Extra Tail Light Mod
 

I saw a post on bimmerforums that showed someone connecting the unused sockets in the rear tail lights and decided I would get a little more detailed with it...

Items Needed
Drill w/a 3/32" and a regular phillips head bit
4 small sheet metal screws
4 3/16" washers (can be either split or flat)
wire
circle terminal ends
wire crimpers/strippers

Time from start to finish: about 20-30 minutes.


1. Take off the tail light circuit by turning the knob attached to it and unplug it from the harness on the bottom.

2. Using the drill (of course) the appropriate holes in the metal (shown by orange circles).
http://www.318ti.org/gallery/data/86...m/101_0003.JPG

3. Cut the wire into 2, 4"-5" pieces and strip off the ends of it. Connect the wire terminals to the end.
http://www.318ti.org/gallery/data/86...m/101_0002.JPG

4. Using the screws and washers, connect the wire to the holes you made earlier. (shown by orange circles)
http://www.318ti.org/gallery/data/86.../101_00051.JPG

5. Replace bulbs and reinstall the circuits.

6. Pop open a brew, push on the brakes, and admire your handywork.

Here is the tail light with just one intalled.
http://www.318ti.org/gallery/data/86.../101_00061.JPG
http://www.318ti.org/gallery/data/86.../101_00071.JPG

Here is both of the lights installed.
http://www.318ti.org/gallery/data/86.../101_00081.JPG

My helper
http://www.318ti.org/gallery/data/86...m/101_0004.JPG


I looked at them tonight when it was dark and I could tell a HUGE difference with brake lights. I would say it was well worth the time it took.

we'll see if people can find yours any easier than the one in the notebook:

http://www.318ti.org/notebook/brakelights/index.html

actually that's where I got this from...someone copied it and posted it in the 3-series section on Bimmer Forums.

i did this yesterday as well took a total of 20 minutes.

instead of drilling and using screws i simply used a files and filed down the spots where i would put the wires and soldered them on. it worked great!

Did they even give credit where it came from?

hopefully. i would say yeah they did if it were a member from here.

but possibly not!

actually the guy didn't. and I guess I should give credit to Bob Collins since he is the one who wrote it...I just added pics to help.

Cool mod but my question is are the extra bulbs already in there or do I have to buy them ?
TIA

have to buý them,

they are extremely cheap i think i paid 2.16 for mine at walmart

For some reason I already had the two extra bulbs sitting inside my tail lights.

some mechanic may have filled up the holes on the last servce ;)

They have actually been in there since I got my car 2.5 years ago. I noticed them sitting in there when I changed my tail lights but I didn't think twice about them until I saw this DIY. Now they are finally doing something usefull!

maybe a past owner swapped out a brake light and was like oh it needs two bulbs per side and just threw some in there due to lack of knowledge