Glowing foot wells
 

My '96 318is (which is awful close to a 318ti if you shift a letter and swap the two :wink:) was built a few months too early to get factory-equipped foot well lights and an entire model run too earlier to get ambient LEDs in the dome light. So, I decided to add both, with a few refinements. Here's a pictures with the interior all light up

http://www.unofficialbmw.com/john/e3...terior_lit.jpg

and with the interior well dimmed

http://www.unofficialbmw.com/john/e3...terior_dim.jpg

If you dim a stock interior light way down you get pretty close to BMW soft orange.

I post this in the hope of seeing what Andrew has done with his cup holders and arm rest.

Very nice and clean!

John, was this done with a retro-fit kit, or did you do this yourself? It's my next mod and I am wondering what is the best wire to tap into for this...

looks cool, I like it

Nevermind, I foraged throught the wiring diagram and found what I needed...

I'd like to look at more information on the ambient LEDs if you wouldn't mind.

Hi John :)

I havnt realy done that much more on the Ti since we posted last, as its was sold for almost a month now ... :?

I didnt mention it , as i wouldnt want anyone to think i was planning a move.. but yep the compact is gone for now

I did look into the footwell lighting actually and purchased a few items (OE) for a later customisation, but never really got it started.

The P/Ns i have if anyone is interested though.

Nice job on yours though John, glad to see you still retro-active ;)

:(

dont be man ;)

but you have a car with a trunk now, I don't even know who you are anymore! :sniff:

lol, I'm going to stop before I get this thread off topic :lol:

Aww Mallard...:(

The foot well ambient lighting uses the standard BMW, incandescent lamp fixtures and bulbs, dimmed down until they glow a shade of orange. It's almost a free refinement when developing a car, I'm surprised BMW didn't think of it. The middle console ambient lighting uses an E39 dome light assembly with Nichia, 3mm, 50 degree, white LEDs in place of the stock, soft orange LEDs. I understand the assembly will fit in a 'ti with a bit of trimming, but does need some electronics to get the middle on/off push button to control the interior lights. (I am helping someone do that.) I use one of my "Mini Automotive Controllers" to control the interior lights, and to dim the foot well lamps and dome light LEDs. Undimmed, white LEDs tend to be too bright.

I plan to write up the installation, but if you have any specific questions, just ask!

DUDE THANKS FOR YOUR POSTING.. I WOULD LIKE TO APPLY FOOTWELL LIGHTS TO MY 318TI, BUT I'DONT KNOW THE WIRING, COULD YOU HELP ME PLEASE ?

What would you like to do? Add foot well lights like you find in later E36s?

What model do you have and what month and year was it built? Was your car built for Europe or North America?

hi I've got europe 1995 318ti... there is a brown/black wire and red/brown wire those goes to the dome light, i need to plug one of those wires right? so:

1. it works if do I plug the wire that goes the aftermarket alarm? ( to avoid take the wire along to the dome light) ?

2. there is no way to do the step 1. so i need to take the cable to the dome light, but if do that i need plug it in just in the switch base or in any part of the cable?

i don't want to go to the globebox, (I'm kinda siccsor hand lol)
i hope you've undertood and thnks so much for reply

and yes i woud like to add footwell lights :)