Hi Everyone,
After reading an excellent and well documented post last night about how to do this mod on an E92 M3 (
http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=531296) I thought I would give it a go on my E84 X1, as there clearly is a set of fog lamps in the rear tailgate.
European X1's come with rear fog lamps, and a button to activate them located immediately below the front fog lamp button in the lighting cluster to the left of the steering wheel (on left-hand drive cars). They also come with a "Dynamic Brake Lights" feature which flashes the brake lights under heavy braking.
In North America, we don't have rear fog lights, but these same lamps are used in the "Brake Force Display" feature. These "inner brake lamps" are activated in addition to the regular brake lamps under heavy braking (North American X1 Owner's manual p.82).
So... can these "inner brake lamps" still be used as fog lamps?
Yes they can.
Note: This modification does not require you to purchase or manufacture any parts. Everything you require already comes with the car. The fog lamp button is present, and just needs to be enabled. And the fog lamp light is already present in your gauge cluster.
I'm not going to walk you though every detailed step, as this has already been done numerous times online. The procedure is the same as the one mentioned above, with a couple of exceptions, which I will address below.
1. You must first remove the vent housing located above the lighting button cluster. I accomplished this using my finger tips and a pair of small needle-nosed pliers to grab a hidden part of the assembly. A trim tool would have made this an easier task.
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The vent housing uses metal spring retainers on three sides (top, left, bottom) and pops out nicely under gentle pressure. Be very careful not to accidentally remove the visible outer trim piece from the vent housing, as this also serves to retain the 5 louvred vent blades. Reinstalling these blades and the tiny metal strip that connects them together could be very finicky and is guaranteed to be a huge hassle.
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2. Once the vent housing is removed, reach inside and downwards and locate the 4 plastic retaining clips (2 on the upper side and 2 on the lower side) that hold the lighting button assembly in place. Gently pressing these clips against the body of the assembly will cause it to release. Pull the button assembly inwards towards the front of the car, and then it can be passed through the open vent area.
Attachment 563181
3. The lighting button assembly is attached by the same electrical connector described in the other thread. Use the same procedure to disconnect it.
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4. Use the same procedure to open the lighting button assembly, release the fog lamp button and trim off the plastic tabs.
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5. Perform the same steps in reverse to reassemble everything.
6. Check your work:
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7. Enjoy!
This modification took me approximately 45 minutes, but would have been much shorter without having to reassemble the vent louvres, I mean, if I had made that mistake.
IMPORTANT: Check your local laws concerning the use of the rear fog lights. Please use this feature responsibly. Do not abuse it or blind other drivers with it.
DISCLAIMER: Use this DIY procedure at your own risk. I'm not responsible for any damage to your car.