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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2017
    Location
    Western USA
    Posts
    101

    Passenger side non-working Xenon headlight has broken wires

    I had the Xenon control unit moved to the passenger side(with bulb) from driver's side last year. I think this movement is unrelated to my current problem because the bulb was working fine for the last 9 months. My new problem is the headlight is out(does not shine light) after I braked hard briefly over very ridged roads. Now, after I turned it on and there's the usual red icon indicating" headlight bulb out" on the dashboard.

    Per picture and arrowed, I checked the xenon bulb compartment and saw the green wire is broken. The exposed brown wire is still intact but can break soon . I electric taped the green wire and also used clips to hold it in place from car vibrations, since I can not get my hand far in there. Afterwards, that bulb came flashing back on but intermittently. Some times, it will turn on 3 seconds after the other headlight. Some times it will turn on after I turn the switch off and on while driving.

    Now, it is totally off and I think I have to reclip it again to get it back on; this is not practical to do. Any suggestions, as I think taking the whole headlight assembly out is going to be a weekend project that I've never done , in order to get to the 2 wires that need to be replaced?


    Oops. I can across a similar post ( http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showt...ter-Plug-Wires ) and this problem is not unique. It looks like it needs some soldering of the wires together , unless I get a whole new unit just to replace the wires. Anyways, I'm going to inspect the driver's side also tonight.
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    Last edited by thinkpad240; 05-01-2020 at 04:22 PM. Reason: update

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Branford, CT
    Posts
    16,055
    You'll have to rebuild your wiring. I went through this exercise a while ago. I disassembled my headlights completely, cut out all the wiring, and used fresh new wiring to rebuild it. I recommend buying a dirt cheap set of halogens to throw in while you're rebuilding so you can still drive the car in the mean time.

    When I disassembled my wiring I found far more wires missing insulation that it appeared on the surface.

    "Repairing" the existing wiring is only a temporary solution because all the unrepaired sections could very well fail as well.

    Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk
    BP
    2005 330i ZHP / 6MT
    Imolarot / Naturbraun
    2003 330iT / 6MT
    Orientblau / Naturbraun




    It's not the car you drive, it's how you drive it.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Socal
    Posts
    1,739
    yeah except the fl coupe xenon headlights are a bitch to take apart and put back together. nothing like the sedan.

  4. #4
    Spent a couple of weeks in February doing this. Started because of broken wires. Used the occasion to take the lenses of (heat gun needed for the coupe) and install halos. Good luck.

    Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk
    2005 Imola Red; Black Leather

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2017
    Location
    Western USA
    Posts
    101
    Problem solved at no cost. Since there was only one broken wire, I peeled the plastic insulation slightly off the green wire. Then meshed the two broken wires together and after slightly twisting the wire, wrap it with lots of electrical tape. (Taped brown wire also). That fixed it and the light is back on as normal. To be totally safe in future, I just have to remember\remind technicians not to pull the wires it ever in that assembly.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Branford, CT
    Posts
    16,055
    Quote Originally Posted by thinkpad240 View Post
    Problem solved at no cost. Since there was only one broken wire, I peeled the plastic insulation slightly off the green wire. Then meshed the two broken wires together and after slightly twisting the wire, wrap it with lots of electrical tape. (Taped brown wire also). That fixed it and the light is back on as normal. To be totally safe in future, I just have to remember\remind technicians not to pull the wires it ever in that assembly.
    That isn't going to last. I recommend you solder the two parts of the wire together and put heat shrink tubing over it. You hit enough bumps and that will come right apart otherwise.
    BP
    2005 330i ZHP / 6MT
    Imolarot / Naturbraun
    2003 330iT / 6MT
    Orientblau / Naturbraun




    It's not the car you drive, it's how you drive it.

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