RETROFIT : BMW E91 - Rear interior lamp

This is quite an easy DIY about retrofitting rear interior lamp as shown on the picture with detailed instruction.

It is also about how to use BMW software to find what you need and what parts fit your car.




For those of you who didn't thick the option "Light package" when buying a new car or being occupy looking at millage, service book and more important stuff than looking if your new car have satisfying interior light, this is the right place to be :P

It's pretty shame to have interior light on your back seat and not to have control over it. The only way you can turn on the rear lamp is to do it with the front switch, but than you're blinded with the light, what can be quite dangerous.

Control unit which controls the interior lights is called FZD  (Roof Function Centre). Among other things, this unit controls Electrochromatic Interior mirror, slide/tilt sunroof, condensation sensor, gateway for rain sensor...











Here is a short overview of the FZD module:


1. Telephone microphone, driver's side  
2. Top light
3. Sunroof button 
4. Passenger's side microphone for voice recognition system 
5. Airbag indicator lamp 
6. Reading lamp, front passenger's side with button  
7. Interior light with button 
8. Reading lamp, driver's side with button 
9. Interior lighting unit 
10. Cover 
11. Emergency call button

Probably you don't have all the buttons and lamps shown on picture, like me, what can be seen by the number of wires on connectors :)

Two wires on the white connector are from the old lights. You can use this contacts by cutting the wire and solder to the new installation.
 





Rear interior light looks like the front (ie. FZD), but without all those buttons, lamps...




1. Top light
2. Cover for ultrasonic interior protection 
3. Reading lamp, rear right
4. Rear interior light with button
5. Reading lamp, rear left
6. Interior lighting unit




There are four connectors on the FZD:

Number	X-pin, colour	Description
X14286	14-pin, black	Component connector Function control centre, roof
X14287	4-pin, black	Component connector Function control centre, roof
X14288	20-pin, black	Component connector Function control centre, roof
X14289	20-pin, natural	Component connector Function control centre, roof

Type of signal and usage of every pin on these connectors can be found on WDS - Wiring Diagram System.

There are several WDS online systems, just type "bmw wds online" in www.google.com  ;)

X14289 is the connector we need pin information, so here is the meaning and usage of the pins:

Pin assignments at plug connector X14289

Pin	Type	Description / Signal type	Connection / Measuring notes
1		Not used
2		Not used
3	M	Signal, vanity mirror	Make-up mirror switch, front right
4	A	Signal, vanity mirror	Make-up mirror light, front right
5	M	Signal, vanity mirror	Make-up mirror switch, front left
6	A	Signal, vanity mirror	Make-up mirror light, front left
7	M	Ground Interior movement detector	Interior movement detector
8	A	Terminal 30 Interior movement detector	Interior movement detector
9	A/E	Signal, CAN-bus	Interior movement detector
10	A/E	Signal, CAN-bus	Interior movement detector
11	A	Control signal, DWA siren alarm	Interior movement detector
12	A	Signal, LED for antitheft alarm system	Interior movement detector
13	M	Ground Interior light, rear	Interior light, rear
14	A	Switch signal, rear left reading lamp	Interior light, rear
15	A	Switch signal, interior lamp, rear	Interior light, rear
16	A	Switch signal, rear right reading lamp	Interior light, rear
17	A	Signal, top-light	Interior light, rear
18	A	Signal, rear right reading lamp	Interior light, rear
19	A	Signal, rear left reading lamp	Interior light, rear
20	A	Signal, interior lamp, rear	Interior light, rear

There are eight (8) pins dedicated for rear interior lamp (marked in red).

So, you have connector, all you need is the bushing contacts. In ETK I found I should use contacts with the part numbers 1383776 or 1393724, but on the connector I found two wires with the contacts 0005197 which are the most used bushing contacts with wiring harness on BMW.
The new are quite expensive, about 1.5 euro for one piece, but you can find it at the junk yard for small amount of money. Just let them cut the connector with the wires from instrument cluster on E36, E46, E90...or connector from Footwell module or Junction box on E90.
There is a catch on older BMW models, make sure that the connector is from AMP, Tyco manufacturer, because there are connectors made by Siemens and they are different ;)

The connector for rear interior lamp is shown on picture, X10293.

So, every pin on this connector is in use.





In ETK you can check what bushing contacts are needed:

Same contact 0005197, I mentioned before, is used.

I bought used rear interior light from junkyard for about 25 euro, taken from E90, so for the schematic I should look for "Interior lights (3 Series_E90/E91/E92/E93 with Saloon with FZD Function centre roof)" in WDS not for the Touring.

If you got connector for the  rear interior lamp and bushing contacts (you will need 16 total) all you need is to solder contacts to your new installation an plug it to connectors according to upper scheme.
You can use stranded wires 0.5mm2.

When you connect everything, only top lights and central lamp will work. You need to code your car, ie. FZD module.

Using NCS Expert you should change this option in FZD TRC file:

FSW_PSW_FZD.TRC

INNENLICHT
    nicht_aktiv   =>    aktiv

Code the module and you should get your lamp full potential :)
I think it's possible to add appropriate VO option (S563A LIGHT PACKAGE) for the light package and you should have the rear lamp working. I didn't try this, but I will when I do some other retrofit with lights :)




mIRO