2004 E53 X5 4.4i Rear Fog light Install...COMPLETE!

[X5 Meister]

Remind us again why you don't want to use the TCM ? b/c you could just buy it separately from the same guy and he'll probably make you a good deal:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-BMW...item257b03d7b5

Of all the stuff that comes with the TCM kit, that part is all that you would need.

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

just bid on ebay.de today and submitted my best offer for a euro switch, will let you guys know if he accepts, listed for 46 euro shipping included worldwide from Lithuania, I offered 38 Euro. Then me and Slick can put our heads (and switches together) and use Terminator's wiring knowledge to hopefully get these working without a Trailer Control Module.

Although the pricing from Bloomfield is great for new, if you can find someone shipping worldwide on ebay.de you can score a used Euroswitch for cheap (most of them are dirty in pics you really just need to clean the plastic up but I haven't seen any damaged)

if going on German ebay make sure to search for "e53 lichtschalter" and a few will pop up.




SIDE NOTE: This whole not being able to find threads via google search and via the forum search is a big pain in the ass, I had to scan through 10 pages of threads before I found the rear fog thread on page 14 or 15 LOL

[SlickGT1]

Originally Posted by X5 Meister

Remind us again why you don't want to use the TCM ? b/c you could just buy it separately from the same guy and he'll probably make you a good deal:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-BMW...item257b03d7b5

Holy crap, good find.

[X5 Meister]

Wait a sec, maybe not. It's the 1st generation of this module, so maybe it won't work. This was doesn't seem to have been listed for the E53. The 2nd and 3rd (last) generation ones are listed for the E53.

If you want the latest one, apparently new and not used, why not ask this guy who normally sells Benz stuff if he'll do a lower buy it now...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-E39-Wago...item1e75e98543

[Ricky Bobby]

Originally Posted by X5 Meister

Remind us again why you don't want to use the TCM ? b/c you could just buy it separately from the same guy and he'll probably make you a good deal:

Trying to save the $160 if I can, because its a great mod to do if you already have the OE hitch kit installed (which a lot of members do) but there are also a lot of members like myself who don't have an OE hitch kit,

And if possible I'd like to make an alternate DIY for members who want to run their rear fogs, have them operate functional with the switch like they were installed from the factory, and who might not want to spring the extra 160 for the TCM kit to install this.


Obviously this will take some trial and error with Terminator and his wiring diagrams but if it can be done it's something I'd definitely like to be able to share with the community. Loved having rear fogs on my old VW MK4 and my moms Q7, its such a "euro mod" (which I only use when appropriate btw!).



**Terminator I want to also note I am not adverse to running the 18 gauge wire from the LCM to the rear if I have to (if this X609 connector thing doesn't work out), as long as I can bypass the TCM and save fellow members some money here!**


EDIT: I think I have the X609 Terminator, and yes it looks like its just under the cover for the battery, this is a pic I found from Bavauto (X609 is the red arrow pointing to it):

Whenever you get a chance if you could find out which type of male or female pins/contacts I could use then I would just plug one into each pin you suggested for left/right and run each light wire separate direct to the housing in the tailgate.

[X5 Meister]

Totally understand what you are saying. Keep in mind though a cheap used module shouldn't run you too much if you can find one. And who knows, maybe the 1st generation module will work after all, which you could probably pick up for $30 or so. Of course this won't do anything for the 2nd reason you are doing it, which in and of itself is great.

[TerminatorX5]

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

Trying to save the $160 if I can, because its a great mod to do if you already have the OE hitch kit installed (which a lot of members do) but there are also a lot of members like myself who don't have an OE hitch kit,

And if possible I'd like to make an alternate DIY for members who want to run their rear fogs, have them operate functional with the switch like they were installed from the factory, and who might not want to spring the extra 160 for the TCM kit to install this.


Obviously this will take some trial and error with Terminator and his wiring diagrams but if it can be done it's something I'd definitely like to be able to share with the community. Loved having rear fogs on my old VW MK4 and my moms Q7, its such a "euro mod" (which I only use when appropriate btw!).



**Terminator I want to also note I am not adverse to running the 18 gauge wire from the LCM to the rear if I have to (if this X609 connector thing doesn't work out), as long as I can bypass the TCM and save fellow members some money here!**


EDIT: I think I have the X609 Terminator, and yes it looks like its just under the cover for the battery, this is a pic I found from Bavauto (X609 is the red arrow pointing to it):

Whenever you get a chance if you could find out which type of male or female pins/contacts I could use then I would just plug one into each pin you suggested for left/right and run each light wire separate direct to the housing in the tailgate.

that plug is indeed the X609.

Pin 10 is right rear fog light feed coming from the LCM

Pin 12 is left rear fog light feed coming from the LCM

Once you get your euro switch S8 from your supplier and wire it up, you can try to turn on the rear fog light and test the pins in X609 to see if there is voltage for the rear fog lights.

as an alternative, you may try to ground the pin 45 of the LCM and see if pins 10 and 12 in the X609 have the 12 VDC.

I am checking into the pins and plug for the X609, once i find which ones, i will post the info...

[Ricky Bobby]

sounds great T, I definitely have an idea now of what I need to do especially seeing the pictures!

So i should check the pins at X609 for voltage, and if I'm not showing any, as a secondary method I should try to ground pin 45? How would I go about doing that?

And if I am showing voltage at pin 10 and 12, can I just run each wire to the respective side's harness and be good to go? Or will I need to ground the bulb?

I was thinking about just getting a bare plug for the X609 and plugging the 2 pin contacts into it, so I could plug a bare harness into X609 (with 2 pins) and I could remove if necessary.

EDIT: Am I correct in saying that if the X609 wiring has a grounding pin, that I could theoretically plug a 3rd pin into X609 and just attach that to chassis ground, thusly grounding the connector and grounding pins 10 and 12 that I am plugging in for fogs?

[TerminatorX5]

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

sounds great T, I definitely have an idea now of what I need to do especially seeing the pictures!

So i should check the pins at X609 for voltage, and if I'm not showing any, as a secondary method I should try to ground pin 45? How would I go about doing that?

And if I am showing voltage at pin 10 and 12, can I just run each wire to the respective side's harness and be good to go? Or will I need to ground the bulb?

I was thinking about just getting a bare plug for the X609 and plugging the 2 pin contacts into it, so I could plug a bare harness into X609 (with 2 pins) and I could remove if necessary.

EDIT: Am I correct in saying that if the X609 wiring has a grounding pin, that I could theoretically plug a 3rd pin into X609 and just attach that to chassis ground, thusly grounding the connector and grounding pins 10 and 12 that I am plugging in for fogs?

as i am looking further into the diagrams, you do not need to worry about the ground for the rear fog lights at all: the connectors X328 and X329, the ones at the actual bulbs in the bottom tailgate are 3-pin connectors each - one pin is ground, the other pin is reverse light, and the third pin is the rear fog... therefore, the ground is already prewired...

i am also checking connector X393, which is a part of the trailer harness system...

also, it seems if you can find the plug for the trailer connector X609, you will need two pins, 61131376191... not sure about this part number yet, still narrowing down the info...

[Ricky Bobby]

Originally Posted by TerminatorX5

as i am looking further into the diagrams, you do not need to worry about the ground for the rear fog lights at all: the connectors X328 and X329, the ones at the actual bulbs in the bottom tailgate are 3-pin connectors each - one pin is ground, the other pin is reverse light, and the third pin is the rear fog... therefore, the ground is already prewired...

i am also checking connector X393, which is a part of the trailer harness system...

also, it seems if you can find the plug for the trailer connector X609, you will need two pins, 61131376191... not sure about this part number yet, still narrowing down the info...

Well you are just the man and I think we are making some real progress here, if I don't have to worry about ground then wiring from S8 to pin 45 on LCM should give me voltage at both pins.

If that is so, all I need is the type of male (i think) pins the X609 takes, I'll get two of them, solder an 18 gauge wire on each, plug into pin 10 and 12 and run each to the X328 and X329 and pop a bulb in on each side.

[TerminatorX5]

I am still working on the parts and wiring... from what i have found out so far, the original write up where pin 3 off the trailer module was used, is designated for non-US distribution for a TRAILER single rear fog light, not for the actual dual rear fog lights... thus, in the original write up the single wire from pin 3 was crimped into two wires, one for each rear fog light.

if our wiring works out as we hope, the LCM will be individually powering each rear fog light and accordingly, will monitor them as well, both cold and hot monitoring, assuming that we will activate those functions in the programming.

so far i can't find connection to the connector X393, i even pulled my cargo floor to take a look...

still working on it...