned out to be fun little project.
Thank you so much to Fraysa for this write up!!! The only thing I did differently was order this harness because it was about half the price of what Fraysa found and was shipped from the US... https://www.ebay.com/itm/17487628085...mis&media=COPY I got it in just a few days and it was properly taped up instead of loose wires like the listing shows. I've included some additional pics that might help with this, although it's pretty straightforward. Here's the passenger side footwell panel that must be removed. And here's the back side of that panel, showing light you run the splitter to. Note the aqua colored connectors of the splitter cable... Here's the upper vent assembly popped out. You carefully pry the upper edge out, then pull out to get it. It takes some fineness... You have to remove that vent assembly to be able to get to the two torx screws that hold the HVAC control assembly in place. They're revealed once the vent assembly is popped out... Once the torx screws are out and the HVAC panel is pulled, there is just one little harness going to it. I disconnected it (it was seated pretty tightly) and set the panel aside... I managed to feed the splitter cable end, that goes to the cupholder LED module, where it needed to go without removing the i-Drive... And then connect it to the module... And then pull the panel above the cup holder and click the LED module in place, just like Fraysa shows... Once I had everything back together, I tried the light and it didn't work! I had to go into IDrive and under vehicle settings / lighting / interior lighting, I had to change the setting from "Sport" to "Classic". For some reason my car has NO ambient lighting when set to Sport. If anyone has an explanation for this, I'd like to learn why... Once I made the change I had light!... Which, by the way can be brightened not only by the iDrive adjustments, but by the roller adjuster next to the exterior light switch... By turning the iDrive light intensity all the way up, and turning up the dash light intensity, I managed to get a pretty bright light out of the cupholder light. I'll dial it in to my liking the first time I drive it at night... It's little things like this that can make an already nice car even better. Thanks again to Fraysa for such a good little hack! Last edited by 1stBimmer4Me; 12-14-2024 at 07:18 PM.. |
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12-16-2024, 05:06 AM | #10 |
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Thank you 1stBimmer4Me for providing additional info & pictures!
The issue with your ambient light is indeed weird -- I suggest to scan the car for any fault codes, that should give you a hint about what's wrong. Do note that you can make the ambient light brightness independent of the cluster brightness with coding - I forgot the actual coding, but it should be on the FEM I believe. Regarding the actual light module - I actually find it very low on brightness, even when driving at complete dark. I'm very much against Chinese aftermarket parts, and always had issues with them, but I actually found a really nice seller on AliExpress that creates LED modules that have the same OEM colors (and even more) but that are 3x brighter. This is very nice, because even if it's too bright - you can still lower it with the iDrive. https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_oFIJqQf I chose the white/orange option, to match the OEM color. I also hate how my footwell lights are very dim, so I asked the seller, who also sells 3x brighter LED modules for the footwell lights, to create a custom one for me. His color options do not match the OEM ones in the footwell lights, so he was kind enough to create a custom module for me that includes the OEM colors. Both should arrive in the upcoming weeks. |
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12-18-2024, 02:30 PM | #11 | |
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With the car being new to me, I've played around with Bimmercode quite a bit, so the "sport" lighting not working is probably something of my doing. Good suggestion about scanning for fault codes. I'll do that. The weather's been lousy here the last several days so I've not driven the bimmer since adding the lights. I will tomorrow though, and if too dim I'll definitely look into coding ambient brightness independent of the cluster. If I can't get it where I want, I'll check with the vendor you referenced. I think that may be the same seller I've seen on eBay and wondered how well the product is. That sure is impressive that he was willing to create custom modules for you! I hope they work out well. Thanks again! Last edited by 1stBimmer4Me; 12-19-2024 at 01:40 PM.. |
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12-20-2024, 12:40 PM | #12 | |
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Either the white LED in the cupholder LED module is bad, or the splice cable has a bad connector. When I installed the cupholder light I was so focused on making sure it worked (and it was daylight), that I wasn't noticing that the other ambient white LED's were coming on when I'd toggle to Sport, only that the cupholder one did not. Of course, as I wrote above, the orange "Classic" LED works fine. I'm probably not going to take it back apart to find out whether its the cable or the module that's bad, but it is good to know that the system is working properly. |
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01-13-2025, 09:18 AM | #13 |
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I'm happy to hear that you narrowed down the issue. Sounds to me like either a faulty splitter cable or a faulty LED module. Since the module is OEM, I'd bet it's the splitter cable.
I received the aftermarket AliExpress cupholder. Not to my surprising, the orange LED is actually yellow. This is why I'm against buying from AliExpress - there are always issues with these things. They're never able to 100% match the OEM specs. I ordered footwell lights from the same seller, which should arrive next week, I think. He said he doesn't have anymore cupholder LED modules, so he'll send me a new one when they get back in stock. |
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