[EP11]

Hey everyone,

I've had a very strange tail light issue and I've tried just about everything to resolve it with no luck. Hopefully someone can shed some light on this problem or direct me in the right direction. Just recently I had my car signal a CCID-133 (Right Rear Light Failure) fault. Okay no big deal, I got some new bulbs and started to put them in, however when I was putting them in I saw that the bulbs in there were not burned out and even tested them in other slots to make sure they work, which they did. Regardless I put the new bulbs in to the passenger side and they still were not turning on. I also saw that besides those bulbs not working on the passenger side that on the drivers side the bulb to the "running light bars" were not working. I checked all the wiring leading to the tail lights and it is all in perfect condition.

At this point I thought it was the bulb holders, so I had a friend who drives the exact same car come over and we swapped the holders on both sides (all of his rear lights work perfectly fine). After swapping his bulb holders into my car the same lights one each side are still not working.

Currently the same issues remain, on the drivers side the bulb to the running light "bars" doesn't work and on the passenger side the bulbs for the running light don't work. However after messing with the car its now showing a CCID-133 (Right Rear Light Failure) & CCID-134 (Right Brake Light Failure) fault codes. Both my brake lights are functioning fine and the issue is only with the bulbs for the running lights and the running light "bars". After messing around with bulbs on the passenger side I saw that if I take the running light "bars" bulb out then the bottom two running light bulbs will light up briefly and then go out after a few seconds (almost as if something is shutting them off). I have also unplugged my battery overnight with no luck.

I have attached a picture showing the lights that currently work/don't work. All the lights on the trunk work I just had them unplugged during the picture. Anyone have any ideas of what it could be or what to try?


Thanks,
Elvis

[Flyboy161]

Use Carly or INPA. Read the FRM fault codes. Clear them and retest the lights. When the FRM senses a fault it shuts off the circuit. It will not re-energize the circuit until the fault code is cleared. If the fault code returns after clearing, start checking the wiring especially where the harness crosses the hinge of the trunk to the car body.

[EP11]

Originally Posted by Flyboy161

Use Carly or INPA. Read the FRM fault codes. Clear them and retest the lights. When the FRM senses a fault it shuts off the circuit. It will not re-energize the circuit until the fault code is cleared. If the fault code returns after clearing, start checking the wiring especially where the harness crosses the hinge of the trunk to the car body.

Okay I'll try that and keep you guys updated. Thanks!

[arlovarri]

I went through all this when my trunk wiring harness was causing a short. The FRM will turn off the power to the circuit when it senses a short several times in a row. After 20 or 30 or some number of times it will shut down the circuit until the FRM is replaced, what the dealer would do, or you go to an Indy or use INPA to reset the FRM. Of course fixing the short is paramount first. It's often where the trunk flexes the wires when it opens/closes. The trunk liner is easy to remove to inspect the wires. also check the rubber boot that holds the wires and then into the trunk lining inside the trunk.

[EP11]

Originally Posted by arlovarri

I went through all this when my trunk wiring harness was causing a short. The FRM will turn off the power to the circuit when it senses a short several times in a row. After 20 or 30 or some number of times it will shut down the circuit until the FRM is replaced, what the dealer would do, or you go to an Indy or use INPA to reset the FRM. Of course fixing the short is paramount first. It's often where the trunk flexes the wires when it opens/closes. The trunk liner is easy to remove to inspect the wires. also check the rubber boot that holds the wires and then into the trunk lining inside the trunk.

I went ahead and checked the wiring from the trunk just to be on the safe side, everything as far as I can see looks perfectly fine. The rubber boot also looks perfectly fine, it's not broken or exposing any sheet metal that could cut/damage wires. The only lights I'm having an issue with are the ones not on the trunk. Does the wiring from the main tail lights go up through the trunk and then into the body? I figured that they would go from the tail lights in to the body of the car.

[Flyboy161]

They do go to the body not to the trunk. You're right. Anyway, you won't know until you clear the codes.

[EP11]

Originally Posted by Flyboy161

They do go to the body not to the trunk. You're right. Anyway, you won't know until you clear the codes.

Could you please point me to some directions on how to use INPA to clear these codes?

[Flyboy161]

Choose e90/E91/E92 and at the first screen you will see Functional Jobs. Then select functional jobs. Then error memory and from there you can clear them.

[Flyboy161]

[EP11]

Originally Posted by Flyboy161

Choose e90/E91/E92 and at the first screen you will see Functional Jobs. Then select functional jobs. Then error memory and from there you can clear them.

Awesome! Thanks man, I'll try it out

[EP11]

Originally Posted by BimmerGeeks

Before you clear them, post the codes. If it's a short circuit it may not clear, you may need to reset the counter.

Okay will do. One of my friends who has done all the coding on my car and has the software is going to do it for me this next week. As soon as he reads them I'll put the codes up. Thanks everyone!

[majorahole]

hey, did you ever figure this out?? I have the same issue. I found a bunch of frayed wires in the trunk and repaired them all, reset FRM, still no luck.

[Savedamanualse90]

Bump I’m having the same problem

[amvuyisi]

Elvis did you succeed? Has anyone figured the solution out? Seems like all of us have this problem.

[WRichieX]

I'm in the exact same boat. Any solutions?

[e90yyc]

Originally Posted by WRichieX

I'm in the exact same boat. Any solutions?

Are you positive there are no broken wires in the harness that runs between the body and trunk lid?

I know that’s been discussed in this thread, but this was my issue and it took really pulling the rubber grommet back to see where the broken wires were.

[majorahole]

I still haven't figured mine out, bit it's been low priority to other problems like leaks, cracked valve cover, vanos issues ect

[toy4two]

BMW has an affordable repair kit $146 for these problematic lights. I am in process of replacing mine too. FCP Euro has the repair kit which is really just two new outer housings.

[techwhiz1]

Originally Posted by arlovarri

I went through all this when my trunk wiring harness was causing a short. The FRM will turn off the power to the circuit when it senses a short several times in a row. After 20 or 30 or some number of times it will shut down the circuit until the FRM is replaced, what the dealer would do, or you go to an Indy or use INPA to reset the FRM. Of course fixing the short is paramount first. It's often where the trunk flexes the wires when it opens/closes. The trunk liner is easy to remove to inspect the wires. also check the rubber boot that holds the wires and then into the trunk lining inside the trunk.

This.
Harness has broken wires.
Had it happen on my E36 and E90.

[EP11]

Sorry for the late reply, haven't been on the forum in awhile. The issue was resolved by resetting something via INPA I believe. If I remember correctly I was told that once the "light out" fault is triggered multiple times the computer turns off the power to that circuit completely as a safety measure. This then needs to be reset and then the lights will start working normally (if the issue was fixed, i.e. a new bulb was put in).

[kpm]

I too have a weird tail light issue on my 2009 E90. After closing the trunk and locking the car, the left tail light stayed on and would not shut off. Only way to get it to go off was to unlock the trunk. Inpa showed 61 occurrences of error code A8BB in FRM module.
Years back when I could not unlock the trunk, I found one broken and other wires with cracked insulation in the rubber flex boot connecting the body to the trunk lid. Repairing the compromised wiring cleared the problem.
I suspect the cause of this new problem may be similar. Will report back when further investigated.

[kpm]

Originally Posted by kpm

I too have a weird tail light issue on my 2009 E90. After closing the trunk and locking the car, the left tail light stayed on and would not shut off. Only way to get it to go off was to unlock the trunk. Inpa showed 61 occurrences of error code A8BB in FRM module.
Years back when I could not unlock the trunk, I found one broken and other wires with cracked insulation in the rubber flex boot connecting the body to the trunk lid. Repairing the compromised wiring cleared the problem.
I suspect the cause of this new problem may be similar. Will report back when further investigated.

https://www.e90post.com/forums/attac...1&d=1646194644
Well the problem is sorted. Picture tells it all with numerous wires exposed within the trunk wiring rubber boot....tail light must have been getting an alternate feed from one of the wires with breaks in the insulation. The new exposed copper exposures were repaired using heat shrink and "liquid electricrical tape". The crimp connector was a previous repair break.