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      05-16-2011, 09:22 PM   #1
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Rear fog lights in US Z4s

Does anyone know if the Z4, like the E9X cars sold in the US, is equipped with rear fog lights but needs a Euro switch to allow them to be used?

I installed a Euro switch in both of my E93 verts and would like to be able to use the rear fog lights in my Z4 as we often have very foggy mornings here in western MD.

If anyone knows a source to order the switch please post. I have emailed a potential source in Europe and am waiting for a reply. I understand US dealers can no longer sell the Euro switches. Thanks.
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      05-17-2011, 06:03 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rmorin49 View Post
Does anyone know if the Z4, like the E9X cars sold in the US, is equipped with rear fog lights but needs a Euro switch to allow them to be used?

I installed a Euro switch in both of my E93 verts and would like to be able to use the rear fog lights in my Z4 as we often have very foggy mornings here in western MD.

If anyone knows a source to order the switch please post. I have emailed a potential source in Europe and am waiting for a reply. I understand US dealers can no longer sell the Euro switches. Thanks.
Can anyone confirm that this switch will work on US cars? I found a source but the part is non returnable.

http://bmwfans.info/parts/catalog/E8...element_light/
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      05-17-2011, 01:04 PM   #3
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You can do it and let us know how it goes.
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      05-17-2011, 04:40 PM   #4
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Did you find if the connector exists where the switch would go?

If so is there power going to the switch?

If so shunt it and see if the light comes on, before ordering the switch.
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      05-17-2011, 05:00 PM   #5
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At the risk of sounding stupid- what actually lights up in the back when the rear fog light is activated? I know on the Mini I drove in the UK there was a separate lamp on the rear, but what does the switch activate on the Z4?
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      05-17-2011, 05:12 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by teezee View Post
At the risk of sounding stupid- what actually lights up in the back when the rear fog light is activated? I know on the Mini I drove in the UK there was a separate lamp on the rear, but what does the switch activate on the Z4?
If I'm not mistaken its the inner brake lights on the rear on both sides. I'll have a look tomorrow and snap a photo.


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      05-17-2011, 07:45 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by T89 View Post
If I'm not mistaken its the inner brake lights on the rear on both sides. I'll have a look tomorrow and snap a photo.


T
Yes, I think it is the brake lights that come on during hard braking. At least this is the way they work on the E9X cars. I know because I installed the Euro switch on my E93 verts and am going to do it on my new 335d. It is a simple procedure on the 3 series cars but I have no ideal how hard it is to access the switch on the E89s. If anyone has any experience please post it.

Here is what I found out so far:

I got this part number and need help confirming that it will work.
61 31 9 184 275
Any help would be appreciated. Found a source in Europe (Denmark) but part is not returnable so I want to make sure it will work. Vendor says they aren't sure and the car may have to be "coded" by a dealer. What does this mean?
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      05-17-2011, 07:47 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cdeslandes View Post
Did you find if the connector exists where the switch would go?

If so is there power going to the switch?

If so shunt it and see if the light comes on, before ordering the switch.
If it's like the 3 series, the US switch comes out and the Euro switch replaces it. It should be a simple plug and play. I have done it twice on a 3 series and it is a piece of cake. No experience doing anything to my Z4 other than swapping out the angel eye bulbs for a set of super whites.

I would like to confirm that the wiring and bulbs are in place to make the Euro switch useable as in the E9X cars.
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Last edited by rmorin49; 05-17-2011 at 08:29 PM..
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      05-20-2011, 02:45 PM   #9
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Anyone have a suggestion as to how to confirm that a Euro switch will work in our cars? Thanks.
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      05-20-2011, 08:09 PM   #10
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Do you also need a recode/reflash to make the car recognize its there in the E9x?

I too am very interested in this mod.
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      05-20-2011, 08:40 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Auraraptor View Post
Do you also need a recode/reflash to make the car recognize its there in the E9x?

I too am very interested in this mod.
Negative. The rear fog lights in the E9X cars work perfectly after either installing the Euro switch or modifying the US switch so that it will work. The light switch in the E9X cars have a "blank" button that controls the rear fog lights, all that needs to be done is remove a couple tabs on the back of the button and it works perfectly. With the Z4 you have to replace the switch. I am trying to confirm if the Euro switch can be installed in US cars. The source I found to supply the switch says that he does not know if US cars have the rear fog lights installed and he says the car might have to be coded. The switch is just under $100 plus $20 shipping. It is not returnable so I want to try and confirm it will work before I order it.
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      05-20-2011, 09:49 PM   #12
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sounds pretty cool, id like to see a pic of them on
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      05-21-2011, 08:52 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by z435is View Post
sounds pretty cool, id like to see a pic of them on
Me too. How about one of your folks living in Europe? Can you give us some help? Can you post a close up picture of your light switch and also one of the car with the rear fog lights turned on?

If you have any knowledge of how to remove and replace the switch please post.

Thanks.
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      05-22-2011, 12:19 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rmorin49 View Post
Me too. How about one of your folks living in Europe? Can you give us some help? Can you post a close up picture of your light switch and also one of the car with the rear fog lights turned on?
Not sure how useful this is, but I took a photo of the left side rear light cluster with the fog lights turned on.



The lower left side of the cluster is lit up when the fog lights are turned on. Otherwise it would be just as dark as the lower right side in the photo. The light bulb is right there in the middle of the lower left section, but it's too dark in my garage to take a photo of it.

The light switch looks exactly like the CAD image you linked to, so I don't think a photo of it would help you.
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      05-22-2011, 02:13 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by juhap View Post
Not sure how useful this is, but I took a photo of the left side rear light cluster with the fog lights turned on.



The lower left side of the cluster is lit up when the fog lights are turned on. Otherwise it would be just as dark as the lower right side in the photo. The light bulb is right there in the middle of the lower left section, but it's too dark in my garage to take a photo of it.

The light switch looks exactly like the CAD image you linked to, so I don't think a photo of it would help you.
Thanks but your photo is not showing up on my screen. Are you saying that the rear fog is only displayed on the left side? If this is the case, then perhaps the US cars have not been equipped with the same setup as Euro cars. On the 3er cars in the US the fogs are on both sides and use the same bulbs as are used when braking heavily.
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      05-22-2011, 04:48 PM   #16
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Not the best of pictures, but it shows that both rear lights have fog lights incorporated into them.



No Fogs



Fogs



No Fog



Fog
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      05-23-2011, 12:13 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rmorin49 View Post
Thanks but your photo is not showing up on my screen. Are you saying that the rear fog is only displayed on the left side? If this is the case, then perhaps the US cars have not been equipped with the same setup as Euro cars. On the 3er cars in the US the fogs are on both sides and use the same bulbs as are used when braking heavily.
Sorry about the missing photo, the way the forum software handles attachments isn't exactly user-friendly. Stafainn's photos below are better than mine and as you can fogs are on both sides.
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      05-23-2011, 08:35 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by juhap View Post
Sorry about the missing photo, the way the forum software handles attachments isn't exactly user-friendly. Stafainn's photos below are better than mine and as you can fogs are on both sides.

Thanks very much. One more request, can one of you in Europe take a close up photo of your light switch? I want to see if it is the same size and shape as the US switch. If it is, I am pretty confident I can buy a Euro switch and it should work. I really appreciate your help. It's a shame that the US cars don't have a switch that can use these fog lights. I often experience heavy fog driving in the early morning and could use them to ensure I don't get rear ended.
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      05-23-2011, 09:55 PM   #19
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Very interested too. We don't even front fogs on the e89... Maybe because the car is already low?
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      05-23-2011, 11:21 PM   #20
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EU pictured - PN 61319184275 for EU Switch (left hand drive). 61319184277 US Switch. Both switch PN's w/rain sensors. From OEM parts diagram they appear to be the same with the exception of the "Rear Fog" switch in the upper right corner of switch module on EU units (blank for US). For the EU switch its $95 US dollars at www. schmiedmann.com (from from BMWCCA Roundel) don't know if they deliver to US. Sounds like a prettry good price for a BMW electrical part. Anyway it appears that either switch layout is compatible, as i would expect it to be - now for the wiring? It appears they use the outer brake light for the fog light. Is the US harness compatible? Seems as if you had some prior experience. Is it a simple plug and play?


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      05-24-2011, 05:30 AM   #21
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Switch



Warning Light on Dash
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      05-24-2011, 01:34 PM   #22
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The entire Switch panel is held in place by 3 clips, 1 in the upper left, 2 on the right side, pull the upper left one out first and then wiggle the right side out. The swtich is held to the trim plate by a few clips you can unclip with a small screwdriver. All the wires are on a single loom.

Picture 1 - shows the Rear Fog indicator on the Dash to the right of the seatbelt warning light. On my US spec 318ti the wires were in place, but the bulb was missing, not sure how the Z4 is configured but only wanted to dig so far.

Picture 2 - Normal rear lights [No Brakes]

Picture 3 - Rear Fogs turned on, which simply turns on the outside brake lights on both rear lights.

Picture 4 - shows the European Switch Panel on a Left Hand drive car, looks to be the same as the Right Hand Drive car.

Picture E - [the Money Shot] shows the back of the switch and the 3 retaining clips. There should be 7 wires coming out of the connector as follows:

Purple [Thin Wire]
Black [Thin Wire]
Yellow w/Black Stripe [Thin Wire]
Yellow
Green
Brown w/Black Stripe
Green w/Yellow Stripe, or maybe Yellow w/Green Stripe
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