[brad bedell]

I did a bit of a writeup here:
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=769428

I pried them apart with a small screwdriver. Just went slow with the process. I sealed them back up, but cracked them the 2nd time I tried to take them apart. My glue was stronger than OEM or I made some small fractures that I didn't see when I pulled them apart.

[BigJoeTX]

My dealer gave me some crap about covering them under warranty, I showed them the service bulletins and then started explaining to them that LEDs shouldn't "burn out" in 3 years, we've got fiber optic comm cards at work that have been blinking constantly since they were installed in the early 90s and none of the LEDs have burned out. Eventually they gave in and replaced them free of charge, it probably helped that had the car in the shop for other things too though.

The procedure that Brad posted seemed pretty good, I would've tried to do that had they not replaced them under warranty.

[brad bedell]

I agree on warranty. Especially once it gets to be well known that it was poor assembly that caused the failure. LEDs "should" out-last the car.

[demedja]

Originally Posted by BigJoeTX

My dealer gave me some crap about covering them under warranty

My dealer also gave me the business when I took my car in for the same issue. I'm recently off of original warranty and they tell me the extended warranty doesn't cover this. They wanted me to pay a few hundred for parts and labor to fix it---which I didn't do. I thought maybe I could get the module and fix it myself, but someone said he did this and still had the problem. Did anyone else who replaced the module still have this issue? I'd try Brad's fix but not too sure I've got the skill needed to pull it off.

[fresh_LA]

Is anyone having the same issues with an e92?

I just purchased some LCI taillights... hoping I wont have any issues.

[kavadarci]

so before i crack open the tail light, can it be any other reason for this problem?
is it always replacement of the tail light and nothing else?
Thank you.

[kavadarci]

so
i cracked open the tail light and could not find a sign of failure on the connections but i did and re-solder all the connections but still end up not having light coming out of the last three.

i can see them blink vaguely once in a while but i am starting to think mine just might be bad leds.

i have nothing left except to solder other leds and try.

any thoughts?
Thank you.

[Tammer2009]

Originally Posted by kavadarci

so
i cracked open the tail light and could not find a sign of failure on the connections but i did and re-solder all the connections but still end up not having light coming out of the last three.

i can see them blink vaguely once in a while but i am starting to think mine just might be bad leds.

i have nothing left except to solder other leds and try.

any thoughts?
Thank you.

Any luck kavadarci? My light has the same issue.
I do notice that if I hook up a 12v,4ah battery the last 3 consistently stay on. All are dim but the last 3 don't fail while testing with this battery.
If testing with a small 9v I can recreate the failure.
I have zero electrical background. It might just be coincidence.
Any ideas are welcome.

[mapleridge]

I am looking to do this as well. What type of battery did you guys use to test?

[Tammer2009]

Originally Posted by mapleridge

I am looking to do this as well. What type of battery did you guys use to test?

This type worked for me.

[mapleridge]

Originally Posted by Tammer2009

This type worked for me.

didn't you say the 9v just recreated the problem? Which 12v battery did you use to test?

[jdfrye]

This just happened to my right tail light. haven't tried to do anything except price out a new e90N 2009 rear light (#63217154158). alot of the used replacement lights on ebay for the right side have defective LED's and state so. This seems to be a problem with just the right side.

[brad bedell]

Originally Posted by kavadarci

so
i cracked open the tail light and could not find a sign of failure on the connections but i did and re-solder all the connections but still end up not having light coming out of the last three.

i can see them blink vaguely once in a while but i am starting to think mine just might be bad leds.

i have nothing left except to solder other leds and try.

any thoughts?
Thank you.

The LED solder connections had failed on mine. I identified the failed LED connection by lightly pressing down on each LED until they lit up or something changed. Bad LED's are a very distinct possibility.

I'm still very shocked they didn't engineer this to have a LED or two failure and everything still work.

I'm glad some of you guys are trying it. Someone out there who is smarter than me can probably perfect the procedure.

[jdfrye]

My light before trying to fix wouldn't even come on. i took apart and it seemed to react to me moving around the boards but the three that were out never seemed to be as bright as all the others. I touched up all the points and tested it again but never got them to totally stay on or as bright. I installed light as-is and the light does work but with three out. the blinker still does show the error and blink fast. So looks like i will have to fork out the $200 for a new assembly

[JW330xi]

I just replaced my passenger side with a new unit from Pelican, I think it was about $180 with free shipping. Not a terrible price IMO. Sure beats driving around with a rear signal that only works intermittantly.

I plan on taking the bad unit apart and taking a look at the PCB and solder joints. Hopefully it is fixable so I can have a working spare when the signal stops working on the new lamp.

[payam]

The rear driver side signal on my 2009 328xi went bad, same problem of last three leds not lighting and the rest of them looking dim. Thanks to this thread and the great info from brad bedell I was able to fix it.

How it went for me:
1) Took off inner felt cover in trunk.

2) Pressed two plastic tabs to slide off white plastic housing that holds two brake lights.

3) Took off light assembly by removing 8mm nuts holding it to the car.

4) Use a small flat screwdriver to break glue that holds red outer plastic to the light
assembly. The glue is not too strong and was along three sides, not the side withe black
flap attached. Took my time and gently nudged it along the edges until it came apart.

5) Slid up and out the black, blue, and yellow wires from the plastic housing and undid
where they were held to the plastic housing. Unhooked the red and black wires from the
clip holding it to the plastic housing but not from the connection to the turn signal circuit
board, yet.

6) Unscrewed the 3 small phillips screws holding the silver grid housing of the turn signal
board.

7) Gently pulled and wiggled the silver grid housing forward from the light assembly while
guiding wires through from the back. Press front tab and pull down and off the red and
black connector attached to bottom of circuit board.

8) Push back tabs and take off the circuit board from the silver grid housing.

9) Touch the black (-) and yellow(+) wires to a 9volt battery to see where the problem is.
Touch different points with a small screwdriver to located loose solder point.

10) The common problem seems to be the four points on either side of the white wire that
connects to the last smaller board that has three leds. Once, I added solder to those
points the light worked pretty consistently but the last three leds would still occasionally
flicker. Gently pressing down on the three leds that wouldn't light revealed the one that
had a loose connection. Touching that one would make all three light up. Added a small
amount of heat and solder to the four points on that light and everything worked
beautifully.

11) Put everything back together, giving the inside of the red plastic and light assembly a
good wipe down. Used 100% silicone rubber sealant along the edge of the red plastic
and light assembly rather than a glue.

Again thanks to Brad and others on this thread for the help. A new light assembly runs $200 on ebay and BMW dealership wanted $365 to replace it! There are currently some used ones on ebay for $60 that I am guessing were warrantied lights someone fixed but if you want to do it yourself and have access to a soldering iron with a small point it is not too hard to do.

[payam]

Some pictures to help:

[brad bedell]

Originally Posted by payam

Some pictures to help:

Thanks for the photos! My smugmug account didn't default to the free one, it deleted everything. Since I didn't have an organized backup of the site, it's too cumbersome to figure out which photos I had up.


My left light acted up about a month ago. I tapped it and it started working. I know I need to take it apart in the near future.

[wdeerfield]

just hit this problem today. Going to look to pry it apart and try the soldering trick. Will be getting a spare assembly just in case. ECS has it for $171. Hopefully the new unit doesnt have the same issue. If i can get the left fixed, ill know how to fix the right once that ones goes. Thanks for the pics and diy along with the contact points to check


update: touched up all the points. tried to test with screwdriver on points. 3 leds still dim and slight flicker. i think they are shot. new taillight on order.

[wdeerfield]

new tail light for me. fixed the issue. now the three leds light up. was able to get TMS to match ECS for just $170

[yafool]

Hey Wdeerfield, do you still have your broken ones? Driver side or passenger side? Id be willing to buy them from you. Thanks

[wdeerfield]

Originally Posted by yafool

Hey Wdeerfield, do you still have your broken ones? Driver side or passenger side? Id be willing to buy them from you. Thanks

its the left side (driver's side). I did pull it apart already and RTV Silicone it back together. I couldnt get the 3 LEDs to work but you can PM me an offer and we'll work something out.