[ittam]

I recently replaced a busted left rear tail light on 2020 X6 M50i.

For the hell of it I want to make sure it worked and to my surprise on of the lights is "amber".

I did not purchase it from the dealer $550 but online through https://www.getbmwparts.com for $333. The part number is the same given to me by the dealer parts department.

https://www.getbmwparts.com/oem-part...10-63217442275

I wouldn't mind having the amber but now I have left amber, right red

Since the lights are led's could it be that it needs to be coded to red? If so the right one could be coded to amber. The lens is all red so the amber color comes from the led's.

Anyone know what's up with this?

[mrichione]

Originally Posted by ittam

I recently replaced a busted left rear tail light on 2020 X6 M50i.

For the hell of it I want to make sure it worked and to my surprise on of the lights is "amber".

I did not purchase it from the dealer $550 but online through https://www.getbmwparts.com for $333. The part number is the same given to me by the dealer parts department.

https://www.getbmwparts.com/oem-part...10-63217442275

I wouldn't mind having the amber but now I have left amber, right red

Since the lights are led's could it be that it needs to be coded to red? If so the right one could be coded to amber. The lens is all red so the amber color comes from the led's.

Anyone know what's up with this?

I could be wrong but I believe the amber lights are exclusive to European models. That's all I've ever seen them on. Sounds like you received a part for a non-NA vehicle, and I doubt it could be corrected via coding.

[russelldav]

Euro spec - strange it has the same part number.

[Caramel]

Did you check the part no. on the broken light you removed? Did you check the part no. on the new light you received? Do these match?

[ND40oz]

US part number is 63217442275 for the left and 63217442276 for the right.

Euro part number is 63217442273 for the left and 63217442274 for the right.

I'd check and see if you got the 73 instead of the 75 you ordered.

[themnmd]

I believe in USA yellow tail lights not DOT legal

[ittam]

I doubt that yellow turn signals are not legal. Audi, Ford an many others have them. According to this article they are cheaper to produce?

https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-car...ers-july-2020/

[jad03060]

Not positive, but I think Euro requires amber turn signals, the US allows either red or amber.

[ittam]

Originally Posted by ND40oz

US part number is 63217442275 for the left and 63217442276 for the right.

Euro part number is 63217442273 for the left and 63217442274 for the right.

I'd check and see if you got the 73 instead of the 75 you ordered.

Thanks for the numbers. Before I go in and remove the assembly again I'll wait to see what the store says Monday.

It would be so much easier if they had one part number and the color would be changeable via coding. But what do I know about manufacturing efficiencies

[Paladin1]

Originally Posted by ittam

I doubt that yellow turn signals are not legal. Audi, Ford an many others have them. According to this article they are cheaper to produce?

https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-car...ers-july-2020/

Interesting, particularly about the analysis that amber turn signals statistically save lives (or at least rear-end collisions), without actually explaining why (presumably because they're more visible). I have an alternative explanation. Drivers who have mandated amber turn signals (predominantly in the EU), are statistically more likely to use them than US drivers with red turn signals.

[AndroidRobot]

I'd love to have proper amber turn signals on my X5. The red doesn't look as good as is hard to see when you have a 'blink' vs the amber since your turning tail light remains solid

[r32e90]

Originally Posted by AndroidRobot

I'd love to have proper amber turn signals on my X5. The red doesn't look as good as is hard to see when you have a 'blink' vs the amber since your turning tail light remains solid

Originally Posted by AndroidRobot

I'd love to have proper amber turn signals on my X5. The red doesn't look as good as is hard to see when you have a 'blink' vs the amber since your turning tail light remains solid

I completely agree. I never understood why European vehicles would try to make their offerings more American by making the turn signals red?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-OEM-G05...Cclp%3A2334524

Found these on eBay not sure if it is a legitimate offering. Also I wonder if something has to be recoded?

[jad03060]

In the US, the brake lamp and the turn signal lamp can be the same exact lamp. It's cheaper to only have one serve dual purposes. In Europe, it's not uncommon to have each side's brake lamp independent as well as the turn signals, as well as the running lamps. That's how their light switch tends to be setup. On narrow roadways, at night, turning the directional switch to one side causes a low wattage bulb to illuminate on that side. Narrow streets, centuries old cities tend to dictate different situations than the generally wide streets adn open country in the USA...so, it's not unusual to have come up with different solutions.

I agree, though, that amber turn signals in the rear are less ambiguous unless maybe it's one of the few vehicles that use sequential lamp illumination for turning.