Getting the 1 brake light failure message on my 97 328IS. The right
brake light is indeed not working. I checked the bulb and it was fine.
I replaced it anyhow with a Sylvania with no luck. I tried cleaning
the connectors, same problem. I tried putting the working reverse
bulb in, negative. Any suggestions? From what i've researched, the
brake light switch is a fairly common problem but I'm not recieving
the brake light circuit error.
thanks
jason
Socket or wiring is bad if the known good bulb didn't work. Start at the
socket with a voltmeter and start following the circuit backwards -
sooner or later you'll find where the smoke got out.
I recently had the same problem with a 97 328ic. Discovered that there
had been some arcing that had burned a small hole in one of the tail
light housing contacts so that even with a new bulb holder, full
contact wasn't being made. So i dropped in a bit of conductive solder
to fill the hole and problem gone. Saved the cost of a new tail light
housing unit.
This is a VERY common problem on BMW - especially whit the "galvanized" or zinc
coated steel contact strips. BMW replaced the tail lamps on E38 series (7)
until they were redesigned. Don't know about the other cars but I have repaired
mine by scraping away the burnt area and using a decent soldering iron 30W +
solder a small piece of brass over the hole or scrape off the coating and put a
dollop of solder in the hole and carefully spread it out smooth. Almost a
permanent job.
Sir Hugh of Bognor
The difference between men and boys is the price of their toys.
Intelligence is not knowing the answer but knowing where and how to find it!
Hugh Gundersen
snipped-for-privacy@h-gee.co.uk
Bognor Regis, W.Sussex, England, UK
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