Materials to Maintain Your ZHP IIIII Hand Protection IIIII Tools to Maintain Your ZHP
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Central Florida
    Posts
    851

    DIY: Tail Light Ground Fix for your E46 doityourself

    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! 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:
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    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.

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    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.
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    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.

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

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    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.

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    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.
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    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!

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



    2004 330i ZHP Imola | 6MT | /// Coby Tri-Stitch Wheel | Khoalty Angel Eyes | eBay Headers | Euro RCR Light Package | Vibrant Performance Custom Exhaust

  2. #2
    What's the part number on that kit?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Central Florida
    Posts
    851
    Quote Originally Posted by cjares View Post
    What's the part number on that kit?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    PN: 61129281435
    --Bryant



    2004 330i ZHP Imola | 6MT | /// Coby Tri-Stitch Wheel | Khoalty Angel Eyes | eBay Headers | Euro RCR Light Package | Vibrant Performance Custom Exhaust

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Location
    Atlanta/Macon, Georgia
    Posts
    572
    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.

    2004 Titansilber Metallic BMW 330i ZHP

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Leesburg, VA
    Posts
    1,208
    Thanks for taking the time to document this fix!
    2006 330ci ZHP - Silbergrau Metallic / Stoff Laser/Anthrazit / Alu Black Cube trim / Adaptive Xenon headlights / HK hi-fi system / heated front seats

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by JPMo View Post
    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.

  7. #7
    I followed Bryant's DIY to properly rewire both of my tail light grounds on my ZHP this weekend

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