Visual Entry Aid (E38/E53)
Purpose of the System
The E38 (>99 MY) and E53 is equipped with the “Visual Entry Aid” lighting system which
enhances operator convenience and safety. All interior door handles are supplemented with
soft glow lighting for ease of locating the interior door handles. When activated, the exteri-
or door lighting illuminates providing a subtle underglow for the exterior door handles on
the E38 and exterior rear view mirrors on the E53.
• The interior door handle lighting(including later E53) is provided by slim profile LEDs
and controlled directly by the LCM III.
• The exterior door handle lightingis provided by halogen bulb light sources in each
door and fiber optic tubing. The light sources are controlled by a Visual Entry Aid Control
Module which activates the lights simultaneously when the GM III activates the vehicle
interior lights.
System Components
Interior Door Handle Lighting: The light-
ing is provided by orange glow light strips
illuminated by LED’s.
• The light strips are part of the door han-
dle shell and are not replaceable.
• The LED’s are individually replaceable.
The LED’s are connected to the KL 58g interior panel lighting circuit. KL 58g is an output
pulse width modulated control signal from the LCM III. The duty cycle changes when the
LCM III detects a change in the voltage drop at the light dimmer input signal.
55
Central Body Electronics ZKE III
Replacement LED
“Orange Glow”
Light Strip
615200121.eps
Exterior Door Handle Lighting: The Visual
Entry Aid Control Module is located in the elec-
trical carrier forward of the glovebox.
To control the system, the Visual Entry Aid con-
trol module requires:
• KL 30
• KL 15
• KL 31
• Interior Light control signal (GM Output)
The GM controls the soft on/off feature of the vehicle interior lights by a pulse width mod-
ulated control signal. This signal is also an input to the Visual Entry Aid control module
which requests simultaneously control (soft on/off) each exterior door light source.
Light Source Modules: Mounted in each door
are the light source modules.
The light source modules are made up of the
housing, halogen bulb and reflector. The reflec-
tor holds the bulb and focus the bulbs light into
the housing.
The bulbs are are available for individual replace-
ment.
56
Central Body Electronics ZKE III
CONTROL MODULE
615200123.eps 615200124.eps 615200130.jpg
