Angel eyes as running lights?
 

Hello all,

Im new here to this forum, i've been on here before but decided to finally sign up! Anyways, im from Canada and required to have the daytime running lamps. I like the look of just the angel eyes on for running lights nothing else. Has anyone done this?

Thanks!

dude, It's possible and a few have done this, but its not a direct "switch" to flick. a bit of inginuity is needed. Just get the DRL's turned off and then just turn the park lights on every time you drive it. cheap easy fix.
Also, do a search for angel eye DRL's and you'll find LOTS of results.

Yeah I was thinking of deleting the DRL and just turn the parking lamps on, but I dont want the turning signal lights to be on at the same time

delete the yellow turn/parking lights at the same time you turn off the DRLs. all is done in the programming

Term X5, thats how I have my set up. Park Lamp's delete and if I want DRL's I turn on my Angel Eyes and its good to go.
I just ordered the 25W CREE LED's so I'll see how that goes for brighter DRL angel eyes.

Where did you get your DRLs delete and Park Lamp delete programming done?

i did mine with the NCSExpert, myself... along with some other ones - clock sync with GPS, windows up on remote...

ukrcan, I got mine done at ECUProgram. all over kijiji. Miguel (deaf, but he responds by e-mail) or the other gent (asian, and can't remember his name) are capable of doing it. They did a bit of trial and error on my X5 to figure out the coding, but they should be quicker now at it. I should have gotten the Cold Monitoring changed too so it doesnt't check for fog lamps or LED's on start up.

I'd be more concerned with not having a side marker at night than no DRL during the day....Heads up, when you code the side markers on park lights.....they also remain off when your headlights are on.

If you insist on using the AE's as the DRL, I would recommend going the hardwire route to keep your corners operating normally. (and avoid a potential ticket for not having a front side marker)

Either way, just be aware that your AE's will wash out in the day... and aren't nearly bright enough to be classified as a DRL anywhere in Canada (If I recall, they have to be 700-1200 lumen, with specific dispersion to be DRL's). It's all been discussed a million times over though...

Here's a link to the hardwire diagram: http://www.xoutpost.com/900682-post21.html

there might be a solution after all...

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...uess-what.html

X5SND, I've got no side marker lights at night, but now the car looks just like the new Bimmers where they just have lowbeam and angel eyes on the front, so its odd to see, but its what BMW is doing to their new model from factory.
I've thought about the sidemarkers at night and wondered if it a problem, but look at it like this, when you are driving at night and you see oncoming traffic, you rarely ever see their signal lights anyhow cause you're blinded by the lowbeam. And since I drive with lights ON at night, the lowbeams will tell a vehicle that I'm "there", of course. Its just a sleeker look, in my opinion.

Or have the best of both worlds. Turn off the DRLs then wire the AEs to be on when ignition is powered.

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...eyes-drls.html

that would be cool, but i don't think i have the guts to start messing around with the wiring...want to make a road trip to canada and help me? :rofl:

just kidding

oh a serious note, you've a lot of documentation on your DIY, i might actually do it! Thanks for the link!

Definitely Looks like the most promising bulb swap solution so far! Maybe it's just me, but that pic on the driveway looks more like overcast than true "day light" (aka a sunny day)....its rather dark, and the number of clouds reflected on the front window look to confirm this. I'm optimistic, just not sold on these. :)

First bold section: Even the new BM's have amber front corner ID (aka side marker) lights somewhere in the headlamp housing. They may have crystal (white) corners in the housing, but when the lights are on, there will be a light marking the corner which will be amber. Take a read through the FMVSS 108/ CMVSS 108 (.1) and you see why.;)

Second bold section: The side markers aren't so much for seeing oncoming traffic at a distance (that's what headlights are for) as they are to clearly identify the corner of a vehicle in close proximity.

I think there are some laws around having amber side markers...

Neither am i... sounds like there might be some overheating issues with the ballasts...i am going to wait and see how it pans out...it's still better then any other light bulb solution out there...I think your retrofit is the best one when it comes to results, though...:thumbup:

Its actually pretty simple but I probably made it look harder than it is. :D

Basically there's a positive & negative on each side. You keep the negative stock wiring. Just add wiring from the positive of the angel eyes to a power source - in my case to the ECU box under the hood.

That's pretty much it! :rofl:

these are in the US... i had OE euro headlight assemblies on my E39, and there was not a provision for a sidemarker light shining to the side - if you look at the US facelifted E39s, you will see yellow LED shining to the side of the road from the headlight... on euro version, there was not even a place to install yellow, blue or green anything...

i did not mess with the headlights of E53, as that car had to be back to the US and the Customs and border would not let the car back in with clear corners and no yellow in the front quaters of the car...


once i get the XP machine fixed (waiting on new hard drive, and a set of XP Pro disks, as my back up turned to be Vista), i will try to see if the side turn signal markers can be programmed to be lit at all the times, thus, satisfying the law man!!!

Ha, when you put it like that - makes it sound a lot more simpler... similar in some respect to the e46 retrofit that i did before...if that's what it is - its not that bad then... i'll have to see if i can find lights bright enough that i can ran as DRLs...Are you running AEs as DRLs? if yes, what kind?

I have the discontinued AngeliBrights and they are not that bright. With those 25w I will reserve my opinion until others chime in.

From my experience, any AE replacement bulbs always look super bright in pics but not in real life. Look at my avatar. Does that look super bright to you?

Guess what, in real life they are NOT even close to being that bright. :rofl:

Yeah we have the same laws up here in Canada as well... i actually don't mind the amber when i am running parking lights... but i think i also turn on the tail lights when i flip the switch as well, correct?

hmmm, I've seen a lot of Bimmers driving at night with no corner lamps lit up with their lowbeams at night, so I assumed it was the new style of BMW to just have headlights and AE's illuminated. Must have been wrong.

I am not getting my hopes up with those 25w ones, either...
I agree with you that simple light bulb swap is not going to cut it with the current offerings... that's why i am getting a set of 2500K bulbs to ran as DRLs until i see someone with a proven retrofit of AEs in our cars

I think what is most intimidating and nerve-wracking to me is opening up and messing with that spaghetti box of an ECU. Which also happens to be fairly important to everything else on the car.

I actually wired up the angel eyes on my E90 using the Daeos harness. Did exactly what your DIY shows, but came in a convenient, pre-made harness. If I get ambitious and brave enough, I'll have to make a trip to Radio Shack once spring finally arrives.

Was intimidating when I didn't know which one to tap into. Once I found out no biggie. BTW. I didn't splice into anything in that ECU box. I actually just shoved my connector/wire end into the existing connector. So, no cut wires or anything in there - just wedged in by friction. :D :rofl:

Where E-X-A-C-T-L-Y did you tap into? Can you please show us a picture? I got the umnitza harness and been putting this off for more than a year.

See this link and see the pic at Step II. This is for the 4.8. Its probably a little different for the 4.4 & 3.0.

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...eyes-drls.html

Regardless, it will be a red & white striped wire that will supply power only when the key is in the ignition. How do you find the right one? Do what I did.

Since I did not have a probe I made a homemade one (Thanks to Mrbmwx5 :D). You take small light bulb and connect a wire at the negative and a wire to the positive of the bulb. It doesn't need to be soldered because I just taped mine. :rofl:

You connect the negative wire as the ground on the X. You use the end of the positive wire as a probe. Stick it in the connector/clip where there is a red/white wire. Turn the key in the ignition. If the bulb lights then you know its only hot when ignition is on. Tap this wire for the angel eyes.

If the bulb comes on without turning the key then, obviously, you got the wrong red & white wire.

Simple. Taa daa! :thumbup:

I wonder if the Daeos Vista DRL relay harness works as well on the E53 as it does on the E90? Heres a link to the unit Daeos Vista BMW DRL Relay Harness - DistantXtremes
I wouldnt think there would be much difference in the same E models lighting and circuitry of around the same year model....
If any other opinions on this please chime in.
If so I think it would be worth 40 bucks to have a nice displayable harness rather than a ghetto rigged speaker wire running around your engine compartment jammed into your ECU lol! No offense just sayin!

Also I asked the seller if this was compatable and they stated "Thanks for the question.
We have had customers say that it does.
But we have not tested it on the X5."

It would be nice to have a concrete answer before pulling the trigger.

they are using T-taps... for $40!!! i can use T-taps... for $0.50...

the beauty of a harness, that everything should be prewired - you pull the original plug, you plug-in aftermarket harness that is already TAPPED, and take it from there... this way there is NO modification to the original car wiring...

all you need to do, is to find HOT-ON-IGNITION wire anywhere in the car, run it to a relay, and supply power to the Angel Eyes through that relay that is controlled by the hot-on-ignition line...

my $0.02

I carried out this mod to my rings a few weeks back and doing it the way I've done it you can also very easily add the feature of the rings coming on when unlocking the car, my rings are an after market ring I've fitted which are weird to the side lights so should be the same procedure to the stock rings here's a link to were I've written it up:

Few electrical mods DRL's and auto lights on/off with central locking

in that post i had just fitted ccfl rings but I've just swapped them out for smd rings which look great as drl's

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/m...ps0b101da4.jpg

there is a much easier way,
i did this:
ToysInYourCar.com - Intravee II - iPod Audio Integration for BMW vehicles
the intravee sends commands to various computers in the car, ae as drl is an option in the setup menu
then i got these bulbs:
WeissLicht LED Halo Upgrade Kit For E53 - BMW X5 SAV - 2000-2006 From bimmian.com
they work great

that sounds interesting... how does ipod integration unit has an ability to turn AEs into DRLs while none of the other computer software units (GT1, NCS, Autologic, etc) are able to accomplish this
That sounds too good to be true...
What model/year did you install this on?

the unit sends data messages on the communication buss. in the setup and does more than just drl, it has the ability to do much, much more.i also get a screen with distance to each sensor when my pdc is active.
look here:
Intravee - BMW 5 Series Owners Board

i have a 06 4.8is

I can't believe that I am going to have to go buy that box to run my AE's as DRLs because, I can't figure out how to code it with NCS Expert. Ugh. I would love for someone to figure out how the Intravee does it.

you haven't found a wire to tap into that is 12v with ignition on?

i use it for much more,
just letting you know it does what you are asking for.
get it or dont, this was just an fyi.
if you check out:
Intravee - BMW 5 Series Owners Board
you will see what it does.

I could go that route but, I just to want to cut any wiring or splice anything. As easy a job as it is, I just can't cut in to my X.

As for Intravee. I'm checking them out.

you don't have to cut any wires. Go to napa and buy a posi-tap connector, it taps into wiring cleanly, unlike using T-taps.

Posi-Tap- No Crimp Tap

The only connectors I'll ever use for tapping, and joining wires together from now on. Wonderful connectors (buy them from Web Bike World)

I've used them before. They are wonderful! This intravee box looks really promising though.

right?
i wanted it for the audio features, but the other parts were a great bonus. i have an alpine sound processor and ipod dock integrated into my x5 with it

I'm looking in to DSP adapters. I'm definitely liking what I am seeing.

Intravee
 

I already have Ipod/phone in my X5..
Not super interested in buying this box plus the alpine for that reason..
Spendy box this Intravee.. And all the links ive followed for forums or support turn up not present.... Where does Intravee plug in? If im already running MediaBridge can this install as well for the coding functions none of us can figure out? AKA angel eye drls?

Intravee - BMW 5 Series Owners Board
active site
also, i am not saying this is perfect for everyone, it solves many needs.
you have to remove the factory cd changer, and the intravee plugs into those wires. it then converts alpine ai-net to the bmw control system, allowing any alpine sources to be used on the bmw system. as a SIDE effect, its internal memory stores bmw buss commands, and can send them when asked. this is how the intravee can control DRL's and the many other systems it can control. the options list is a full on manual.

Exactly. It is pricey though. I like what it offers but, I have a few concerns. Will it conflict with the head unit I plan to install, and blah, blah, blah? It would be nice to be able to get a dump of what it sends to the vehicle. Then perhaps we can find the elusive code for AE DRLs.

I still dont totally understand why you need the Alpine device also, esp if you arent planning on any more Alpine device adding either... Intravee is a Ipod adapter that can do bus functions but needs the Alpine to connect?

angel eyes on with DRLS, not Park Lights
 

What I want to accomplish is have the angel eyes come on With the DRLs, and not turn on with the Park Lights. :confused:

Anybody have the answer to this one?

Splice in to the original wiring to the angel eyes.

Install an "ignition on" power feed to the angel eye wiring. Put in a blocking diode so no power can travel back up the original wiring.

Done.

Whenever the ignition is on, the angel eyes will be on. No power will travel back up the original wiring, so the vehicle won't "know" they are on.

Turning them on via normal switching won't affect a thing.

Diodes? Ratings, stamps, etc...
 

Where would one acquire such a diode and what ratings or stamps should one look for Anthony?

If your angel eyes are wired into the parking lights, I would just disconnect the current wiring and spice it into the fog light wires.

If I turn on my fog lights all my lights come on, on my 06