# Disable Orange running lights??



## UK Beemer (Oct 3, 2006)

Is this possible without losing function of turn signals??

I am sure I saw a post about this ages ago but I can't find it now...?


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## Bimrpwr (May 29, 2005)

yeah one wire si for turn and the other is for lights. just cut the one for the light portion


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## stash182 (Jul 12, 2004)

If you want to leave it in tact, you can just pull the plug for that wire from the socket. no reason to snip it.


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## Ronnaferd (Jul 10, 2005)

I just snipped the wire. Mine was a yellow and purplish wire for the running lights


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## Cortomaltese (Jan 26, 2007)

UK Beemer,

I only know how it works for a E91. I have imported a US E91 into the Netherlands. The US version combines continously shining orange contour lights with the turning signals when the lights are turned on. Orange (contour) lights aimed forward are not allowed in the Netherlands (except for turning signals) and a reason to fail the official inspection. 

The contour light and the turning signal use the same single light bulb. There is only one cable that controls it, cutting a cable does not do the job, because then you also loose the turning signal function. You cannot disable the contour light from the idrive. It is an internal software setting that makes the contour lights shine continuously. I have asked about 6 BMW dealers in Germany and the Netherlands for help. I heard 5 different 'potential' solutions that might work, the most bizarre was to change all electrical control units in the car to European ones. BMW Germany refused any support to the dealers, stating that they do not support changing a US version to a European version. The reason is that they do not want to provide warranty when such changes are made to the car. Therefore the dealers did not want to help either. I think that is a real bad attitude from BMW, because the solution in my case was very simple and BMW in Munich knows exactly what to change (the irritating thing is that I have worked for BMW in Munich many years ago).

What worked for me is to change the orange bulb with a white bulb. Dutch law allows white contour lights and white turning signals. A Dutch BMW dealer that imports US cars themselves came up with this simple solution.


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## mkodama (Nov 8, 2006)

You have an E46 which doesn't have the 3 wires like an E36. There are two options, one is to do the corner delete mod which involves cutting wires. The other is to replace the LCM with a european LCM. Both have there downsides, but personally I prefer the corner delete mod as it is a fraction of the price and has less serious downsides.


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## chyros (Jun 2, 2009)

Hi, I know its some time since you posted the below post but i have the same problem but in the UK we cant run with white indicators. 
what were the other 5 options?

Does any one know how to fix this problem? My IVA is Tuesday and im running out of time and cant even work out what sortware i need to connect my laptop to my computer, it doesnt seem to be carsoft for a 2006 325.

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11


Cortomaltese said:


> UK Beemer,
> 
> I only know how it works for a E91. I have imported a US E91 into the Netherlands. The US version combines continously shining orange contour lights with the turning signals when the lights are turned on. Orange (contour) lights aimed forward are not allowed in the Netherlands (except for turning signals) and a reason to fail the official inspection.
> 
> ...


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