Like many modern cars, the BMW i8 comes with an interior lighting pack. Some people love it, others criticise it for the reflections in the glass, but personally, I think it’s a cool feature.
You can cycle through a range of colours, but I’m sticking with blue—my favourite.
The Mystery of the Missing Lights
When I first bought the car, I didn’t think it had the lighting pack. The light strips that a lot of BMW i8s have simply weren’t switched on. Was it a deliberate choice by a previous owner, or just personal preference? I wasn’t sure.
A few days later, I stumbled upon the setting that enables the ambient lighting—and it turns out, my BMW i8 does have the lighting pack! Winning, or so I thought.
The lights looked fantastic, until I noticed that the LED strip on the driver’s door wasn’t working. If it had been a fuse, surely none of the lights would work. And let’s be honest, LED lifespans are ridiculously long—so the likelihood of just one failing after 10 years seemed slim.
A Common Issue with the i8?
After some searching online, I realised what the issue might be.
The i8 has scissor doors, and the constant opening and closing could have loosened a connection, causing the driver’s door LED strip to stop working. Given that the driver’s door is used the most, it made sense.
However, I had no experience of taking off door cards, let alone on a car like this. It was time to call in the experts—SWSS, a BMW and Mini specialist in Cardiff.
The Dreaded Question
When I spoke to SWSS, they asked the dreaded question: how much time (aka money) did I want them to spend investigating the issue? What would you have said?
To cut a long story short, I was relieved when they told me they had replaced the 12V battery (you can read about that here) and that we’d discuss the LED strip when I arrived.
For a moment, I worried it might not be fixable—or worse, that it would be an expensive repair.
Problem Solved
Thankfully, the technicians at SWSS found the issue. It was indeed a loose connection, and a couple of hours of investigation paid off.
Now, I have a full set of working LEDs—all glowing blue, just as they should be!
