I've had my hardwire kit for months now, but haven't had time until this morning. I've already hardwired the V1 into my M Coupe with ZERO issues.

However, this is really frustrating that I can't get over step 1 on the X5:

How do you guys remove the garage door buttons and then the overhead lights? I can get my screwdriver into the garage door switch, but it just won't budge. I tried pulling down and again, it won't budge. All tutorials online don't seem to have this issue.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Subscribed, I'm going to be doing this same project this weekend.

bump

i just did this.

it might be easier to take the lights out first, and then push the homelink out from the inside.

my lights were really tight, after prying them out, i bent the metal clips...but u can bend them back.

try prying the light out from the side facing the rear of the car

Any tricks to getting the light out? I tried prying the light from the side facing the rear as well and it was really tight. The darn thing just didn't budge.

Did you use any special screw drivers? Did you jam the screw driver in the dead center, or did you start it from the left or right side?

I'll try it again tonight. Thanks for the update tho.

i used a really small screw driver to pry it out a little, then a bigger one to get it. it was A LOT harder than when i did my m5. you will most likely bend the clips like i did.

check out picture #3 on this thread: http://www.x5world.com/x5-e53-forum/9164-v1-installation-completed.html?highlight=hardwire

that will show what the clips will need to look like when your done, otherwise the light will be a little loose.

here's the 'official' article i found http://www.x5world.com/articles/x5/electronics-x5/9468-v1-hardwire.html

FYI
My early 2004 model (February) had only one green wire, and it's fat. I used this for the power and it worked like a charm. I literally finished this whole project in less than 5 minutes thanks to this tutorial, and my previous experience on my M3 (V1 invisimirror + V1 hidden in my 3rd brake light).

THanks!
:buttrock

in the owners manual under the bulb replacement section, it says something about prying the light out from the side...check that out (it's page 178 in my manual)

Done!

Thanks villajoe. It was actually pic #1 from your first link that I had trouble with. I kept trying to go at the garage opener from the side that faces the rear of the car. The way the plastic snaps are designed, this doesn't get me the leverage I need to pop it out.

Once I saw pic #1, I knew I had it. I pushed my screw driver into the side near button 3 as show in the image and it popped right out. Then I popped the light out using the side that faces the rear of the car.

It was smooth sailing from there! Works beautifully and very stealth.

Thanks for all your help! Now if only I could afford another V1 so that I won't have to move them from car to car...