[jgoens]

I was wondering how to access the front dome/map lights so I can put my new led lights in. I pulled off the clear cover but I am afraid to take off the silver housing where the lights are as when I pry on it, it feels like I am going to snap it. Or do I need to take off the part with the sunroof button. The rear dome came down as an assembly and was easy. Anyone done this?

[Nitrousbird]

Whole unit has to come off. You have to reach up with your hand from the windshield side to unclip it. Do not follow the incorrect instructions that you can unclip from the sunroof side.

[7786]

I also need to install my LED interior lights and will be tackling it this week. Apparently there are 3 ways to go about this.

1.) Drop the headliner from where it meets the front of the sunroof:
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showpo...67&postcount=3

2.) Drop the headliner from where it meets the windshield:
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showpo...61&postcount=5

3.) Or according the BMW you can pop it out without removing the headliner:
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showpo...&postcount=113
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showpo...&postcount=147

[Wilt]

E92 had some LEDs (2years ago) that fit into the map light sockets, and you do NOT need to move anything other than the translucent lens, and the dark plastic cylindrical surrounds that fit around each bulb. That is what I used in my 2011 E90 sedan, and I have no complaints...except for the fact that the LED circuit boards were not beveled at the very edge, so slipping them into the socket for the standard halogen bulb can be more difficult...I finally bevelled them myself and they inserted easily!

This video shows how, and the product installed is from Precision LED.

[jgoens]

Watched the video wilt..the LEDs I have do not fit in as per the video. As the rear dome light you have to take out the whole assembly as nitrousbird says..I'm just not sure on the front If you have to take the silver part and the black part together..
I don't want to snap things apart. The black part that houses the sunroof button I was able to partially undo. However it is the silver part where the lights are housed. I will try tomorrow again. Pretty flimsy plastic that is easy to break.
.guess if I break the thing I will buy another. Just wondering if anyone with the same model had done this before. If the front is the same as the back then I would have to take the black part and silver together.

[Nitrousbird]

You remove the entire assembly. You don't need to take the plastic cover off at all. Just reach your hand up there and unclip it - no need to remove the headliner or any of that other BS.

[kenagnita]

You have to reach up with your hand from the windshield side to unclip it.

[Dark_Knight_335]

What year? Coupe or sedan? It's a bit different from pre-LCI to LCI, and even convertible.

[jgoens]

Mine is LCI sedan. There are not any visible clips..I can yank the thing. I will check it out again in a few hours.

[leonian0109]

OP, what car do you have ? My E90 was simple as hell. When I changed my interior lights, the front domes were way easier then I thought. I took off the plastic cover, then the black oval shaped thing that goes around the lights. Now the lights can be pulled off and new ones put in. My trouble was taking them out, my hands were too big. What I did, I wrapped a small piece of sand paper around each light and used needle nose pliers and took them out no problem. Message me if you have questions

[jgoens]

Originally Posted by leonian0109

OP, what car do you have ? My E90 was simple as hell. When I changed my interior lights, the front domes were way easier then I thought. I took off the plastic cover, then the black oval shaped thing that goes around the lights. Now the lights can be pulled off and new ones put in. My trouble was taking them out, my hands were too big. What I did, I wrapped a small piece of sand paper around each light and used needle nose pliers and took them out no problem. Message me if you have questions

Dude!! Your trick worked. This should be a sticky. I tried all the advice here--no clips on windshield side--I tried yanking and nothing. I read all the instructions including one from the seller and it appears they are for a different car. My car is a 2011 sedan. I put a little sandpaper and needlenosed those things right down and pooped the flat Led's right in. Thanks for the advice--made my day--I was getting pissed that something that should be easy seems to have a trick that is hard to figure out.

[7786]

I just got done doing mine, I had to drop the dome assembly and the way I did it was using a small flat head. I think the reason everyone has a different method is because the domes vary from car to car. For example my map lights had lenses on them, so I couldn't get a good grip to pull the black shroud off, and even if I could the bulb itself was offset so I don't think I would have been able to yank it straight out.

[b1mmr]

Do sub forums not exist? How about mods?

[Jaronbwall]

Duct tape works better. This has been talked about a few times... Make sure to test the LED because they only work in one direction.

[wdeerfield]

i found it easiest to remove the clips to the sun visors to drop the headliner and access it that way to remove the clips that hold the unit on. They you can easily replace the bulbs by taken the actual socket out. then just put it all back.

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

Originally Posted by leonian0109

OP, what car do you have ? My E90 was simple as hell. When I changed my interior lights, the front domes were way easier then I thought. I took off the plastic cover, then the black oval shaped thing that goes around the lights. Now the lights can be pulled off and new ones put in. My trouble was taking them out, my hands were too big. What I did, I wrapped a small piece of sand paper around each light and used needle nose pliers and took them out no problem. Message me if you have questions

Great tip. It seems the hardest things with dome lights or map lights is just removing the stock bulb.

I didn't go that extreme but what I did is used electrical tape and wrapped the bulb so I can get some better grip.

To change the dome lights, I just removed the frosted cover.

To change the map lights, I only removed the black shroud around them.

Technically this is a no tools required job but some cars are tougher then others.

I small flat blade plastic tool or flat head should be all that's necessary otherwise.

[dj_aj]

Originally Posted by 7786

I just got done doing mine, I had to drop the dome assembly and the way I did it was using a small flat head. I think the reason everyone has a different method is because the domes vary from car to car. For example my map lights had lenses on them, so I couldn't get a good grip to pull the black shroud off, and even if I could the bulb itself was offset so I don't think I would have been able to yank it straight out.

I'm stealing your pic to illustrate another way to change the map lights. Using a flat head screw driver, it is possible to remove the black circular lens covers as shown in the picture below.

If you have small enough fingers, then it is possible to remove the map lights by pulling on them. I wrapped electrical tape on a pair of tweezers to pull out the lights.

Hope this helps.