Flashing brake lights

[gjkolio]

Does anyone have any experience with adding a module or recoding so that the brake lights flash when the brake pedal is used. I purchased a module for that same purpose but the wiring for my 2011 e90 does not permit for easy installation, my third brake light wiring looks like typical wiring that may be found on computers ,flat cluster with pin like connectors.

[6ixSpd]

Yes it's possible via coding, it's called Brake Force Display.

[msan]

Yeah you don't need to do anything other than get it coded

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by gjkolio

Does anyone have any experience with adding a module or recoding so that the brake lights flash when the brake pedal is used. I purchased a module for that same purpose but the wiring for my 2011 e90 does not permit for easy installation, my third brake light wiring looks like typical wiring that may be found on computers ,flat cluster with pin like connectors.

I'm pretty sure our cars come from the factory with "brake force display" when the ABS is activated .

[Munichm3]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

I'm pretty sure our cars come from the factory with "brake force display" when the ABS is activated .

I'm pretty sure that's only EU models. My buddies have a couple e92s and I had to code mine in for it to have that. It's useful to have when braking hard on the freeway or an emergency. Less chance of someone totaling you.

[tom @ eas]

Originally Posted by Munichm3

I'm pretty sure that's only EU models. My buddies have a couple e92s and I had to code mine in for it to have that. It's useful to have when braking hard on the freeway or an emergency. Less chance of someone totaling you.

BFD can be coded into US models as well.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by Munichm3

I'm pretty sure that's only EU models. My buddies have a couple e92s and I had to code mine in for it to have that. It's useful to have when braking hard on the freeway or an emergency. Less chance of someone totaling you.

Probably yes it's only for Euro/spec cars , when Mike-Benvo (BPM-Tuning) tuned my car I asked him about the brake force display coding...
He said to me via Skype , you already have it .

I agree ,indeed it's a must have feature for our security in traffic .
And it looks cool too !

[serranot]

You can use Carly to code it I believe.

[gjkolio]

I just finished installing the kahtec brake flash module and I couldn't be more pleased. I originally purchased the module months ago and just never had the time to install it. I went to a local independent BMW garage and asked if they could install it, figuring it wouldn't take them long. He looked behind the brake light cover and said it would be more difficult than it looks. I came to the same conclusion after noticing a flat wire harness similar to a computer,( I later realized after examining the area in more detail that the flat wire harness was for the radio directly above) that's when I posted the original message asking for suggestions. After searching the web for suggested alternatives like coding, I found info on bimmerpost that detailed a very simple installation of the kahtec module on a e92 . It took all of 20 minutes to install with the same results as coding it. The module cost approx $25.

[decimation1]

Are there any US laws that prohibit BFD?

[Shredicus]

Originally Posted by decimation1

Are there any US laws that prohibit BFD?

The stipulation that keeps these modules legal in the US is that there must be an 8 second "lockout" between light pulsing events. This is how they sidestep the law prohibiting impersonating an emergency vehicle. Not sure if BFD operates similarly

[k3silk]

Originally Posted by serranot

You can use Carly to code it I believe.

I tried to code my car a year ago with the Carly for this mod with no luck.

[Edward]

Originally Posted by decimation1

Are there any US laws that prohibit BFD?

Alex@Alpine coded mine and tons of other cars here to have that feature (you really don't need a module at all when our cars already have it built in to preselect).

Anyhow, Alex advised that US traffic laws might not take into consideration BFD as an acceptable type of braking light. Here it's just more red lights lighting up brighter in your tail light cluster. The argument is that if someone rear ends you, they might be able to claim that they saw your lights flashing and they had no idea that it meant you were braking hard since that rapid flash is not the norm in the US - thus putting you partially at fault.

[cenix]

^ that's a great point you bring up. U.S. drivers having no experience with BFD like Europeans do and may not know how to react in an instinctual manner especially when doing hard braking.

When I coded my car, the only Euro lighting feature I enabled were the Euro hazards (double-blink).

[crypticc]

Originally Posted by Edward

Alex@Alpine coded mine and tons of other cars here to have that feature (you really don't need a module at all when our cars already have it built in to preselect).

Anyhow, Alex advised that US traffic laws might not take into consideration BFD as an acceptable type of braking light. Here it's just more red lights lighting up brighter in your tail light cluster. The argument is that if someone rear ends you, they might be able to claim that they saw your lights flashing and they had no idea that it meant you were braking hard since that rapid flash is not the norm in the US - thus putting you partially at fault.

Agreed. I momentarily enabled mine (UK car standard without) and then disabled for same reason.
I did enable the hazards that switch on once stopped after an emergency stop... Very handy me thinks

[gjkolio]

The module I purchased flashes the third brake light 6 times then stays constantly lit separate of the regular brake lights that operate like conventional brake lights. I live in florida and have seen city buses and police motor cycles that have the flashing brake light feature, so I would think if municipal vehicles use that feature they would have already considered the legal ramifications.

[Edward]

Originally Posted by gjkolio

The module I purchased flashes the third brake light 6 times then stays constantly lit separate of the regular brake lights that operate like conventional brake lights. I live in florida and have seen city buses and police motor cycles that have the flashing brake light feature, so I would think if municipal vehicles use that feature they would have already considered the legal ramifications.

I am not sure what my coded BFD does because I'm always the one driving it, but what you described would be ideal to me. It sounds safer to have only the rear windshield light flashing.

[kimiraikkonen]

Originally Posted by k3silk

I tried to code my car a year ago with the Carly for this mod with no luck.

+1 I emailed Carly this week in fact and got the following response back from them:

"we're still working on this =)"

[kimiraikkonen]

Originally Posted by Shredicus

The stipulation that keeps these modules legal in the US is that there must be an 8 second "lockout" between light pulsing events. This is how they sidestep the law prohibiting impersonating an emergency vehicle. Not sure if BFD operates similarly

It's definitely legal for some vehicles. I was on the freeway this morning and there was a CALTRANS vehicle on the road (Calif. state transportation agency). It was your run of the mill Chevy Cruze outfitted with a center brake light around 24" by 6". Everytime the guy braked, the center brake light would do an additional flash pulse.

The problem was it was annoying to see, as only the center light was pulsing, with the side brake lights just a constant pulse. I felt like telling him he needed to get his BFD coded correctly!

Eventually the guy pulled over into the center divider where they are doing construction........so probably why he had his BFD on.

[k3silk]

Originally Posted by kimiraikkonen

+1 I emailed Carly this week in fact and got the following response back from them:

"we're still working on this =)"

Thanks for the info

[mab543]

I've been running a Backoff XP for hard driving. A little custom wiring and I can use it or bypass it as needed. The advantage (or disadvantage to some) is that it alerts every time you brake vs BFD which is under extreme braking. You'll need LED tails for this to work. I found BFD even with coding was flakey or didn't meet my expectations. I was also focusing on braking a special way to force it on when I felt I needed it... Backoff takes the guess work out. Also, you'll have to code out bulb checks. Not for everyone but it works.

[k3silk]

Originally Posted by serranot

You can use Carly to code it I believe.

Not true I have had the CARLY for over 2 years and have not been able to successfully code this feature into my car.