Page 17
Quad Brake Lights
BMW 7 Series Tail lights are designed with sections for rear fog lights, which are used in Europe and other countries. For those that are not familiar with them, they are a extra bright bulb that is used as a bright tail light in conditions where fog limits visibility. On E-38s, they actually use the same bulbs as the brake lights and are a perfect match for the brake lights in every way. US cars are not wired for rear fog lights, however it is very easy to convert them to an extra set of brake lights. The idea is to run a jumper wire between the positive terminal of the brake light to the positive terminal on the unused fog light.
Here is a picture of the tail light assembly still installed in the car. An orange wire is wedged between the top terminal of the two bottom bulbs, which is the easiest way to do the modification. It is one of the simplest and least expensive modifications that you can make and it does not have to be permanent.
The is the same lens removed from the vehicle. I have reinserted the wire to give a better visual on how it is hooked up.
Here is a close up of the wire wedged into the upper connector of he bulb. The other bulb next to it is wired the same way. The bottom connector on the bulbs is the ground and they are already connected together..
Here is a close up of the bulb and the bulb holder. You can see how the wire is wedged underneath the connector. Once the bulb and connector are plugged in and secured, the wire is pinched tightly and should be secure. Be careful to conform that it is actually attached tightly. If it were to come loose and make contact with the car body or other metal areas on the bulb, it could short out and blow a fuse.
Here is a more permanent installation. The wire is actually soldered in place between the two runners that connect to the top portion of the bulb. This eliminates any chance of a loose wire shorting out. The wire is not visible once the assembly in installed into the car. If you change your mind, it is very easy to either cut off or unsolder the wire.
Here is a close up of the connector and how it is arranged. The bottom portion only has one pin because both bottom sections are grounded and connected together. Although there is a pin for the connector that would normally be used for the rear fog light, there is no metal connector to receive the pin on the wiring harness in the car on the US version of the E-38
Please browse to the following pages:
1 Introduction
2 In the Beginning
3 From the Front
4 From the Side
5 From the Rear
6 The Interior
7 The Audio Video System
8 Both of My 750iLs
9 May Puget Sound Meet
10 June Puget Sound Meet
11 July Puget Sound Meet
12 Engine and Drivetrain
13 BMW Club Concours d'Elegance
14 BMW Advanced Driver Training
15 BassLink Install
16 Oil Change and Oil Pump Bolt Check
17 Quad Rear Brake Lights
18 Phone Install
19 Jets
20 Strong Strut
21 Eisenmann Exhaust
22 Sway Bar Upgrade
