[lambo911]

I have had an issue with the tailgate lamp coming loose on my November 2013 330D touring.

I bought it new and it has only been serviced by the supplying dealer.

The lamp unit is the exactly the same part number on the saloon and estate.

It is interesting that changed the design of the lamp in November 2013, I suspect my car has the old design.

In my case the lamp came loose and let water in the boot which then flooded the Harmon Kardon amplifier...£1400.

BMW are not accepting any responsibility saying the car is too old.

I took the lamp out and the clip has broken. It also looks like there is some sort of glue. I tried to take out the other lamp to compare it was stuck fast and I couldn't remove it.

What I am suspecting is that the dealers did the service bulletin, broke the one lamp taking it out but glued it in anyway. Then now 5 years later the glue has failed and the rest is history.

What is annoying me more than anything is BMW customer service are not admitting to me that there has been a problem with lamps and they will investigate and the dealer trying to wheedle out of accepting any responsibility that it was there 'fix' that has ultimately resulted in the failure.

I am trying to find out if the service bulletin SI B63 05 12 was done on my car. If it was then happy days, big compensation claim is coming their way !

[Wires]

Dude.. your car is 7 years old, good luck. Looking for infinite warranty as well?

I'm 99.9999999999999999% sure even if they did that SIB, your are SOL....

[sqwinny]

you know what they did to my car with those tailights? they put a small thin strip of clear automotive goop on it and adheared it to the trunk lid. thats exaclty what they did with yours. No damage to the trunk lid/paint, but it held it strong and together until i poked through it to change the bulb. nothing wrong with doing that, but a used replacement lens is ~50 on ebay. Automotive goop is maybe ~10 bucks tops.

[lambo911]

Originally Posted by Wires

Dude.. your car is 7 years old, good luck. Looking for infinite warranty as well?

I'm 99.9999999999999999% sure even if they did that SIB, your are SOL....

No i am not looking for an infinite warranty although that would be nice
but if BMW bodge it to fix a manufacturing defect and the bodge fails then they must accept some responsibility ?

[jsouth]

If the locating tab on the inner light housing is not broken off, there is an easy and permanent fix (below). If the tab is broken, order a new light and then do this small mod.

The tab engages in a slot on the trunk lid. There is very little engagement and sometimes it pops out or causes strain on the end of the tab, which breaks. The solution is the take a large slotted screwdriver and tweak the edge of the hole into which the tab engages, so that the sheet metal protrudes out slightly and grabs just a bit more of the tab.

After having to replace both inner housings and doing this on both sides of mine at different times, it has not happened again. No goop or glue is necessary. And I wish I had done it on both sides when I discovered the first side had broken. Do both while the trunk lid cover is removed and it is easy to get to them.

[lambo911]

Originally Posted by jsouth

If the locating tab on the inner light housing is not broken off, there is an easy and permanent fix (below). If the tab is broken, order a new light and then do this small mod.

The tab engages in a slot on the trunk lid. There is very little engagement and sometimes it pops out or causes strain on the end of the tab, which breaks. The solution is the take a large slotted screwdriver and tweak the edge of the hole into which the tab engages, so that the sheet metal protrudes out slightly and grabs just a bit more of the tab.

After having to replace both inner housings and doing this on both sides of mine at different times, it has not happened again. No goop or glue is necessary. And I wish I had done it on both sides when I discovered the first side had broken. Do both while the trunk lid cover is removed and it is easy to get to them.

Hi, yes simple to fix and i would have done by now if that was the only issue but it is the blown amplifier I am pi55ed about as that is £1400 to replace. It has is blown due to the broken lamp. Hence going after BMW.

[Wires]

Originally Posted by lambo911

No i am not looking for an infinite warranty although that would be nice
but if BMW bodge it to fix a manufacturing defect and the bodge fails then they must accept some responsibility ?

Highly unlikely after the time frame elapsed. By that logic, any known defect needs to be repaired free of charge forever.

Not saying losing the overpriced amp isn't crappy. I'm sure you can find a used one at a wrecker that is VASTLY cheaper though. BMW audio isn't that spectacular that I'd want to spend that level of money on the OEM.

This is no different than people losing the radiator due to a stone, which BMW addressed with plastic screens to help block this. My car doesn't have the plastic grills, and they have no obligation to update my car (unfortunately).

[lambo911]

Thought I better post an update....

BMW wouldn't accept any responsibility even though in the US there was a service bulletin about faulty lamps for 2012-13 built cars and the lamp design was changed a few weeks after my car was built.

So I tried an car electronics expert to see if he could fix the amp but no joy there. So in the end I just bought a 2nd hand one for £500. It was the right one for a 3 series so I just plugged it in and it all works ok.

I haven't coded it to the car but I think you only need to do that if you are using one from another model as the coding adjusts the sound balance to suit the interior shape.