Cool rear brake light mod

[TDot]

Today I saw what I thought was a really cool mod/feature and was wondering if anyone saw it before, or knows how to accomplish it. I saw a late model BMW 5...body type seemed to be no more than 2 yrs old...and as it was braking the brake lights were hyperflahshing and when it stopped the lights were solid. Please someone tell me they know how to accomplish this. I have an idea, but I'd prefer to have a ready made kit from somewhere before I start splicing wires and putting in resisters.

[Larz]

I know what you're on about and I've seen it too. The only thing I have found is this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brake-Attention ... 517wt_1118

I'm on the fence about trying it. The good part is it is NOT from china, the bad part is that you need to splicer it into the brake light system and ... ell let's just say that electronics and I are not friendly, LOL.

I've also seen these too, but theyseem rather dodgy and cheap:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vehicle-Brake-L ... 477wt_1194

let us know if you find a good way to accomplish this!

[TDot]

Thanks. Reading into it, I guess I wasn't looking at the lights flashing carefully enough. They don't stop flashing when the car actually stops, they stop flashing after a set amount of blinks or duration (depending on which one you buy). That kind of eliminates the cool factor for me...although still slightly interested.

As far as price 200+ is ludicrous for something like this, it should be $5-$30, which I see is the average price.

Since its so cheap the price doesn't really matter, its just a matter of ow it actually works now that bugs me, so ill come back to this after I redo my suspension and wheels.

[TXT]

I see most people do this on the 3rd brake light, not on all the brake lights.

[TDot]

I don't know what the first, second, or third light is. I just know lights come on when I brake....sooooooo, which is the third?

[Larz]

The 'third' brake light usually refers to the upper-mounted brake light in out rear windscreen. It is actually known as a CAL or collision avoidance light in the UK.

[06M4.5]

I'm not sure and please don't hold me to it but I think I saw the new BMW M6 3rd brake light do that and it looked kool. The 3rd brake light is on top of the window and covers much of that area from the left corner to the right corner.

[Larz]

I've seen them too, Freddie. I think having both main brake lights flashing is a bit much, but having the 3rd light do it would look very good and also decrease the chances of the driver behind you running up your pipe. I'm going to look into this after I finish the three mods I'm completing now: Osram CBI headlamps, Osram DRLs, and MGP/Infiniti caliper covers.

** this will mean I will have to contort my body once again inside the trunk to get to the 3rd light probably **

[Minus (-)]

Install is pretty simple....I'm not sure how the police are gonna feel about that....but if it's factory on some cars, then you should be good...idk how I feel about it, think I have to see it in person

http://youtu.be/cPIEF8BMtsc

[Ilya]

I have this on my sport bike. Doubt it'll work for a car though.

"CustomLED Universal Brake Light Flasher"

Has various patterns.

[06M4.5]

Install is pretty simple....I'm not sure how the police are gonna feel about that....but if it's factory on some cars, then you should be good...idk how I feel about it, think I have to see it in person

http://youtu.be/cPIEF8BMtsc

Nice find Minus

just 2 wire hook

[M37owner]

I did something similar, but mounted a "fourth" brake light under the bumper - to hopefully keep from getting rear ended on the highway when traffic comes to a sudden stop.
I used this http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/7 ... SX522_.jpg and http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31CJl3C60IL.jpg from Amazon.

I mounted the light under the bumper (there is a flat ledge on the bottom) and tied into the left tail/brake light wiring. It works very well IMO, and hopefully will alert sleepy drivers that I am stopping.

[mikesd1980]

The German cars came with this stock starting about 2011 or 12. The light flashing, is emergency braking(the rear lights flashes rapidly when the brakes are hit hard). When I had my A8 people was talking about in the forums but I couldn't code my 04 for it. With the Audi's there is a device call Vag-Com from Ross-tech and you can go into any controller of the car and program just about any feature to the car that wasn't there when adding OEM equipment. The emergency braking wasn't available in the USA when it first came out but was available in Germany. All you had to do was go inside the controller and select that feature to turn on and you have it.

I wish there was something like that for infiniti. That would make me a happy camper.

[06M4.5]

You can program the Infiniti computer the problem is finding a person with the coder and is willing to do it. The dealer will do some but not all and at a big price.

The #1 feature to do is turning on the window roll up by remote, I did this to my BMW in the past with other features and the cost was $40 and 1hr drive away. No dealer will do window up because of safety.

All they do is hook up the coder to the car, they go in to the feature selections. They go down the list one by one and ask you if you want each feature on or off. It takes about 5 to 10mins for someone who does it all the time.

The BMW guys have meets and do a group buy for coding, I have read in 1 meet over 10 cars got coded and they used a laptop. The same coder that does the BMW will do lots of other cars, it's just a program. Even Snap-on make a coder for most cars.

Our M's may not have the flashing brake light feature to turn on or off but we'll never know what other features we have until someone goes in and takes a look.

Another popular feature I know we have is daytime running lights and another would be to turn on the front blinker (near the grill) and make it a parking light at the same time. This would make all 3 lights in the front housing turn on.

When your driving keep a look out for high-end mech shops, I'm sure they have a coder that does most cars. The question would be "are they willing to do it?" and if so how much?

[Larz]

Most of the flash controllers seem to do 4 short blasts, then 4 slow blasts, then full on. To me, that's more of a light show than a safety feature. I was able to find this controller and to do the 3rd brake light you will only need one unit - that's the direction I reckon I will go. If you want to do the main brake lights on both sides, you will need two units. It has 10 diff choices, one of which is what I want: 4 quick flashes, then full ON.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/231181935114#ht_2513wt_956

I may just go to the South Florida Customs shop and see what they have and what they might charge for the install. I looked about inside the trunk and it appears I may need to get to the 3rd brake light through the interior which means possibly removing the rear pilars, the seat back, and the decklid

[Six_Legs]

I've seen a few motorcycles with this feature and the company I work for has a 2008 International flatbed that does it also. Truck came with LED's all around.

[TDot]

I looked about inside the trunk and it appears I may need to get to the 3rd brake light through the interior which means possibly removing the rear pilars, the seat back, and the decklid

That's exactly what you'll have to do if my memory serves me correct from messing around there.

Why do you say that two will be needed for the main lights? I'm sure the signal can be split out one unit to both lights from one feed, but I guess I'd have to read the specs first. I think $50 is way too much for something like this, especially for your needs (and probably the route ill end up with). I think we can find something that will do 4-7 quick flashes for less than half. I'm on the hunt.

[06M4.5]

4 flashes and than solid would be great

[DJPlayedYA]

You can program the Infiniti computer the problem is finding a person with the coder and is willing to do it. The dealer will do some but not all and at a big price.

...Even Snap-on make a coder for most cars...

Our M's may not have the flashing brake light feature to turn on or off but we'll never know what other features we have until someone goes in and takes a look.

Another popular feature I know we have is daytime running lights and another would be to turn on the front blinker (near the grill) and make it a parking light at the same time. This would make all 3 lights in the front housing turn on.

This is interesting... Do you have any idea if the Snap-On Verus is able to do any of this? As far as I know, it doesn't have any "tuner" options (for lack of a better term) and only has like one additional software package for European cars. We have a Verus, but I'm not too familiar with it because mainly my mechanic and brother use it. Once I get my car back and have some free time, I'll hook it up and look inside

[vasekvi]

I've been looking into this option for not only brake lights but turn signals as well. Of course that would require converting the turn signals to led. I have some products listed out at home I'll look them up when I get back in town.

[06M4.5]

DJPlayedYA

Not sure of any name brand or model #'s but I know lots of companies make them, I heard they start at about $4,000 and up. Thus the reason only high end shops have them.

Or you can just but the program and run it on your computer or laptop

Some of these guys are mobile coders, they hop from 1 shop to another in a van fixing & coding for other shops & auto body shops that don't have coders in house.

Some of these guys do meets and code cars at a very low discounted price.

I would to find out if the M has window roll-up by remote.

[TDot]

Try and try as I might, I can't find a cheaper one that will simply do 4-7 quick flashes and then go solid. So I may have to bite the bullet and get two of these at $50. First ill do some tests to see if I can use one and split the feed between both lights. I have to test the amps I guess.

[vasekvi]

I imagine you could wire it in by the brake pedal and get both rear brake lights and chmsl to flash together. The current draw shouldn't be more than the device can handle.

[Larz]

Try and try as I might, I can't find a cheaper one that will simply do 4-7 quick flashes and then go solid. So I may have to bite the bullet and get two of these at $50. First ill do some tests to see if I can use one and split the feed between both lights. I have to test the amps I guess.

I'm still on the fence, but I'm leaning into your yard, LOL. I rather like 4 flashes, then full ON. But I'd rather have ONLY the upper mounted center brake lamp do it instead of both tail lamps. Now that I find I have to dismantle the interior (rear seats, rear pilars, and rear deck) just to get to that light, I'm not so pleased.

[TDot]

I imagine you could wire it in by the brake pedal and get both rear brake lights and chmsl to flash together. The current draw shouldn't be more than the device can handle.

Not the pedal because I don't really see how that's possible, and think that may cause problems with signals to others sensors, but i found another point that i can interupt the signal on pg 205 of the fs manual http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/M/2008/LT.pdf that leads directly to the lights. The problem is, I don't know exactly where this wire is. Just before the "next page" note.

It needs to be after the ICC brake hold relay.

So anyone who knows these schematics, any insight of where I can pick this wire up?

[06M4.5]

The wire should be near the back of the seat, you may not need to remove the rear panel.

Look here:

http://kcm-service.sakura.ne.jp/parts_s ... 268A%20001

If you can find the color code of the wire I'm sure it runs down to the left floor.

[Larz]

You're on to something there mate ! I will check my service CD and see if maybe I can reach the wire for the 3rd brake light as it goes by the rear seat instead of at the light itself. I also want to remove all my rugby gear from the trunk and see if I can find the wire from under the rear ledge inside the trunk.
I found a video on YouTube of a G-series with this mod on the 3rd brake light. Of course ours won't look so goopping bad because our brake light is small instead of traversing the whole rear spoiler.

http://youtu.be/PneL942CClQ

[TDot]

So I believe I've traced everything...as far as I can using the fsm. All the harnesses for the brake lights are in the front behind the drivers dash. Not a place I'm too enthused about rifling through. And then there are too many components interconnected that I don't want to splice at the wrong point and it interferes with communication due to the strobing to another point.

THEN, my next issue is I don't know where the line splits off to the lights in the back since its wrapped with a bundle of wires leading back there. If I were to find it I think it would be too tight to mess with.

So it looks like I'm A/ back on the hunt for another week, B/ bight the bullet and buy two.

Edit: I didn't check your YouTube link. That's only $24. I can grab that and ill be good. Thanks. I just wonder if they'll be in sync using two.

[DaSerb]

There is no way this mod will fly her in IL....especially during the night when this is really visible. Even with only few flashes, cops will be all over you.

[TDot]

I sent an email to the people who make the flasher that Larz just posted. Can someone help me understand this response before I contact them again because it doesn't make sense to me.
***********************************************

Sorry, you can not use flasher for brake lights.
------------------------------------------------------>> I'm interested in putting this on my main brake lights.
>> 1/ does that mean I have to use two?
>> 2/ if I use two, will they be in perfect sync?
>> I'd prefer to use one if the device can handle it so the lights will have perfect sync. If I can split the leads out the device to both lights would be perfect. I have a 2008 infiniti m35x if that helps, thanks.