Nodderdog Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 (edited) Evening gentlemen. My 2002 330i SE's warning lights keep coming on with no bulbs actually being blown. I know the cause is the wiring into the light clusters getting burnt out and I've been quoted £50 a side for replacement wiring. I seem to remember a DIY guide for this somewhere. Call me a dimmo but I can't find it anywhere. My questions are these: Is £50 a side worth it? Does the DIY guide exist or am I deluded? Thanks in advance. Edited March 2, 2011 by Nodderdog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momo Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 1st post on the forum - welcome! I know the problem you mean as it happened on my brothers car. Don't pay £50 a side! There's a guide somewhere online, i'll try to find it for you. I followed that guide on my brothers car and its been fine ever since. I think the total cost was £2? lol. I've got it in an E-Mail somewhere.. I'll try to upload it for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momo Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 Here you go! It took me approx 15mins per side to do (and I was working slowly).. Good luck mate!E46 tail light cluster earth fix.pdf rasa and Cannockwolf 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momo Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 Here's pics of my effort.. One of the offending connectors:- It happened on both sides on my bro's car.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nodderdog Posted March 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 (edited) Get in there. Its exactly what I was looking for. The connectors are very much the same as your photos. Its the brown wires that are burning out so this should sort it. Thank you very much. Edited March 2, 2011 by Nodderdog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momo Posted March 3, 2011 Report Share Posted March 3, 2011 Get in there. Its exactly what I was looking for. The connectors are very much the same as your photos. Its the brown wires that are burning out so this should sort it. Thank you very much. No worries mate! Yes this should fix that problem - just be careful not to cut the brown wire completely and make sure you tape it up well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beemer330i Posted March 4, 2011 Report Share Posted March 4, 2011 Hi all, great write up. could you clarify if this is the cause of my problem. dash light comes on one rear light is niot on but all bulbs are fine wiggle the main plastic wiring harness (bit you connect the wores to the light unit) all bulbs work and dash error light goes off. I almost have to wedge the wiring loom in a certain position to get the lights to work I believe this is loose wiring as when I push the wires in to the back of the plastic connector they all work thanks for your help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocka Posted March 27, 2011 Report Share Posted March 27, 2011 Nice one, my warning light came on yesterday then went out again. Will do this mod. Is it usually only the drivers side that has this problem or are both side prone to the fault? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momo Posted March 27, 2011 Report Share Posted March 27, 2011 Beemer - check your connector but yes it sounds like its this fault.. Chocka - it can be either side or like on my bro's car, both! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blair Posted March 27, 2011 Report Share Posted March 27, 2011 Both sides do it on my last 330 I spent ages sorting this out left the car in the workshop while I went to get a reversing sensor came back turned car on & fault had returned!!!!!!! I was so niggled I slammed the boot shut & could hear sniggling from the other side of the shop.... Yeah the f**kers had taken the bulbs out !!!!!!!! Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocka Posted March 27, 2011 Report Share Posted March 27, 2011 Just done both sides to make sure. Thank for the help guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beemer330i Posted March 27, 2011 Report Share Posted March 27, 2011 Just done both sides to make sure. Thank for the help guys Has it worked? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beemer330i Posted March 27, 2011 Report Share Posted March 27, 2011 Nice one, my warning light came on yesterday then went out again. Will do this mod. Is it usually only the drivers side that has this problem or are both side prone to the fault? Mine is the passenger side so hope it works for that as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz T Posted October 6, 2011 Report Share Posted October 6, 2011 Hi guys my light comes on for frnt headljght not side light but bulbs workin fine is there a similar issue with the front wiring or is this somthing else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momo Posted October 6, 2011 Report Share Posted October 6, 2011 Something else, this was for rear lights only. The issue was the earth connector point is too small to handle the current for the rear lights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colmurphy Posted October 6, 2011 Report Share Posted October 6, 2011 BMW are doing a recall on this in the states! Not sure if they are going to do it over here tho Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyZ Posted October 7, 2011 Report Share Posted October 7, 2011 BMW are doing a recall on this in the states! Not sure if they are going to do it over here tho Prob not knowing our luck over here lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_D Posted October 7, 2011 Report Share Posted October 7, 2011 BMW are doing a recall on this in the states! Not sure if they are going to do it over here tho how do you find out what recalls there are? I get this on mine and need to do this mod, but if BMW are going to do a recall I'll hang on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyZ Posted October 7, 2011 Report Share Posted October 7, 2011 how do you find out what recalls there are? I get this on mine and need to do this mod, but if BMW are going to do a recall I'll hang on Its on fanatics homepage bout light recall dude, for other ones maybe phone BMW ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momo Posted October 7, 2011 Report Share Posted October 7, 2011 A word of advice - if the recall repair is anything like i've read on the net - DONT! From what i've read elsewhere some dealerships have admitted there's a problem and basically rip out the old connector and put a new one in.. I'm sorry but thats not fixing the problem. The problem is the connector is too small to handle the current so burns out. Yes you might have replaced a burnt out one but it's only a matter of time until it burns out again. Easiest/simplest and longest lastingest option is do what I did.. Simples.. Seb 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyZ Posted October 7, 2011 Report Share Posted October 7, 2011 A word of advice - if the recall repair is anything like i've read on the net - DONT! From what i've read elsewhere some dealerships have admitted there's a problem and basically rip out the old connector and put a new one in.. I'm sorry but thats not fixing the problem. The problem is the connector is too small to handle the current so burns out. Yes you might have replaced a burnt out one but it's only a matter of time until it burns out again. Easiest/simplest and longest lastingest option is do what I did.. Simples.. Typical lol BMW should fix the problem not just delay another one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_D Posted October 7, 2011 Report Share Posted October 7, 2011 in that case I will just repair it myself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Mark Posted October 7, 2011 Report Share Posted October 7, 2011 Take the brown earth wire from multi plug and plug directly to the board as in my pic, it's the earth that overheats and melts the plug causing the dash warning lights. You need tin snips to trim metal lug to make a perfect snug fit, as in my pic, do both sides regardless of whether it looks ok or not. JayP07 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_D Posted October 7, 2011 Report Share Posted October 7, 2011 I was going to do similar, but remove the original end and fit a new spade connector, which has a larger contact area Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Mark Posted October 7, 2011 Report Share Posted October 7, 2011 Tbh not had a single problem since I did this, seems hard to believe BMW would make yet another school boy error with the e46, makes you wonder if they designed the 46 on the back of a fag packet during tea break, electrics burining out sockets, water pumps, boot floors etc etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
