[spangle1980]

This is my last moan on this. SO a spot poll.

I didn't realise my rear windows (passenger, quarterlight and trunk) would not be tinted. It must have been implicitly included in some option I had in past, or I'm just plain st2pid. I kinda liked it on my previous two vehicles, I feel a little naked now :-o

Should I got for reputable 20% tint provider? Or leave as is ...

Let the masses decide :-)

[SROC3]

Isn't it the opposite though??? It's the windshield, front driver & passenger side windows that are NOT tinted.

[codex57]

Maybe in the UK, they come untinted in the back? Perhaps "privacy glass" is an option over there instead of being standard like in the States?

[nogren]

Originally Posted by spangle1980

This is my last moan on this. SO a spot poll.

I didn't realise my rear windows (passenger, quarterlight and trunk) would not be tinted. It must have been implicitly included in some option I had in past, or I'm just plain st2pid. I kinda liked it on my previous two vehicles, I feel a little naked now :-o

Should I got for reputable 20% tint provider? Or leave as is ...

Let the masses decide :-)

Just make sure you go to a good shop. Bad ones drain your door, and ambient lights, in water. Kills it gently.

[nogren]

Originally Posted by SROC3

Isn't it the opposite though??? It's the windshield, front driver & passenger side windows that are NOT tinted.

Different markets.

Some countries get rails but no tint standard (Sweden), other no rails, etc.
It's a salapa code as most things on the car.

[MarkyM]

They call it Sun protection glass in UK which is a little confusing, it's a stand alone option or comes with M Sport plus pack

Only thing to be weary of with aftermarket tint, is it can make the wires stand out for heated rear window and side aerial and you can also end up with a thin visible line around the existing black edging on the glass, make sure you see one first

[spangle1980]

Originally Posted by MarkyM

They call it Sun protection glass in UK which is a little confusing, it's a stand alone option or comes with M Sport plus pack

Only thing to be weary of with aftermarket tint, is it can make the wires stand out for heated rear window and side aerial and you can also end up with a thin visible line around the existing black edging on the glass, make sure you see one first

Yeah - that's the thing, the past cars 30d M Sport and 35d M Sport had it as standard - must have been because I chose a specific option, or was part of MSport package. As Marky mentioned, now it is part of M Sport plus package (the 21" rims I didn't want) and I didn't twig, until it was delivered :-/

And yup - I am doing research into reputable shops, preferably recommended b y a main dealer to avoid both the wires and those dimply black things around the edge of window being any issue.

It's amazing in such a world of pain and anguish how such an almost infinitely trivial thing can wind one up :-)

[tastes jigga]

Originally Posted by nogren

Just make sure you go to a good shop. Bad ones drain your door, and ambient lights, in water. Kills it gently.

Was it determined water from tinting windows is what is causing these issues? I have this problem and had my windows tinted.

[spangle1980]

Originally Posted by nogren

Just make sure you go to a good shop. Bad ones drain your door, and ambient lights, in water. Kills it gently.

Sorry to be dumb but not sure I get this - how would tinting kill ambients? The tinting film being always on the inside right?

Mr Thicko :-)

[nogren]

Originally Posted by tastes jigga

Was it determined water from tinting windows is what is causing these issues? I have this problem and had my windows tinted.

I don't know, but it certainly feels likely, if you YouTube bad window tinting.

But I also think BMW admitted a bad batch of ambient light strips, no? Apparently it's quite complicated, and perhaps bad design in combination with the stress of wet tinting ...

[dr.roro]

Not sure if it matters, but I only tinted the front two windows, and yet the ambient lights went completely dead on the front driver's door and both rear doors. Front passenger door still works except for the top strip. Taking it to dealership next week.

[spangle1980]

Originally Posted by dr.roro

Not sure if it matters, but I only tinted the front two windows, and yet the ambient lights went completely dead on the front driver's door and both rear doors. Front passenger door still works except for the top strip. Taking it to dealership next week.

:-o

What did they do? Just the film on the window on the inside - i.e. they didn't remove the door panel to install right? I don't believe that's the usual way. I'm puzzled how (if they didn't remove door panel) the film could affect the lighting loom (the film being what, 0.1mm thick?).

Do tell!

[spangle1980]

I wonder ... when I spoke with one provider they were quite adamant that one should not wind down windows for at least a couple of days to allow curing/healing/sticking whatever. The only thing I could see that could f**k up wiring to led strips is if you were not told this, used windows and then errrkrkrkr.

Having said that - it would have been plainly obvious when you wound the window back up and the tint was all fubar :-/

So I should've deleted the above based on logic, but hell I wrote it now!!

[Bob in IL]

Originally Posted by spangle1980

I wonder ... when I spoke with one provider they were quite adamant that one should not wind down windows for at least a couple of days to allow curing/healing/sticking whatever. The only thing I could see that could f**k up wiring to led strips is if you were not told this, used windows and then errrkrkrkr.

Having said that - it would have been plainly obvious when you wound the window back up and the tint was all fubar :-/

So I should've deleted the above based on logic, but hell I wrote it now!!

During installation of the film, a soapy solution is used and this can potentially run down the inside of the door possibly causing electrical problems. I've never had it happen but it is possible.

[nogren]

Perhaps there are control modules for the led strips, in the front doors, that can get affected by soapy water... modules that feed the rear as well.

[nogren]

From the Technical Training Guide:
"RGB (Red, Green, Blue) LED modules are used for the ambient lighting.
The lighting for the ambient interior lighting is controlled via a separate LIN bus. The individual LED modules are connected via a local interconnect network bus. The LED modules are connected in series to the LIN bus around the vehicle.
If the LIN bus is interrupted at a certain point or the micro controller on the LED is faulty, then further light transmittance is interrupted at this point. A search for the fault must be carried out at the location where the last LED illuminates."

[dr.roro]

Originally Posted by spangle1980

:-o

What did they do? Just the film on the window on the inside - i.e. they didn't remove the door panel to install right? I don't believe that's the usual way. I'm puzzled how (if they didn't remove door panel) the film could affect the lighting loom (the film being what, 0.1mm thick?).

Do tell!

Just to clarify - I don't think it was the tint install that broke the ambient lighting. I'm pretty sure they were working fine for at least several weeks after they were tinted. Plus, it doesn't really make sense that the rear doors would completely stop working when those weren't touched.

99% sure they did not remove the door panels to tint. I've never heard of anyone doing that. We were told not to roll the windows down for at least 3 days, and we followed those instructions (actually kept them up for a week+).

[nogren]

Just for clarifications; the ambient lighting are mounted in series, so if it breaks in the wrong spot, many sections can be dark.