Lighted door handle cup
 

Does anyone know if there is a difference in door handle illumination.
One X5 has a small light, other X5 has a light bulb but nowhere to mount it.

I think i noticed a lamp on a cord with no place to go on my 01. I think its to light the pocket but i never figured it where


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On my 06 it plugs into a port on the door handle in the door card. It's clear plastic and part of it leads to a small hole in the interior door handle cup. Has a small LED on the end of the wire where it plugs in.

These small LEDs are very often broken off the door handle when folk remove the door card and are unaware of the VERY short lead on the LEDs.

There are also two trim levels for the door handle - one without the light...

https://assets.ecstuning.com/product...1743_x800.webp

https://assets.ecstuning.com/product...1746_x800.webp

and one with the light...

https://assets.ecstuning.com/product...6944_x800.webp

https://assets.ecstuning.com/product...6945_x800.webp

That plastic light conduit "pipe" is VERY fragile! :rolleyes:

I got the sense that the inner door wiring was the same independent of trim just like in the engine bay there are mystery wires to nothing.

I looked for where the light would go but i didn't have light pipe to the handle but it was in the correct location.

I never could get that tiny LED back into the cup thing. So it's illuminating the inside of the door I guess.

The clear plastic piece snapped off mine, so, same.

It's either broken off or simply needs to be "plugged in". ;)

Seems like there is only one part number for each of the door looms on all cars, so yeah, if you don't have illuminated door handles, this LED will simply shine inside the door cavity.

The LED on the end of the wiring loom has a small plastic latch assembly around it the plugs into the "light pipe" assembly on the back of the door handle cup.

https://assets.ecstuning.com/product...6944_x800.webp

You can see the LED in this door loom image, taped to the loom in the lower centre of the image: -

https://assets.ecstuning.com/product...7318_x800.webp

Here's a view of the LED pulled away from the loom: -

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/K6QAA...4/s-l1600.webp

It's very fiddley and can be a pest to unplug/plug back in when removing/re-installing a door card. :rolleyes:

VERY fiddly!