DIY: Tail Light Ground Fix for your E46 doityourself

9 Attachment(s)

First things first, I know Dane already has a DIY of this procedure, but this is a DIY using the Tail Light Repair Kit. I bought this kit off ECS Tuning for $4 (and $8 for shipping of course :D )

I had plans to finally repair the issue tonight, and of course on my way home, I get pulled over for my tail light being out... but when I told the police officer that it was a recall issue from BMW, he confessed that he owned a ZHP a few years back and had to deal with the same issue. He let me off! :thumbsup How Ironic! Still very cool! And no ticket! Lol

Also, I know most people have had this done on recall by their BMW dealership, but unfortunately the dealer near me refuses to fix it so I had to take it upon myself to fix it.

This install took about 10 minutes total to complete, maybe a little less.

Here is what the kit comes with:
Attachment 25078

Remove the bulb housing of your tail light and disconnect the plug. This is what you're replacing. The ground terminal cannot support the amount of current running through it, which causes resistance and heat to build up. A melted connector and corrosion is what you end with.

Attachment 25079

Slide the pin out, mine came right out, and this is what will need to be upgraded. That will be cut off and the new ground wire attached to it.
Attachment 25080

Cut some of the wire off and strip the wire back a little. Then attach the new terminal that comes in the kit to the wire like so.

Attachment 25081
Attachment 25082

Once you attach the new terminal, slip it onto one of the ends of the spade connector that comes in the kit.

Attachment 25083

Once the terminal is attached to the spade connector, slide it into the black case that is included in the kit. It just slides right in, and you will here a small click.

Attachment 25084

The final step of this repair is to attach the new comnector to the ground pin on the circuit board (very nice of BMW to just ironically have that ground location there). Very easy, the connector just slides on.
Attachment 25085

And now you are finished! After months of this issue of having a tail light dash light on, it is finally gone, and its so nice to not have it there. And all tail light functions work great! :cheers

Attachment 25086

I hope you all enjoyed this simple little DIY and I hope someone can make use of it.

What's the part number on that kit?

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Quote:

Originally Posted by cjares

What's the part number on that kit?

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PN: 61129281435

Why is it that in 2021, I’m looking for this because my ZHP has a tail light warning signal that’s been on for a couple weeks and won’t go off with lightbulb changes. I would’ve thought my car would have had it done under the recall especially being that it was previously owned by a BMW mechanic. I guess I will be purchasing this.

Thanks for taking the time to document this fix!

Quote:

Originally Posted by JPMo

Why is it that in 2021, I’m looking for this because my ZHP has a tail light warning signal that’s been on for a couple weeks and won’t go off with lightbulb changes. I would’ve thought my car would have had it done under the recall especially being that it was previously owned by a BMW mechanic. I guess I will be purchasing this.

Wondering the same in 2023.

I followed Bryant's DIY to properly rewire both of my tail light grounds on my ZHP this weekend :)