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Introduction:
Hello all I am relatively unexperienced with posting on the forums so keep that in mind. This is my first DIY writeup. I recently Installed 06 taillights on my 03 coupe and wired the taillight trunk release button to work. I used a post by "elrooko", post number 58 on the thread "For those of you upgrade to 06 tail lights..." as an outline. So here it goes!
Apparatus:
Several feet of wire (two or more colors)
screw driver set
socket wrench set
soldering equipment/ splicing materials
eyelet wire connectors
femal disconnect wire connectors
Twin coil DPDT latching relay
Step one: Disconnect Battery
Step two: Simply uninstall your factory 03 taillights.
To get to the 3 8mm nuts you will first need to lift this trim piece carefully as to not break the clips
Then you will need to remove part of the trunk lining by popping out the 6 plastic clips and 2 plastic hook clips as shown.
You will then be able to remove the large carpeted lining covering the taillights. Unfortunately I do not have a picture of it but once out you will expose the 3 8mm nuts on each taillight and their harness connectors. Remove all 6 nuts and unclip each taillight connector and you will be ready to pull out your lights.
Step three: Reinstall new taillights. If you do not care to have the trunk release button work then simply reinstall everything starting with your new lights in reverse order.
Step four: If you want to have the taillights trunk release button working you will need to cut the black ground and blue/yellow 12v wires on the trunk release connector. Then solder on several feet of wire. ( enough to reach the driver footwell).
once the new wire is soldered on run it with your factory taillight wire harness towards the driver footwell. I ran it under the rear seat and under the carpet by the driver door, but you can run the wire however you feel.
(trunk of g35 stripped to run two new wires.)
Step five: Locating BCM and tapping into the 12v unlock and lock pulse wires. Start by getting access to the BCM. You will need to remove the doorsill trim dead pedal and the kick panel that is over the fuse box and BCM.
The doorsill trim pulls up easily from this end first. Be cautious to not break the clips.
The dead pedal has the two flat head screwdriver clips holding it in. Be careful to not spin too much they only spin about a quarter turn.
This is he only nut holding on the dead pedal remove this and set aside.
Once the nut is removed the dead pedal is held in by two clips pull it towards the center console carefully.
Once all is removed you can fold the carpet back to expose the BCM and both wires we will need.
Step six: Locate The M1 connector on the BCM and the wires coming from pin 23 and pin 30. Pin 23 will be a yellow wire and pin 30 is purple. they are the third pins in from the right. Cut the electrical tape to have easier access to them.
Once the two wires from the BCM we need are located solder or splice a new wire about 1 to 2 feet long onto each of them.
Step seven: We will now need to get access to the trunk release button next to the traction control button under your steering wheel. To access the wires gently pull down on the plastic panel under the steering wheel it will expose the connector on the back. Once exposed solder or splice a new wire onto the blue 12v and the black ground.
Step eight: Now we will need to create two ground wires for each coil in our relay. Get two black wires about 1 to 2 feet long and attach an eyelet on one end of each. You can ground them wherever you like I choose the m8 bolt mounting the BCM.
Step nine: Congratulations all the hard work is done. Run all eight wires we added to the BCM area. You should have an extended 12v and ground from the taillight trunk release. A 12v and a ground from the trunk release under the steering wheel. Two ground wires. A wire spliced into pin 23 on the M1 connector on the BCM. Lastly a wire spliced into the pin 30 on the M1 connector on the BCM.
Take all eight wire ends and attach some female disconnects to each end. Then simply connect them as "elrooko" did in his previous post.
Step ten: Reassemble all interior pieces and clean up your work. I used velcro to mount my relay to a flat spot on the BCM. If the taillight trunk release only works when car is locked switch the positions of the pin 23 and pin 30 wires on your relay.
03-08-2018, 11:36 AM
all the hard work is done. Run all eight wires we added to the BCM area. You should have an extended 12v and ground from the taillight trunk release. A 12v and a ground from the trunk release under the steering wheel. Two ground wires. A wire spliced into pin 23 on the M1 connector on the BCM. Lastly a wire spliced into the pin 30 on the M1 connector on the BCM.
