W0n6_3d4n

It's defintiely an LED, i always notice that in every C class on Australia.

Jim Banville

I actually had my daughter sit in the car and tap the brake pedal quickly earlier today. It was hard for me to tell if the 3rd light lit up more quickly. It seemed to go out quicker.

W0n6_3d4n

Watch it in a distance and repeaatedly, let your eyes adjust. You can also do it yourself, if u have a white garage or sth reflective. Doesn't new BMW has that blinking LED brake??

Jim Banville

A pic of the underside of my trunk w/ carpet removed. You can see the two satellite antenna leads in the center with the syrofoam cushions on the ends to keep them from rattling around. I THINK to remove the third brakelight, you remove 4 torx screws accessible through 4 holes behind the light bar. You can see 3 of the 4 torx screws in this pic. The 4th is hidden behind the wire loom.

DACHIGGA

I don't know about the sedan, but I was sure when I bought the car, 02 coupe, that it mentioned that the thried LED brake light was a safety feature and that it responded faster then bulbs....

And now, I have proof, I just took it apart, intending to change them to LEds and low and behold, they already were LEDs.

DACHIGGA

Here's a couple pics, I didn't have my Digicam so I stuck them under the scanner.

BTW you can even see the the die inside the LEDs.

vadim

LED they are, indeed!! Now I have to take mine apart, 'cause all this time I had been living thinking that they are incandescent bulbs!!!

DACHIGGA

HAHAHAH, I thought I would have saved you the trouble...... hahahha

vadim

I need to see it with my own eyes!!! Then again - who knows, maybe yours is different? Nothing uncommon in switching components in the middle of production cycle.

mbbodytech

Jim,

You are correct, the four torx screws have to be taken out, and then those metal clips will fall all over the place (don't lose any of them) and the light comes out. Before installation, but the clips back, with the ends of the tabs inside the light, and install the screws, and then the light assembly will snap right in.

I hope that makes sense! It's funny how you can see things in your mind, but it's really hard to translate that to words!

Saprissa

that's always my fear, when I post instructions on a new mod or install.
The procedure seems easy when you do it, but writing it down IS tough.

I think the best way to do it is by doing a step-by-step method inserting a picture/photo/diagram at each step.

I guess that's the methodical / perfectionist / analytical side of me.

Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com

Jim Banville

Thanks. I sort of figured it worked that way. I look at it like this: imagine the light is already out and you want to install it. You must screw 4 "V" shaped metal spring clips to the back of the light housing, sort of like how spring loaded wall anchors work. As you press the light housing into the hole in the trunk from the outside, the metal clips compress. Just as the light is completely in place, the clips clear the mouth of the hole and they pop back to their natural shape and press against the back of the sheetmetal, holding the light in place. To remove the light, unscrew the clips - they will fall loose and the light will come out.

K9ff

Have we come to a conclusion if the sedans are LED? Are the pre-05 sedans incandescant and the newer models LED? And if sedans are incandescant, can we swap with the coupe's LED's?

My car is an 02 sedan and the 3rd light looks like 1 incandescant from the outside. It also does not appear to light up any faster than the other incandescent brake lights. thanks

DACHIGGA

Coupes have LED 3rd brake light, whereas sedan's don't.

K9ff

anyone know if the coupes LED light can be swapped on a sedan? any part numbers available? thanks again!

DACHIGGA

THey don't appear to be the same shape.