annoying "tail light failure"

[bmwperson]

Hey,
my OBC sometimes shows "tail light failure" which usualy means that one of the bulbs is bad... the problem is that all of em work fine.. I started playing with the lights today, took some sand paper and polished the metal thingies where the socket touches the housing... but no luck, I started knocking on the lights and looking on the obc after one of the hits I got tail light failure... ( left light ) Now, I guess the bulb doesnt make good contact.
My question:
1. Where can I get the socket that you put the bulb into?
2. Anyone had it fix differently?

PS had the same problem in my old 94 325i ( RIP )

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Thanks
Tom

 

[Bimmerlife]

Exactly, the problem is in the plastic sockets. sometimes they melt from the heat of the bulbs. And the actual contact area wont touch together.

 

[bmwperson]

mine didnt melt for sure... I checked for that, but it has this weird rusty power on the connectors which I tried taking off using sand paper but I dont think It helped... Another thing im considering is that I have aftermarket bulbs ( I bought the car with em ) The obc measures the resistance/current taken proly and if its not in like the one in the OEM bulbs then it shows the msg. Now where can I get the sockets and oem bulbs? ( preferably cheaper I know bavauto has em but they charge alot for a damn cheap bulb $15 ?!? )

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Tom

 

[Bimmerlife]

The sockets in the dealer. It shouldn't be expensive. And bulbs go to any regular auto parts store and look for Sylvania bulbs. Thats what BMW uses from the factory.

 

[Big Daddy]

Is it a "tail light failure" or a "Brake light Circut Failure"? There has been a lot of Brake Light Failure problems requiring the replacement of the brake light switch.

 

[bmwperson]

I had a circuit error too.. Just yesterday replaced the switch, took me 15mins... just a tip for anyone atempting it... dont bent the metal piece that holds the switch in place while trying to remove the old one.... other then that its pretty easy, the switch was $25 from bavauto ( great service ).

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Tom

 

[bmwperson]

Just drove to work, 1.5h in traffic... Damn Chicago traffic... but NO BRAKE CIRCUT FAILURE... and it was only $25+15m of work.
Also I put some WD40 on the connectors and my tail light failure doesnt come on either...

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Tom

 

[lupes5]

i had this problem...it first started and it said brake light failure and the bulb was burned out....i replaced it, and 2 minutes later, it came back on.....i went back there f'ed with it, and then 2 minutes later again it came back on......then i took it out, turned it the opposite way, and put it in kinda so the contact points were switched on which side they were.....i dunno if thats what fixed it, but it stopped after that....

 

[bmwperson]

Yeah, I was f** with it too like that, but Its really damn annoying cuz sometimes you hit a bump, and you have to run back and f** with it over and over again.... Anyway so far wd40 helped it cuz for 2h I didnt have any errors, so Im happy. I also fixed my brake pad sensor so now the only thing to fix it the ABS light... Any ideas how to diagnose a faulty abs speed sensor? I think they are magnetic so a simple multimeter will tell if the sensor has resistance or not... Anyway those damn sensors are like $100 each. Anyone has one for sale? I proly have one in my old crashed car but that will be a biatch to get out.... ( I took the back susp out of it so its flat on the ground and the harnes is all the way underneath the car *rear*)

Just rambling...
Tom

 

[bmwperson]

DAMN! the "tail light failure" came on... im gonna have to replace the bulbs I guess...

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Tom

 

[lupes5]

thats very odd....hopefully the problem jus kinda stops like it did 4 me ...goodluck

 

[Big Daddy]

Have you replaced the brake light switch?

 

[bmwperson]

yes

 

[Big Daddy]

Make sure all your bulbs are the European type, silver base, not brass!

 

[bmwperson]

It will probably take me 5h to find one ;> anyone knows which parts store sells em? pep boys?

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Tom

 

[bmwperson]

got em, but still didnt help.... damn lights...

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Tom

 

[Big Daddy]

heck, if the blubs are all the right type, the brake light switch was replaced and you still get the failure notice I am at a loss? Did you remember the 3rd brake light?

 

[bmwperson]

I didnt, but for some reason I think thats not it, taping on the back lights triggered the "tail light failure" So the problem has to be somewhere there I guess.....

--
Tom

 

[Lori]

So changing your bulbs to factory bmw bulbs didn't solve your problem? I've had the same problem on my 93 325is ever since I bought it last June. A dealer has told me that it is due to a non-oem bulb. I've just never gotten around to mucking with it yet so it still yells at me every time I turn my lights on. Let me know if you've discovered a fix yet!

 

[bmwperson]

Didnt fix it... I have non-oem bulbs but they are silver base... Now Im thinking either the bulbs or the aftermarket tail lights ( which I didnt put on there ) are causing the problems...

Best Regards
Tom