Tail Light Retrofit- AMBER turn signal

One thing I've always hated about my 3 was how they use the Brake light as the turn signal. I'm a big believer in a dedicated color(amber) for turn signal. Unfortunately a lot of manufactures are going away from that in favor for the brake/turn combo. Maybe it's cost savings.IDK, but I am out to change that.

I started looking into just purchasing the European model 3 Tail lights which have an amber turn signal factory(its required by law over seas to have a orange signal). The problem I ran into was the US spec cars are programmed to use the brake AS the turn signal. Which means than even if I got a European lamp, i would still need to find a way to change the computer system to flash a dedicated output for the turn signal.

So I purchased a set of stock tail lights and cut them apart. While inside I painted the chrome black which gave i a much cleaner look. Then I retrofitted a 3" Diode dynamics HD amber LED strip where the OEM reverse was. For the reverse, I retrofitted a 3" white LED strip right next to it(inner). The wiring was a bit tricky as I had to tap off the 3rd brake light for dedicated "BRAKE" then the front camera side markers for a dedicated "TURN" signal. Overall worked pretty well!

In the trunk, pass side there's a harness. Blue wire is 3rd brake light which is where I tapped off.

Running the turn wires through the trunk boot. fun stuff

here's a video showing the functions. They might look dim, but its out in direct sunlight. I assure you they are bright
Also you may notice they are hyperflashing because the car isn't seeing any load(i disconnected the stock brake/turn wire) I left them as is, but if it get annoying I will throw a resistor in there.

Also Decided to do blackout headlight, and AMBER DRL mod

 

[bibena]

Disappointed but not surprised.

Yeah. It looks like it just force reinstalls the newest update not necessarily the whole car’s programming, so to speak.

 

[DocHolliday]

So the Cs are on low for running lights and bright for brakes. The turn signals work as turns and as brakes.

Did you get the inner/trunk mounted lights as well?

I did - got the whole set from a newer 3P. Going to order the 4-pin sockets referenced above for the inners.

 

[bibena]

So someone 'helped' me get the tails converted to Global. Took about 30 minutes but it now works flawlessly!

 

[terranx]

So someone 'helped' me get the tails converted to Global. Took about 30 minutes but it now works flawlessly!

Care to share some info?

 

[bibena]

Care to share some info?

Message me.

 

[terranx]

Anyone manage to retrofit the rear fog lights with 4 pin inner taillights?

In addition to the gateway config, how much effort it takes I think would depend on whether the rear fog pins in the trunk harness connector (X954M Pin 3 and 8) are populated or not. If they are populated, then it'd either be a matter of running 2 wires from the trunk end of the connector to the new 4 pin connectors, or installing the "global" decklid harness altogether (which I believe is 2068789-01-B)

 

[bibena]

Anyone manage to retrofit the rear fog lights with 4 pin inner taillights?

Tail Light Retrofit- AMBER turn signal

One thing I've always hated about my 3 was how they use the Brake light as the turn signal. I'm a big believer in a dedicated color(amber) for turn signal. Unfortunately a lot of manufactures are going away from that in favor for the brake/turn combo. Maybe it's cost savings.IDK, but I am out...

teslamotorsclub.com

 

[terranx]

Tail Light Retrofit- AMBER turn signal

One thing I've always hated about my 3 was how they use the Brake light as the turn signal. I'm a big believer in a dedicated color(amber) for turn signal. Unfortunately a lot of manufactures are going away from that in favor for the brake/turn combo. Maybe it's cost savings.IDK, but I am out...

teslamotorsclub.com

He didn’t actually wire up the rear fog bulbs

 

[thebestiam1]

Even if one to wire up the rear fog lights, wouldn't you need the software to turn it off an on?

 

[terranx]

Even if one to wire up the rear fog lights, wouldn't you need the software to turn it off an on?

Right, but that should be doable by the same folks making the config edits to make the global tail lamps work

 

[thebestiam1]

Right, but that should be doable by the same folks making the config edits to make the global tail lamps work

Would this be plug and play by just getting the inner tail lights with the fog lights built into it? Just the configuration or is there a special wiring that needs to be done?

 

[terranx]

Would this be plug and play by just getting the inner tail lights with the fog lights built into it? Just the configuration or is there a special wiring that needs to be done?

You’d need to change the inner tail lamp connectors to the 4 pin variant and two wires would have to be added. Or replacing the trunk harness with 2068789-01-B would effectively accomplish the same.

What I’m not 100% certain on is if the portion of the body harness that the trunk harness connects to has those pins populated. But I think it does (same part number worldwide)

Caveat is older model 3s might be different

 

[bibena]

He didn’t actually wire up the rear fog bulbs

you’re right. My fault.

 

[bibena]

You’d need to change the inner tail lamp connectors to the 4 pin variant and two wires would have to be added. Or replacing the trunk harness with 2068789-01-B would effectively accomplish the same.

What I’m not 100% certain on is if the portion of the body harness that the trunk harness connects to has those pins populated. But I think it does (same part number worldwide)

Caveat is older model 3s might be different

You are correct. The wire for fogs is not there on the trunk portion of the harness.

Why not just trace it back to the connector to see if the body-side harness has the pins there?

 

[terranx]

You are correct. The wire for fogs is not there on the trunk portion of the harness.

Why not just trace it back to the connector to see if the body-side harness has the pins there?

That’s my overall plan, just don’t feel like taking things apart right this second

 

[EEP3D]

I seriously doubt that will work as the configuration is tied to dealer-installed options/VIN. So whatever it downloads/installs will be whatever was originally tied to the VIN.

Somehow I thought so. I wishfully wanted to think otherwise, but ...yeah.

I just bought it last week and unfortunately, the option is NOT adjustable in Toolkit at the general-public level.

 

[terranx]

Currently these are the entries the tbx-external role can change

"coolantpumptype","ecallenabled","forwardradarhw","packperformancedeviation","powerliftgatetype","steeringcolumnmotortype","supermanifoldtype","towpackage","tpmstype","twelvevbatterytype"

These do appear to change occasionally, but so far the stuff we're interested requires the tbx-technical-specialist role

 

[terranx]

You are correct. The wire for fogs is not there on the trunk portion of the harness.

Why not just trace it back to the connector to see if the body-side harness has the pins there?

So just to update on this, the body side connector does have the rear fog pins wired up. After adding two wires to trunk harness and having someone change the gateway config to enable the rear fogs, they light up.

Cars that have the global taillamps from the factory should already have the wiring in place, in which case it's a config change that's needed to enable them.

 

[3sr+buyer]

So just to update on this, the body side connector does have the rear fog pins wired up. After adding two wires to trunk harness and having someone change the gateway config to enable the rear fogs, they light up.

Cars that have the global taillamps from the factory should already have the wiring in place, in which case it's a config change that's needed to enable them.

View attachment 944219

Is rear fog lamp typically driver's side only, to make it more distinguishable from brake lamps?

 

[terranx]

Is rear fog lamp typically driver's side only, to make it more distinguishable from brake lamps?

In some countries yes, in the US it tends to be both sides on the cars that do have them from what I've seen (i'm sure there are exceptions). Model X (which has them from the factory even in the US), has them on both sides. I think even in the EU, if the fogs are a certain distance away from the brake lamps, dual is allowed.