Look in my gallery and you will find some good pics that will show the door card and all the mounting points and clips ....
25th Nov 2011 7:49 pm
Discotres
Member Since: 25 Jan 2010
Location: London
Posts: 8491
Nice one, thanks
25th Nov 2011 7:51 pm
Dave T
Member Since: 03 Jul 2009
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 6910
Get something thin to just start gently prising then you will be able to look behind it and seeJoined the BMWX5 45e group
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25th Nov 2011 8:04 pm
Discotres
Member Since: 25 Jan 2010
Location: London
Posts: 8491
Where can you get new front door panels, say someone was fiddling and yanked one very hard by mistake and it snapped in half and bits fell off for example?
28th Nov 2011 4:56 pm
race.it
Member Since: 15 Oct 2011
Location: Hopefully at a race track.
Posts: 851
what door panels do you have, I will be taking mine off prob this weekend and replacing them with some others (I brought a spare set to do the puddle lights etc)
Think there is another set on ebay for about £130 for the front 2 also.
I would ask £100 collected for the 2 that I have coming off from mine, if that interests you (and they are not broken in 2 like yours)
Think dealer price is about £400 each.
28th Nov 2011 5:03 pm
Discotres
Member Since: 25 Jan 2010
Location: London
Posts: 8491
OK, here goes, a step by step guide from a non technician in how to fit puddle lights
This is for all four doors:
Undo the two Phillips screws at each end of the door bins on each door
There is a black strip around the edge of the panel on each door at the door handle end, you have to get something in between that and the painted door to prise the panel off, I used a crowbar and a strong piece of card against the paint to stop any damage, as you prise it open it makes some horrendous noises like the whole door is breaking apart, take a deep breath and carry on carefully, when it is opened this is what you will see, Note the white clips that are holding the panel in place. You only need to prise it off half way up the door panel, that will give you enough room to get your hand up to grab the wire, the rest is done from outside.
Get some card and make a template of the size of the hole needed, look at the light unit and get the width and length allowing for the clip bits to engage, this is my template sellotaped to the door panel, I then cut around itm remember to remove the reamaining sellotape from around the edge after you have cut the bit out
Carefully cut out the shape, better to be too short at the neds as you can trim these, but in truth if your template is correct there is no problem. This is the thickness of plastic you are cutting through, the front seemed tougher than the backs but maybe I was just getting used to it.
Shine a torch into the gap between the door and the panel and you will see a wire with a grey foam top on it, it is held to the loom with a bit of tape and will tug away, you need to pull it towards the hole you have made.
I passed the wire through the hole and fitted it to the unit before pushing the unit into place, this is a lot easier than trying to get your hand up after as you are working with a limited gap. When you plug in BEFORE you engage the light unit into the gap check the light works as the plugs on the LED's and lights will only work when plugged in the right way, if it doesn't work turn the bulb or LED connector end around it should then work. when you are happy it works put up the wired end first into the hole and then push up the other end and it will fit snugly.
Give the edge of the panel a sharp bang with your fist and it should clip back in, yu may wish to ensure that you have all your white connectors in place first by looking through the gap as it has been known for one or two to fly off.
After having done the first door I found I didn't need the torch, I just put my hand up an had a feel until I found the foam top and gave it a tug.
All in all it took me about 30 mins, confidence is gained after the first door, I do know of some cocky bloke who did the second without checking the light and after banging the panel on realised the bulb unit was in the wrong way and the light wasn't working, w er , but you won't do that will you
me they are bright (HIDS4U 10 LED module) - JOB DONE
Click image to enlarge
Good luck
Last edited by Discotres on 28th Nov 2011 5:41 pm. Edited 2 times in total
Well written sir
At least SWMBO doesn't have to go and meet any mad axe murderers now you've got that job done
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28th Nov 2011 5:34 pm
Discotres
Member Since: 25 Jan 2010
Location: London
Posts: 8491
Yes, thanks for the motivation, I thought if you could do it any could Only joking Very kind of you, will ensure I pop and see you some time, will bring some sauce when I am up
28th Nov 2011 5:42 pm
mcsimmo
Member Since: 08 Aug 2011
Location: North of the south
Posts: 1795
Discotres,
you have given me hope that I can do it without either breaking something important, or (and most likley) chopping off a finger end. So, I shall make use of tomorrows big day of industrial action, and spend it in my garage with a mug of tea, my tool box, and a first aid kit. (just in case).Man with no D3 anymore, but cant leave the forum....how sad.
29th Nov 2011 9:01 am
Discotres
Member Since: 25 Jan 2010
Location: London
Posts: 8491
Be VERY careful with the Stanley knife, it can skid along, take your time and go over the lines again and again, once you breakthrough it gets easier
You only need to release the door panel a handwidth, on the first one shine in a torch and you will see the grey foam, it is held to teh rest of teh loom with a bit of black plastic tape, see pic, a sharp tug pulls it free, don't yank it and pull off the connector on the end though So when the wire is release try it on the light unit, when you are happy feed the wire through the hole, connect to light unit and slip it up to engage in hole you made, that way not putting in light unit and then trying to fit plug on with big hands and loads of swearing because you can't find the hole Not that I would know about that
Good luck, they do look great, I could clearly see what I bought in Best Buy's sale yesterday evening
29th Nov 2011 9:13 am
mcsimmo
Member Since: 08 Aug 2011
Location: North of the south
Posts: 1795
Only got time to do the footwell lights. Took five minutes each to do, very easy. Hoping for a dry weekend so i can do the puddle lights next. Man with no D3 anymore, but cant leave the forum....how sad.
1st Dec 2011 4:34 pm
StephenO
Member Since: 15 Feb 2010
Location: Scotland
Posts: 1652
Got 6 delivered today. Managed to get 2 done, the drivers puddle light and footwell.
Quite easy, even for me. Just need to get he rest done now.
Thanks for the tips!
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7th Dec 2011 5:26 pm
Dave T
Member Since: 03 Jul 2009
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 6910
Told you it was easy Joined the BMWX5 45e group
1994 Defender 90
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7th Dec 2011 6:18 pm
StephenO
Member Since: 15 Feb 2010
Location: Scotland
Posts: 1652
It was, ran out of time though to get the rest done.
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7th Dec 2011 6:20 pm
Curly
Member Since: 30 Sep 2011
Location: suffolk
Posts: 687
I had mine delivered today , Big thankyou to TLO for that.
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er 
, but you won't do that will you 
So when the wire is release try it on the light unit, when you are happy feed the wire through the hole, connect to light unit and slip it up to engage in hole you made, that way not putting in light unit and then trying to fit plug on with big hands and loads of swearing because you can't find the hole 
2005 D3 Zambezi Silver
