My car now thinks its German! Euro Coding done to it, Amber deleted in headlights

[onebluemcm]

Very coo; DIY work here! I'd be interested in a list of what can be modified - actually, if you were to make up a little check list, it might make your "marketing" of what can (or indirectly can't) be done once you have the stuff needed to do this. Count me as pretty interested.

One other question - in Europe, are the head lights different, with the Xenon on the out side, and a functional halogen or something like it on the inside? Reason I ask is my '04 M3 had the bi-xenon and an inner halogen that was only functional as a flash-to-pass and nothing more. Personally, I find flashing-to-pass a great way to get people pissed at you here in the States - people don't get it, the immediate reaction is to get pissed, it has little use here. I was able to re-wire it though, so that when I had my high beams on I had the high setting on the xenons and the halogens on at the same time - literally turned night to day. I really, really miss that. If the euro headlights were set up differently, I'd look hard at obtaining a set of euro xenon headlights.

It's all kind of speculative - got any experience with this one?

[scottyD]

Nice job. This is just about the same way you enable the rear fog light on a US Z4.

You just have to get the Euro module or at least swap the faceplate to get the extra button for the rear fogs. Swapping faceplate will avoid the odometer tampering dot.

I'm not sure which method you used to program the car into thinking it was a Euro model, but Chuck I and I tricked my Z4 into Euro mode, uploaded new lighting system software from the GT1, and then switched my car back into US mode without updating the light system programming. So, the car thought it was a US model, but the lights acted like Euro lights.

The exterior lights looked exactly like what you have now - no side markers front or rear, and no amber parking lights in the front. If you had a Euro light module faceplate right now with the rear fog button, I bet the rear fog light would work since you have the Euro light programming.

I didn't want the Euro light programming on the roads here in the US but still wanted the rear fog light, so we had to play around with some other BMW software to retain the US programming for the side markers and front amber parking lights, but enable the rear fog light separately. But we figured it out, and the rear fog light can in fact be enabled on a US Z4 with the proper programming, and it can keep the US exterior lighting, too.

These things are very complicated to program or modify... they certainly don't make it easy to figure them out.

[mfanatic325]

I'm kinda confused on the differences....
So let me get this straight:
1) light switch put to one notch to the right (parking lights) now operates only the inner angel eyes?
2) light switch put to two nothces to the right (full lowbeams) now operates the low beam xenons + inner angel eyes all at the same time AND without bottom yellow lights unless you are signaling left or right?

[dazed^]

Originally Posted by onebluemcm

One other question - in Europe, are the head lights different, with the Xenon on the out side, and a functional halogen or something like it on the inside? Reason I ask is my '04 M3 had the bi-xenon and an inner halogen that was only functional as a flash-to-pass and nothing more. Personally, I find flashing-to-pass a great way to get people pissed at you here in the States - people don't get it, the immediate reaction is to get pissed, it has little use here. I was able to re-wire it though, so that when I had my high beams on I had the high setting on the xenons and the halogens on at the same time - literally turned night to day. I really, really miss that. If the euro headlights were set up differently, I'd look hard at obtaining a set of euro xenon headlights.

It's all kind of speculative - got any experience with this one?

No, euro cars do not have 'functional' halogen lights on the inside next to the Xenons. There's only the angel eyes there (cf., my avatar). These are actually implemented with a weak halogen light behind them as well, but these wouldn't work as regular halogen beams.

[Starscream]

Originally Posted by scottyD

Nice job. This is just about the same way you enable the rear fog light on a US Z4.

You just have to get the Euro module or at least swap the faceplate to get the extra button for the rear fogs. Swapping faceplate will avoid the odometer tampering dot.

I'm not sure which method you used to program the car into thinking it was a Euro model, but Chuck I and I tricked my Z4 into Euro mode, uploaded new lighting system software from the GT1, and then switched my car back into US mode without updating the light system programming. So, the car thought it was a US model, but the lights acted like Euro lights.

The exterior lights looked exactly like what you have now - no side markers front or rear, and no amber parking lights in the front. If you had a Euro light module faceplate right now with the rear fog button, I bet the rear fog light would work since you have the Euro light programming.

I didn't want the Euro light programming on the roads here in the US but still wanted the rear fog light, so we had to play around with some other BMW software to retain the US programming for the side markers and front amber parking lights, but enable the rear fog light separately. But we figured it out, and the rear fog light can in fact be enabled on a US Z4 with the proper programming, and it can keep the US exterior lighting, too.

These things are very complicated to program or modify... they certainly don't make it easy to figure them out.

Yes the coding is a pita,
The acronyms they use is almost impossible to figure out,
We did find things like what your saying was possible, We also found out if you were going to be switching to LED's you can code the car to ignore certain "light out" indicators so you can run LED's without the light coming on that somethings wrong

[Starscream]

Originally Posted by mfanatic325

I'm kinda confused on the differences....
So let me get this straight:
1) light switch put to one notch to the right (parking lights) now operates only the inner angel eyes?
2) light switch put to two nothces to the right (full lowbeams) now operates the low beam xenons + inner angel eyes all at the same time AND without bottom yellow lights unless you are signaling left or right?

Yes that's right, Same as Europe

[SCHMOUPE]

where did you get this done in Jersey and how much does it cost? I have my alarm that needs to be activated so this will be a nice combo thing to get everything done at the same time

[bhoch]

Originally Posted by Starscream

Its also totally reversible so when time for inspection comes you can switch back to the US coding

Very happy with the results!

Does this mean that every year we would need to change coding, get inspected and change it back? If so, would this change be a ticket if pulled over for something else?

I really do like the change but, I don't want to have to change the coding every year to pass inspections.

[Starscream]

Originally Posted by shakib

where did you get this done in Jersey and how much does it cost? I have my alarm that needs to be activated so this will be a nice combo thing to get everything done at the same time

The guy wasn't from NJ,
Luckily he was just passing through very close to me,
But, I'll be buying the necessary tools to do this myself so stand by

[SCHMOUPE]

Originally Posted by Starscream

The guy wasn't from NJ,
Luckily he was just passing through very close to me,
But, I'll be buying the necessary tools to do this myself so stand by

you da man! keep me posted

[3002 tii]

Originally Posted by Starscream

The guy wasn't from NJ,
Luckily he was just passing through very close to me,
But, I'll be buying the necessary tools to do this myself so stand by

I'll be you first customer!

[esqu1re]

Looks good. Kinda wish our cars didn't have the egg yolk light.

[Starscream]

Update for you all,

Should have everything needed to do this setup by this coming weekend (hopefully) lol,
The waiting game while electronics get here through customs is a PITA!

Really looking forward to being able to do this myself,
and I'll have access to do all cars, not just Z4's,
1 series ,3 series, 5 6 7, X series, Z series, Mini's, and you ballers who have Rolls Royce's, them too,

Everything the dealer can do and more, check things, reset things, turn things off, turn things on, add things, delete things, the bloody lot

Can't wait to play

[O-cha]

Car looks AWESOME that way. Way it should have looked from the beginning.

I assume the DRLs are also removed.

[Starscream]

Originally Posted by O-cha

Car looks AWESOME that way. Way it should have looked from the beginning.

I assume the DRLs are also removed.

Yeah I never had DRL's from day one,
To me this looks correct

[johanness]

Awesome work J! Keep us posted

[3002 tii]

Originally Posted by Starscream

Update for you all,

Should have everything needed to do this setup by this coming weekend (hopefully) lol,
The waiting game while electronics get here through customs is a PITA!

Really looking forward to being able to do this myself,
and I'll have access to do all cars, not just Z4's,
1 series ,3 series, 5 6 7, X series, Z series, Mini's, and you ballers who have Rolls Royce's, them too,

Everything the dealer can do and more, check things, reset things, turn things off, turn things on, add things, delete things, the bloody lot

Can't wait to play

Find a way to turn off CEL for all the guys looking throw on headers lol

[ZeD4Mr]

DRL works this way on mine

Both inner angel light, low beam and egg yolk is on at all times. (I just leave the light on Auto)

When I enter the garage/night time, the bottom amber strip comes on solid and blink when I use the turn signal.

1) So if I turn off the DRL, will mine behave like your Euro Spec?
2) Is there a way to leave only inner angel on all the time?
3) I would like to have the inner and outer rings on all the time but I think the outer angel ring and low beam can't act separately, right?

Can't wait till you starting to offer this for us.

TIA

[Starscream]

Originally Posted by JDN34

1) So if I turn off the DRL, will mine behave like your Euro Spec?
2) Is there a way to leave only inner angel on all the time?
3) I would like to have the inner and outer rings on all the time but I think the outer angel ring and low beam can't act separately, right?

1, No, Only after its been coded it will be euro spec,
2, Yes, with Euro coding only the inner angel eye will now be your DRL,
3, The outer ring doesn't light up independently, It only "reflects" the headlight through the ring,

[Starscream]

Originally Posted by Dubbedown

Find a way to turn off CEL for all the guys looking throw on headers lol

From what I understand its not that of program,
I do have the ability to flash the DME, but only with the stock BMW files,
I do have Euro files I could flash, but it takes a long time and I don't think it would help,
Best leave that one to the pro's

[inTgr8r]

Originally Posted by Starscream

Yes the coding is a pita,
The acronyms they use is almost impossible to figure out,
We did find things like what your saying was possible, We also found out if you were going to be switching to LED's you can code the car to ignore certain "light out" indicators so you can run LED's without the light coming on that somethings wrong

Re-reading this thread & just noticed this part!

That would be great Jamie!!!!!
With that we can get rid of the amber globes & run LEDs that flash amber on the signal.

I'll drop you a PM soon.

[Starscream]

Yup I'm all setup ready to go with this