Question on interior lighting

WickedNy · 02-14-2016, 09:52 AM

Has anybody ever changed the interior ambient lighting in their cars? Just did a search and nothing really popped up, so I'm curious as if it can be done or not

3002 tii · 02-14-2016, 10:35 AM

ECS among few others sell a kit. BMW even offers a generic kit as well which I had on my 1 but I'm sure it'd work fine on our Z's.

WickedNy · 02-14-2016, 10:42 AM

I know they sold an interior upgrade and sold an oem dome light unit, but I was looking to possibly change the leds that constantly glow Amber

pungo · 02-14-2016, 11:49 AM

You can replace the interior lighting with LEDs. I replaced all mine for maybe $12 shipped. Just don't get ones for the dome light that are too bright or it will blind you at night.

3 in the dome LED1

2 foot well, 1 glove box, 1 center compartment LED2

Trunk LED3

WickedNy · 02-14-2016, 12:02 PM

No no no lol, I'm not talking about any of the 194 leds, I'm talking about these little mini leds on the dome....my car is covered so can't take a pic but this is what I'm talking about all be it in a 335

pungo · 02-14-2016, 12:09 PM

Oh right, those little dim lights shining on the dash and shifter that many people don't even know exist. I didn't mess with those. What do you want to change about them, color, brightness?

WickedNy · 02-14-2016, 12:35 PM

Was considering doing them in blue

StickMon · 02-14-2016, 12:41 PM

They're probably chips soldered on a board.
It's not hard to get that thing out and have a look inside.
You can get a rough idea of the style chip and probably pick up any color you want from someplace like DigiKey for peanuts.

3002 tii · 02-14-2016, 01:55 PM

Wait so you're asking about headlight turn signal bulbs?

WickedNy · 02-14-2016, 02:03 PM

Those little tiny square leds that they use for the back of the radio, dash,etc? That would make sense.

No not the headlight bulbs, it's those little orangish reddish lights that light up the shifter area very faintly. If you look at your dome lights at night or hold your hand up to the dome area you'll see which lights im referring too. Just something I thought of in my sleep lol

3002 tii · 02-14-2016, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WickedNy

Those little tiny square leds that they use for the back of the radio, dash,etc? That would make sense.

No not the headlight bulbs, it's those little orangish reddish lights that light up the shifter area very faintly. If you look at your dome lights at night or hold your hand up to the dome area you'll see which lights im referring too. Just something I thought of in my sleep lol

lol I was kidding haha

WickedNy · 02-14-2016, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3002 tii

Quote:

Originally Posted by WickedNy

Those little tiny square leds that they use for the back of the radio, dash,etc? That would make sense.

No not the headlight bulbs, it's those little orangish reddish lights that light up the shifter area very faintly. If you look at your dome lights at night or hold your hand up to the dome area you'll see which lights im referring too. Just something I thought of in my sleep lol

lol I was kidding haha

Lol

Efthreeoh · 02-15-2016, 07:10 AM

Running anything other than amber interior lights in a BMW is considered blasphemy.

Just sayin'

WickedNy · 02-15-2016, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Running anything other than amber interior lights in a BMW is considered blasphemy.

Just sayin'

I'd bet money that if I were to go ahead and change them, the only person in the world that would notice it's blue would be me, besides blue is my favorite color. First mod to any car I've ever owned, was remove Amber anything, so yes call me a blasphemer...but a proud one

chickdr · 02-15-2016, 01:35 PM

I think the amber works better for the purpose it serves(Audi also uses amber for theirs). It would certainly be interesting to see what it looks like in another hue though. I have yet to hear of anyone changing it.

SaltyNC · 02-15-2016, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WickedNy

I'd bet money that if I were to go ahead and change them, the only person in the world that would notice it's blue would be me, besides blue is my favorite color. First mod to any car I've ever owned, was remove Amber anything, so yes call me a blasphemer...but a proud one

It's been a few months since I replaced my dome spot lights with LEDs, but I'm pretty sure the stock ambient LEDs used an older style LED with the two long metal cathode and anode's soldered to the top of the circuit board and the legs folded down so the bulb tucked into the plastic opening. Looked like something from the 80's. :-)

We also have a MINI that has color changing LEDs. We usually leave them on amber to match the rest of the dash, but I have to say the deep blue is my second favorite color. Amber and blue look good together. So, if you want to blaspheme, it will at least be pleasing blasphemy. :-)

Salty

02-14-2016, 09:52 AM	#1
WickedNy Get Some 225 Rep 759 Posts Drives: 07 Z4 3.0si Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Long Island iTrader: (1) Garage List 07 z4 3.0si [0.00]	Question on interior lighting Has anybody ever changed the interior ambient lighting in their cars? Just did a search and nothing really popped up, so I'm curious as if it can be done or not
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02-14-2016, 10:35 AM	#2
3002 tii Lieutenant General 2280 Rep 12,565 Posts Drives: Z4 M, X5, GX460 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: CT iTrader: (99) Garage List F15 X5 xDrive35i [8.75] E86 Z4 M [10.00] F10 550i (Retired) [9.17] F25 X3 xDrive35i (R ... [9.43] E82 135is (Retired) [9.50] E85 Z4 M (Retired) [9.41] E90 328i xDrive (Re ... [9.25] E86 Z4 3.0si (Retired) [9.20]	ECS among few others sell a kit. BMW even offers a generic kit as well which I had on my 1 but I'm sure it'd work fine on our Z's. __________________ Follow for latest mods
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02-14-2016, 10:42 AM	#3
WickedNy Get Some 225 Rep 759 Posts Drives: 07 Z4 3.0si Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Long Island iTrader: (1) Garage List 07 z4 3.0si [0.00]	I know they sold an interior upgrade and sold an oem dome light unit, but I was looking to possibly change the leds that constantly glow Amber
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02-14-2016, 11:49 AM	#4
pungo Colonel 877 Rep 2,541 Posts Drives: Z4MC-X3-35i-525i, Corrado G60 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: MD iTrader: (5) Garage List 2011 BMW X3 x35i [0.00] 2001 BMW 525i [0.00] 2007 BMW Z4 M Coupe [8.76]	You can replace the interior lighting with LEDs. I replaced all mine for maybe $12 shipped. Just don't get ones for the dome light that are too bright or it will blind you at night. 3 in the dome LED1 2 foot well, 1 glove box, 1 center compartment LED2 Trunk LED3
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02-14-2016, 12:02 PM	#5
WickedNy Get Some 225 Rep 759 Posts Drives: 07 Z4 3.0si Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Long Island iTrader: (1) Garage List 07 z4 3.0si [0.00]	No no no lol, I'm not talking about any of the 194 leds, I'm talking about these little mini leds on the dome....my car is covered so can't take a pic but this is what I'm talking about all be it in a 335 Attached Images
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02-14-2016, 12:09 PM	#6
pungo Colonel 877 Rep 2,541 Posts Drives: Z4MC-X3-35i-525i, Corrado G60 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: MD iTrader: (5) Garage List 2011 BMW X3 x35i [0.00] 2001 BMW 525i [0.00] 2007 BMW Z4 M Coupe [8.76]	Oh right, those little dim lights shining on the dash and shifter that many people don't even know exist. I didn't mess with those. What do you want to change about them, color, brightness?
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02-14-2016, 12:35 PM	#7
WickedNy Get Some 225 Rep 759 Posts Drives: 07 Z4 3.0si Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Long Island iTrader: (1) Garage List 07 z4 3.0si [0.00]	Was considering doing them in blue
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02-14-2016, 12:41 PM	#8
StickMon My other car is on Mars 636 Rep 3,124 Posts Drives: 2006 MR Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Lo-Cal iTrader: (1)	They're probably chips soldered on a board. It's not hard to get that thing out and have a look inside. You can get a rough idea of the style chip and probably pick up any color you want from someplace like DigiKey for peanuts. __________________ Warning: May contain traces of nuts.
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02-14-2016, 01:55 PM	#9
3002 tii Lieutenant General 2280 Rep 12,565 Posts Drives: Z4 M, X5, GX460 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: CT iTrader: (99) Garage List F15 X5 xDrive35i [8.75] E86 Z4 M [10.00] F10 550i (Retired) [9.17] F25 X3 xDrive35i (R ... [9.43] E82 135is (Retired) [9.50] E85 Z4 M (Retired) [9.41] E90 328i xDrive (Re ... [9.25] E86 Z4 3.0si (Retired) [9.20]	Wait so you're asking about headlight turn signal bulbs? __________________ Follow for latest mods
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02-14-2016, 02:03 PM	#10
WickedNy Get Some 225 Rep 759 Posts Drives: 07 Z4 3.0si Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Long Island iTrader: (1) Garage List 07 z4 3.0si [0.00]	Those little tiny square leds that they use for the back of the radio, dash,etc? That would make sense. No not the headlight bulbs, it's those little orangish reddish lights that light up the shifter area very faintly. If you look at your dome lights at night or hold your hand up to the dome area you'll see which lights im referring too. Just something I thought of in my sleep lol
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02-15-2016, 07:10 AM	#13
Efthreeoh General 17165 Rep 18,678 Posts Drives: The E90 + Z4 Coupe & Z3 R'ster Join Date: May 2012 Location: Virginia iTrader: (0)	Running anything other than amber interior lights in a BMW is considered blasphemy. Just sayin' __________________ A manual transmission can be set to "comfort", "sport", and "track" modes simply by the technique and speed at which you shift it; it doesn't need "modes", modes are for manumatics that try to behave like a real 3-pedal manual transmission. If you can money-shift it, it's a manual transmission. "Yeah, but NO ONE puts an automatic trans shift knob on a manual transmission."
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02-15-2016, 01:35 PM	#15
chickdr Lieutenant Colonel 140 Rep 1,989 Posts Drives: 2006 M Roadster Join Date: May 2009 Location: Buford, GA iTrader: (0)	I think the amber works better for the purpose it serves(Audi also uses amber for theirs). It would certainly be interesting to see what it looks like in another hue though. I have yet to hear of anyone changing it.
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