Better rear turn signals for the E70?
 

After having both a 2007 & 2008 E70, I was very surprised (and disappointed) to see that my 2011 X5 still uses a cheap (and very American car looking) red bulb for the rear turn signals. BMW has added LED rear signals to the 3 Series, 5 Series, 6 Series, 7 Series.....

Is there an LED bulb, or an brighter amber/orange bulb that will just plug & play (no fault codes) for the 2010/2011 E70? I kind of really hate the red bulb for our rear turn signals. They are not visible in bright light, and they remind me of an old Ford Ltd or something. Ick!!

Did the same thing for our E90
 

You can buy the rear taillight assembly that non-NA vehicles get. Since amber turn signals are required in the EU, they get an orange cover instead of a red one (all the bulbs are white). Installation on the E90 literally took 5 minutes, just detaching a wire connector then loosening the unit via 3 screws. Here are the part numbers for an E70:

63217200817 (left)
63217200818 (right)

Since there aren't many of the pre-LCI ones available on eBay.de, you could consider the OEM LCI taillight retrofit kit. Just buy one from Europe so you keep the orange turn signals. Some recoding is necessary but shouldn't be a hassle if BMW developed it.

63217227789 (left)
63217227790 (right)

You're not alone. Red blinkers annoy me but it's many automakers' way of cutting costs for North American models. Given how big the X5's taillights are though, it won't be cheap.

Rückleuchte, links BMW X5 (E70) xDrive30d von Bosch - 0 319 398 703

Yeah, I did the Blackline swap on my 2006 E90 (330i) too. There was NO recoding needed...you think there is coding to do, if I swap for the EU amber ones on the E70?

I still do not understand why USA cars would have red bulb turn signals. There are VERY good reasons why European cars have amber/orange rear turn signals!!!

The recoding is just for the new LED taillights from the LCI.

Does anyone have a rough idea of cost? Or how we go about ordering from Europe? I agree, the red is awful and very un-BMW!

Unfortunately because there aren't a lot of used OEM ones floating around, you'll probably have to buy them new from the website I linked above for €139 each. They're a Bosch part, probably made right down the road from the Spartanburg plant in Anderson, SC.

As for the LCI retrofit kit, no price is listed, so I'd have to ask contacts in Germany for the cost from their dealers.

eBay Auction

http://www.bilder-hochladen.net/files/70d4-1b-jpg.html

You can get the Euro LCI tail lights on Ebay. There is someone selling them for $599 (item #150525360021) but that is just for the outer ones. You would have to buy the inner lights as well. I belive they go for $150 each. You would also have to heve them re coded. I belive that would take about an hour at the dealer so you would have to factor in the cost of that as well.

I know the rear turn lenses/assemblies are very red, but if we replaced the clear bulbs with orange bulbs (Bavarian Motorsports sells them for like $1)...would this slightly alter the turn signal colour, or do you think the red lenses are just too red to show any colour difference using an orange rear signal bulb?? I just cannot get past the all red blinkers...so unsafe and 70's American car!

Changing the bulbs to amber isn't going to do anything for you, you'd probably think it was worse afterward, at least I know I would.

I agree with you though, the X5 is supposed to be the 'flagship' SAV from BMW, but no LED corona's, no LED front turn signals, no LED rear turn signals... :dunno:

Kinda makes you wonder what they are thinking there, or are they...

I personally would like some LED front and rear signals, along with LED corona's, but I guess for $75K+ you get what you pay for :rolleyes:.

:iagree:Don't forget about the wonderful paint -- Orange peel with every color!

Sucks, huh? They gave the 3 Series (which is an older model than the E70) Corona LED rings, LED front signals and LED rear signals. As much as I hate to admit it, as a new E70 owner, but I think it is because the E70 is made in S. Carolina!! ;(

And yes, both my 2007, 2008 and now 2011 has ORANGE PEEL paint. It is shiny and looks great in general, but from many angles...there is orange peel everywhere. My 2010 750i and 2010 M6...not the slightest bit of orange peel. But, again...they are both German produced!!

European models have the LED rings. In the US, we don't pay enough and get a lot of standard features, so they take a few other things away from us to cut costs.

I did a quick, and somewhat better "fix". Sylvania has these "ultra" performance Silverstar bulbs. I bought a set of the 21w (matches factory watt) bulbs, and installed them this morning. The blinkers seem much brighter, and with the colour of the bulb thru the red, rear signal lenses...there is a super, slight amber tint. It could just be my imagination about the amber, but they are for sure brighter than the factory clear 21w bulbs. According to Sylvania their Silverstar bulbs are about 30% brighter and the about 10% wider and farther color throw. They were about $12, so really cheap. I like them!!

Btw, If you want to do this too, make sure the Silverstar bulbs are 21w (several of the Silverstars looks the same, but are different watts! Also, the little pins (contact/click points) on the bulb, are the ones where the pins are lined up (at 12 and 6 o'clock). The bulbs with the offset pins, will not fit the E70! :thumbup: