C5 X7 ambient lighting (and some other bits and pieces)

[vborovic]

@ sticky - middle grill, I'm guessing you're referring to the small intake above the licence plate and below the chevron? If that's it, I've looked around on the net and couldn't find a chromed version of it, on any other C5, new and used ...

[vborovic]

Anyways, back on the main topic ... the lighting ... maybe some of you are wondering what the (... place the word of your choice ...) I'm talking about ... ... here's the current situation on my car (and I'd say 90% of the total C5's that are rolling now on the streets) ... there are holes in the car, and I'd like to fill them with lights ... original, of course, I have access to the Citroen Service Box, and I've done my research, very thoroughly, on this matter (and several others of my interest) ... the positions (and potential end result) are as follows:

[ambient light strip, under the main console, two parts (driver & passenger) ... it should turn on along with the ceiling orange spot lights, with the option of turning them off, by the switch that is placed opposite the CHECK button, across the wheel, the 2nd group of buttons]

(driver's side, left hand wheel position)

(passenger's side)

[floor lighting, it should turn on along with the pavement lighting]

(driver's feet, placed directly above the brake pedal)

(passenger's feet)

(passenger behind the driver, photo taken with the help of the mirror)

(passenger behind the front passenger)

Yes, the front seats have an option for floor lighting for the rear passengers' feet ... didn't know that one until today, while checking out the schematics of the front seat in detail ...

P.S. sorry for slightly blurry images, taken at night, and by doing yoga moves around the seats ...

[qprdude]

I've got all that stuff fitted and I thought it was standard on all X7's.
Just checked the rear footwell lights, as funnily enough, I've never been in the back at night.
When taking stuff from the back seats at night, I've always thought it was nice and bright in there, but never really wondered where all the light was coming from. Bought the car in June 2012 and I'm still finding stuff.

Reminds me....I noticed what looks like some kind of nylon / plastic adjuster above the headlamps a few weeks ago and forgot to check what they were. Too late now, it's dark and raining.

[vborovic]

I think only exclusives have that, and that too may not be completely true, probably depending on the pre or post facelift (revision) that happened in 2011. My car has the newer HDi engine, but is the pre-revision model (no leds in the headlamps, no chrome on the door handles, small differences in the main computer software - the small display, where you can change system language, driving parameters, etc ...) ... well, I'm surprised at finding different things about it myself ... a big help is from the Service Box, which gave me a feel of the entire car system and what is possible/optional and where ... ...

EDIT: I've figured out some more specifics, the only versions that have the seat lights actually installed are with the electric/motorized front seats ... for the regulars (like mine) it isn't an option by the manufacturer ... but, that doesn't mean I can't pull 2 cables from somewhere, and let there be light ... ...

[qprdude]

Any chance of a photo of the ambient lighting before you fit it?

[vborovic]

I'll try to take the photos of all the required items before they get fitted in ... the work will be done by the Citroen Service, because they'll need to do some other fitting as well (the ambient part isn't the only one getting installed ... ) ... I'll take comparative photos before/after as well ...

[qprdude]

Cheers. It would be good to see the units prior to installation.

[vborovic]

I'll try to take a picture of everything related, before they start installing it in the car

[vborovic]

I was contacted today by my Citroen Service that they've received everything I've ordered for my car, which means tomorrow is the D-Day for the installation ... ... I'll try to take photos of the parts before they start working on the car, and I'll upload them and the visual results any any comments later in the evening.

[vborovic]

Just dropped off the car at the C.Service to be played with .. here are the ambient lights, the longer one is the passenger's side (unpacked), and the shorter one on the driver's side (still packed) ... not exactly how I've imagined it, I didn't really expect such quality of the items, i thought of it as a simple led strip or sth like that ... this looks more sturdy and of higher quality any way you look at it.

Other packed pouches contain the leg & seat lights and the ambient light switch module which will replace the existing blank one on the dashboard. Of course, the standard W5W lights will be replaced from the start with the Philips BlueVision ultra ones, to match all the other interior bulbs.

[qprdude]

Looking good. Hope you get it all installed and working. Good to know that these upgrades are available.

[vborovic]

Well, technically, they're not upgrades ... more like spare parts directly from the parts catalog ... ... the car was being worked on today (also something extra), and they didn't manage to finish everything, have to leave it at the Service tomorrow to finish the ambient lighting ... if everything will be working, I'll post some photos, with the same angles like the before situation (post: http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... 43#p391843" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) ...

[vborovic]

I've found a video presentation of the X7 Tourer (spanish language) ... at 6:46 you can see the ambient lighting being discussed ... ... of course, I'll put better pictures from my car ... ...

[vborovic]

OK, slight update ... all the planned lighting pieces have been put into place, and the situation ins the following: of course, no electrical installations were found on the car (forget plug & play), so for all the seat/leg lights (W5W) the wires had to be additionally pulled, and connected to work in parallel with the pavement lights (when the door opens, the lights go on ... this is as it should be) ... for this part, I'm actually thinking of placing orange W5W LEDs, apart from the planned Philips bulbs ... if it won't be as I've envisioned it, I'll switch to the Philips BlueVision bulbs ... now, the bigger concern, the BSI doesn't see the LED ambient light ... naturally, since the car doesn't have one in the first place ... so, now I have the improvised solution that the led strip lights in parallel with the pavement lights ... this obviously isn't the effect I was looking for, and we'll try to procure a different approach solution, by manually linking the LED strip with the ceiling orange lights ... hopefully, making some changes that the ambient light switch will be able to turn off the ambient light if necessary, without the BSI ... plain electronics ... at least, my Citroen mechanic now has extensive knowledge of the systems that aren't meant to be additionally installed ...

[mooseshaver]

That's a shame. I hope you get a solution soon.