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Rear Indicator Failure
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- Newbie
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2013 11:18 am
- Location: Suffolk, UK
Rear Indicator Failure
My near side rear indicator failed this week so I naively thought It would just be a bulb change. How wrong can you be?
Thanks to the help on this forum I now realise I need to change the entire unit (thanks BMW, great design) and this morning had a quote from Sopers of Lincoln for £353.92. As if that wasn’t painful enough, the current delivery estimate is 16th August meaning my car will be off the road for the best part of 4 weeks if I’m lucky.
Question for members - does anyone have experience of repairing these units? It seems grossly wasteful that the entire unit has to be binned for the sake of one minor electrical fault.
Thanks to the help on this forum I now realise I need to change the entire unit (thanks BMW, great design) and this morning had a quote from Sopers of Lincoln for £353.92. As if that wasn’t painful enough, the current delivery estimate is 16th August meaning my car will be off the road for the best part of 4 weeks if I’m lucky.
Question for members - does anyone have experience of repairing these units? It seems grossly wasteful that the entire unit has to be binned for the sake of one minor electrical fault.
- Phoenixboy
- Senior Member
- Posts: 2118
- Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2016 9:07 pm
- Location: english riviera
Rear Indicator Failure
moisture gets in to the rear of the unit and messes up the led indicator strip.
you can try popping open the rear flap and stick a hair dryer in to dry out the moisture.
its a temporary solution that worked for me until i got a replacement unit.
look on ecp for deals, much cheaper than bmw and its a magnet marelli unit which is oem.
you can try popping open the rear flap and stick a hair dryer in to dry out the moisture.
its a temporary solution that worked for me until i got a replacement unit.
look on ecp for deals, much cheaper than bmw and its a magnet marelli unit which is oem.
E89 s drive 30i manual/gone
space grey
Carbon interior trim
19" Veeman FS 25`s
cruise control
m sport seats
stubby
led halo bulbs
z4 forum sticker, for added power.
OEM wind deflector
Gone, E85 Ruby Black.
space grey
Carbon interior trim
19" Veeman FS 25`s
cruise control
m sport seats
stubby
led halo bulbs
z4 forum sticker, for added power.
OEM wind deflector
Gone, E85 Ruby Black.
- Chippie
- Senior Member
- Posts: 2349
- Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2019 9:11 pm
- Location: Wakefield
Rear Indicator Failure
Here’s a link to a YouTube video repairing the indicator.
https://youtu.be/gVAMzZlmLs0
https://youtu.be/gVAMzZlmLs0
E89 35is space grey Kansas coral red leather
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- Member
- Posts: 633
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Rear Indicator Failure
I tried all sorts of repairs on mine years ago when I had the first design indicators on a previous car.
What looked like a tint amount of water ingress actually amounted to maybe 200ml when I removed the fitting & tipped it all out.
Went to town on drying it out, but made little difference.
The good news is that the new design (looks the same, but subtley different) fixes the problem.
What looked like a tint amount of water ingress actually amounted to maybe 200ml when I removed the fitting & tipped it all out.
Went to town on drying it out, but made little difference.
The good news is that the new design (looks the same, but subtley different) fixes the problem.
From Jan 2023 2016 e89 Z4 35is / mineral white / coral red interior / all the extras
SOLD 2010 e89 Z4 35is / space grey / coral red interior / all the extras
SOLD 2007 e85 Z4 3.0 si sport / midnight blue / champagne interior
SOLD 2010 e89 Z4 35is / space grey / coral red interior / all the extras
SOLD 2007 e85 Z4 3.0 si sport / midnight blue / champagne interior
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- Newbie
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2013 11:18 am
- Location: Suffolk, UK
Rear Indicator Failure
Thanks all, for your very helpful responses. For info I took the unit out this morning and found it had already been bodged by a previous owner and it has been left as a completely unsealed unit. No wonder moisture was getting in! I’ll try drying it out as suggested while I wait the 4 weeks for BMW to source a new one. In the meantime I’ll follow other suggestions to source from elsewhere, thanks again.
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- Member
- Posts: 88
- Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2019 8:58 pm
- Location: Berkshire
Rear Indicator Failure
As mentioned, they are made by Magnetti Marelli - Euro Car Parts have them listed at £270 (less a penny) - nearly twice what I paid 3 years ago, but they have none in stock either. Maybe a call might give you an idea when they will get some in stock.
I would also give Cheltenham BMW a call to see what discount you can get from them - they are usually pretty good to me (and others too), so might beat the price you got from Sopers. I never get any discount from my local BMW dealer
Depending upon when your original lights were made you may find they are three post attachment which was later changed to a two post attachment, meaning the central post hole will need sealing with tape if you have the three post attachment.
Not a difficult job to do and has been discussed at length on this forum.
Cheers!
Andy
I would also give Cheltenham BMW a call to see what discount you can get from them - they are usually pretty good to me (and others too), so might beat the price you got from Sopers. I never get any discount from my local BMW dealer
Depending upon when your original lights were made you may find they are three post attachment which was later changed to a two post attachment, meaning the central post hole will need sealing with tape if you have the three post attachment.
Not a difficult job to do and has been discussed at length on this forum.
Cheers!
Andy
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- Member
- Posts: 70
- Joined: Fri Aug 18, 2017 10:25 pm
- Location: North Wales
Rear Indicator Failure
Still waiting for near side rear for 8 weeks now none in stock in GB or Germany apparently stopped making them.
lots of Z4 owners complaining on face book not happy at all
lots of Z4 owners complaining on face book not happy at all
Z4 E89 23 i M-Sport highline in red
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- Lifer
- Posts: 4072
- Joined: Sat May 25, 2013 8:27 pm
- Location: Stourbridge
Rear Indicator Failure
Goes to prove what an utterly bad design the tail lights have been.
Looks like someone needs to set up to rebuild them.
Main problem is getting the rear lens off.
Bonkers amount of electronics in the bottom that gets damp and shorts out.
Wouldn't mind the rear indicators aren't that visible slightly off centre.
BMW must have a pile of failed lamps.
Looks like someone needs to set up to rebuild them.
Main problem is getting the rear lens off.
Bonkers amount of electronics in the bottom that gets damp and shorts out.
Wouldn't mind the rear indicators aren't that visible slightly off centre.
BMW must have a pile of failed lamps.
- RobbiZ4
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1243
- Joined: Wed May 16, 2018 10:12 am
- Location: Munich
- Contact:
Rear Indicator Failure
This is where this design came from as well as the production line is: Tolmezzo in Italy
https://www-zroadster-com.translate.goo ... st-3279274
In total 12 generations where required to get this rounded design halfways stable. This can be seen on the parts label as addon of the partno:
"Partno-12" is the latest one.
Pardon, je suis Allemand
E89 Roof Maintenance
viewtopic.php?t=130932
Y3 Roof Diagnostic System
viewtopic.php?f=23&t=129048
E89 Roof Maintenance
viewtopic.php?t=130932
Y3 Roof Diagnostic System
viewtopic.php?f=23&t=129048
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- Lifer
- Posts: 4072
- Joined: Sat May 25, 2013 8:27 pm
- Location: Stourbridge
Rear Indicator Failure
Explains everything, i think the roof mechanism was designed in Italy, probably made there, looks almost same on some Ferraris.RobbiZ4 wrote: ↑Mon Aug 14, 2023 7:04 pmThis is where this design came from as well as the production line is: Tolmezzo in Italy
https://www-zroadster-com.translate.goo ... st-3279274
In total 12 generations where required to get this rounded design halfways stable. This can be seen on the parts label as addon of the partno:
"Partno-12" is the latest one.
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- Lifer
- Posts: 4072
- Joined: Sat May 25, 2013 8:27 pm
- Location: Stourbridge
Rear Indicator Failure
Explains everything, i think the roof mechanism was designed in Italy, probably made there, looks almost same on some Ferraris.RobbiZ4 wrote: ↑Mon Aug 14, 2023 7:04 pmThis is where this design came from as well as the production line is: Tolmezzo in Italy
https://www-zroadster-com.translate.goo ... st-3279274
In total 12 generations where required to get this rounded design halfways stable. This can be seen on the parts label as addon of the partno:
"Partno-12" is the latest one.
Italians seem into machine tools, presses, hydraulics, pneumatics.
- RobbiZ4
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1243
- Joined: Wed May 16, 2018 10:12 am
- Location: Munich
- Contact:
Rear Indicator Failure
Not quite correct, only the tail lights are from Italy.flybobbie wrote: ↑Tue Aug 15, 2023 10:21 amExplains everything, i think the roof mechanism was designed in Italy, probably made there, looks almost same on some Ferraris.RobbiZ4 wrote: ↑Mon Aug 14, 2023 7:04 pmThis is where this design came from as well as the production line is: Tolmezzo in Italy
https://www-zroadster-com.translate.goo ... st-3279274
In total 12 generations where required to get this rounded design halfways stable. This can be seen on the parts label as addon of the partno:
"Partno-12" is the latest one.
Italians seem into machine tools, presses, hydraulics, pneumatics.
The roof was developed and built by EDSCHA in Regensburg, northeast of Munich. Their convertible subsidiary now belongs to WEBASTO, also located next to Munich.
Pardon, je suis Allemand
E89 Roof Maintenance
viewtopic.php?t=130932
Y3 Roof Diagnostic System
viewtopic.php?f=23&t=129048
E89 Roof Maintenance
viewtopic.php?t=130932
Y3 Roof Diagnostic System
viewtopic.php?f=23&t=129048
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- Newbie
- Posts: 21
- Joined: Tue Jun 12, 2018 1:20 am
Rear Indicator Failure
Looks like I have the same issue with my passenger side rear indicator as well on my 23i. It’s intermittent as sometimes it works fine then it goes to the blinking twitchy stage with 4 LED’s out, but if I just leave it indicating it can go back to being fine again until later in the drive going wrong again. I took it to my local BMW independent garage for a service yesterday and they confirmed it would be a replacement needed.
Problem is the light isn’t in stock anywhere despite this being a much needed part reading posts like this online etc. The garage equally drew a blank on the day which is a bit disconcerting as I would like it fixed asap they are going to ask around for me as they probably just looked online like I did initially.
OP did you receive your replacement by the date you mentioned? if so do you know where they got it? If anyone else has any leads it would be greatly appreciated.
63217191775 is the part number for reference and I’m UK based North West.
Problem is the light isn’t in stock anywhere despite this being a much needed part reading posts like this online etc. The garage equally drew a blank on the day which is a bit disconcerting as I would like it fixed asap they are going to ask around for me as they probably just looked online like I did initially.
OP did you receive your replacement by the date you mentioned? if so do you know where they got it? If anyone else has any leads it would be greatly appreciated.
63217191775 is the part number for reference and I’m UK based North West.
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- Member
- Posts: 211
- Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2018 5:59 pm
Rear Indicator Failure
Yep and meNick1526 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 26, 2023 8:02 pm Looks like I have the same issue with my passenger side rear indicator as well on my 23i. It’s intermittent as sometimes it works fine then it goes to the blinking twitchy stage with 4 LED’s out, but if I just leave it indicating it can go back to being fine again until later in the drive going wrong again. I took it to my local BMW independent garage for a service yesterday and they confirmed it would be a replacement needed.
Problem is the light isn’t in stock anywhere despite this being a much needed part reading posts like this online etc. The garage equally drew a blank on the day which is a bit disconcerting as I would like it fixed asap they are going to ask around for me as they probably just looked online like I did initially.
OP did you receive your replacement by the date you mentioned? if so do you know where they got it? If anyone else has any leads it would be greatly appreciated.
63217191775 is the part number for reference and I’m UK based North West.
Oct 22 2nd Zed Orion Silver 2012 SDrive 2.0 Auto Oct 18 1st Zed Black 2006 2.5 Auto Roadster now with hardtop.
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- Newbie
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