Free mods are the best. A popular early mod on the previous E9X chassis was the Rear Foglamp, or Euro fogs.
Rear fog lamps (or "fog taillamps") have since the 1970s been mandatory equipment on all cars sold in countries that adhere to European (ECE) vehicle safety Regulation 48, which governs the installation and hookup of lights and reflectors. But, they're only just beginning to show up on US-market cars. They are intense red lights manually switched on by the driver in conditions of very poor visibility (heavy fog, rain, snow) to increase your car's visibility to vehicles behind you. A rear fog lamp is very much brighter than regular taillights, and is in many cases even more intense than brake lamps. Regulations in most of the world, including North America, permit vehicles to be equipped with one or two rear fog lamps. If only one rear fog is fitted, it must be on the driver's side of the vehicle. It's safest and best to have just one rear fog, much as it offends the sense of symmetry of those who don't know any better. Having two is legal, but makes it much more difficult for following drivers to see a change in your car's rear lights when you step on the brake. Many vehicles that do come from the factory with rear fog functionality have rear fog optics and sockets on both sides, with only one wired up -- this isn't a factory oversight. It's done this way because the "driver's side" of the car varies depending on which country the car is sold in!
The headlamp switch is very similar as a base F30/F32, which is equipped with front foglamps. These buttons are "blank" on the M models by injection-molded "stops", which physically limit the button from being depressed.
While the quick and easy way to accomplish this would be to order a Euro Headlight switch, but where's the fun in that? Instead, we're going to mod the existing US switch.
Let's begin.
1. Remove driver's side air vent, pulling slightly on outward edges
2. Remove Headlight switch, press on (2) outward retaining clips and pull
3. Disconnect headlight switch connector
4. With headlight switch on bench, slightly lift on (6) retaining tabs and separate halves
5. Pull apart plastic housing from headlight switch
6. In this image, you can see existing buttons for Front (upper) and Rear (lower) foglamps, even the Front foglamp LED is lit on US switches when powered on. Rear foglamps when activated will illuminate an icon on the instrument cluster after coding is completed.
7. Position of switches, we will be working with the rear fog (bottom switch) only
8. Press bottom switch out from backside
9. Injection-molded plastic "stops" are integrated on US switch assemblies, these will need to be carefully removed with a hobby knife or razor. There are (3) stops total (two on other side)
10. Reinsert Rear Foglamp back into headlight switch
11. Completed shot, with Rear Foglamp button depressed for illustration. This will be pressed back out flush when reassembled back together.
12. Reassemble headlight switch housing, snaps back into place.
13. Reinstall headlight switch and air vent back into place
Coding
Coding is required for the switch to operate.
REM Module
REM -> Mapping_Nebelschlussl_L_output: nsl_l
REM -> Mapping_Nebelschlussl_R_output: nsl_r
FEM_BODY
3060 NSL_Verbaut: verbaut
Operation
Once coded, operation is exactly like if you were equipped with a EU Headlight switch. Simply flip on the headlamps, press the bottom headlight button and we are greeted with our new Rear Foglamps:
Standard
Rear Foglamps Enabled
As an added bonus, an amber Rear Foglamp icon illuminates when button is activated:
This and much more covered in our journal thread here:
http://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho....php?t=1020487