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      07-23-2018, 06:10 PM   #23
racerbruce
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Closing trunk

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Originally Posted by gpraceman View Post
I wonder if it has more to do with how people close the trunk. I cringed when people have closed my trunk by placing their hand on the top of the trunk and then pushing down, resulting in a loud thud. Looking at DIY videos on replacing the light, I also notice people pushing down on the lid to close.
There's a finger-pull built into the under trunk near the LR tail light on the roadsters....just place your fingers in and gently pull to a non-concusion latch.
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      07-23-2018, 06:14 PM   #24
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There's a finger-pull built into the under trunk near the LR tail light on the roadsters....just place your fingers in and gently pull to a non-concusion latch.
Yep, that is what I do and let it gently drop the last few inches.
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      07-23-2018, 11:25 PM   #25
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Changed mine out tonight. The springs were pretty well compressed. I did not tighten them as far with the new one. Hopefully, that will help.
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      07-24-2018, 12:01 AM   #26
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Need to change mine out before the next wash.
Washed it last night, trying to be careful, but still got water in the trunk.
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      07-24-2018, 06:54 AM   #27
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Originally Posted by gpraceman View Post
Yep, that is what I do and let it gently drop the last few inches.
Ditto. Perhaps the dampers on my car are worn but my trunk lid closes by itself with very little effort from fully open, yet it doesn't slam down hard enough to make me worry that it will damage the brake light.

Re the brake light, mine was cracked when I first bought the car but it was replaced by BMW under the original warranty - its been fine since. My car is garaged most of the time - could this be some form of UV degradation, or a hot sunny climate issue for those of us in the southern US (I'm in Canada)? Also, my brake light is red so could there be some issue with the plastic formulation in the clear lenses making them more susceptible to cracking etc?
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      07-24-2018, 11:10 AM   #28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Huz-Z View Post
Re the brake light, mine was cracked when I first bought the car but it was replaced by BMW under the original warranty - its been fine since. My car is garaged most of the time - could this be some form of UV degradation, or a hot sunny climate issue for those of us in the southern US (I'm in Canada)? Also, my brake light is red so could there be some issue with the plastic formulation in the clear lenses making them more susceptible to cracking etc?
When I was in the market, every Z4 I test drove had a cracked 3rd brake light. That was from a 2.5i up to an M, so red and clear lens ones.

My car is on at least it's 3rd one. I see in the maintenance history that one was replaced under warranty.
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      07-27-2018, 03:27 PM   #29
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Solved?

I think I just solved the mystery!
Trying to replace mine for at least the second time (can't find my carfax, but i think the PO may have had it replaced).

Can't get the old one out.
Car is sitting on the driveway in Noonish Sun, in SoCal, and it's 97°F.
It won't come out. It's bigger than the hole in the trunk.
It expanded and the edges of the hole sheared the lens off. The housing won't fit through.
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      07-27-2018, 03:41 PM   #30
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Quote:
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I think I just solved the mystery!
Trying to replace mine for at least the second time (can't find my carfax, but i think the PO may have had it replaced).

Can't get the old one out.
Car is sitting on the driveway in Noonish Sun, in SoCal, and it's 97°F.
It won't come out. It's bigger than the hole in the trunk.
It expanded and the edges of the hole sheared the lens off. The housing won't fit through.
Interesting. Could it maybe be sitting too far back into the hole?

You can create a mycarfax.com account for free. Add each of your vehicles by VIN. Then you can access their service history.

I was able to get a bit more detailed service history on my car by calling one the of the BMW dealers that had serviced it in the past (listed on the MyCarFax service history). That dealer emailed me a copy of the service history. Now, at least I have a better idea on what work was done on the car. Though, there is a significant gap in that history. Hopefully, it really was serviced during that time at least for an oil change.
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      07-27-2018, 10:26 PM   #31
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And another thing!!
Just installed the new one and it doesn't fit the curve of the trunk (boot).
The middle hits well before the ends do.
I didn't even bother to install the middle spring.
Did up the ends with Nylocs threaded 1/2 way on, and still small gaps at each end.
I give it a week.

Edit: I decided instead to do up the middle bolt with the nut 1/2 way on, and put some calk at the ends where it doesn't touch the trunk.
Put the nuts on the ends just barely compressing the springs enough so they don't rattle.
My theory is when the seal heats up in the middle where it has pressure on it, it will compress and pull the whole thing farther in.
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Last edited by StickMon; 07-28-2018 at 11:39 AM.. Reason: New plan.
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      08-24-2018, 01:10 AM   #32
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Update:
Last time I replaced the light it developed cracks around the edges after about a month.
It's been almost a month this time, and it still looks fine. No cracks.
This is with the center nut tightened 50%, and the ends barely on.
Looks like the problem is that the light isn't curved as much as the trunk lid, so if you tighten all 3 nuts it bows the light.

Has gaps at the ends, though. I'll be washing it this weekend. Will see if it leaks.
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      08-24-2018, 12:58 PM   #33
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Wanted to chime in- I wrapped mine in dark tint film and it kinda acts as a protective cover for the light. You could probably do it with a clear film as well to ensure no cracks develop.

I wrapped the film around the sides of the lens where it touches the metal trunk not just the front if that helps.
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      08-24-2018, 01:05 PM   #34
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This thread has jinxed me. Since my post above, I've noticed some small cracks on the upper edge of my brake light.
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      08-27-2018, 11:14 AM   #35
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AmmarYasirA View Post
Wanted to chime in- I wrapped mine in dark tint film and it kinda acts as a protective cover for the light. You could probably do it with a clear film as well to ensure no cracks develop.

I wrapped the film around the sides of the lens where it touches the metal trunk not just the front if that helps.
hmm good idea, thanks! Did you cut the film yourself or bought it already sized to our third brake light?
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      08-27-2018, 06:47 PM   #36
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@RossBMWZseries bought the film (generic amazon film) wrapped it over the light and then just cut the excess off the back. The trunk covers it up anyways so I didnt care about how ugly it looked in the back. It was all jumbled up.
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      08-31-2018, 03:46 PM   #37
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Update: The red light isn't letting water in, so far so good!
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      09-01-2018, 02:27 AM   #38
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Mine leaks.
Needs more calk.
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      09-05-2018, 02:51 PM   #39
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Mine leaks.
Needs more calk.
Is yours a clear one? I think the red ones are built a bit better FWIW.
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      09-05-2018, 02:52 PM   #40
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Yep, mine's clear.
The clear plastic is probably more brittle than the red.
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      09-06-2018, 03:47 PM   #41
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StickMon View Post
Yep, mine's clear.
The clear plastic is probably more brittle than the red.
I second that. When I had the clear one, it had to lift off a million pieces off the trunk. The red one is deteriorating but not as bad as the clear one did.
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      09-06-2018, 03:49 PM   #42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StickMon View Post
Yep, mine's clear.
The clear plastic is probably more brittle than the red.
I wonder if putting some clear film over the lens would actually reinforce it a bit. Anyways, if it developed a crack, the film would help keep water out.
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      09-06-2018, 10:52 PM   #43
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Just checked mine closely again, and after, what, at least a month, it still looks like new.
The last one I put in had small cracks around the edges in less than 2 weeks.
So, of all the half-baked theories I've had, I'm going with this one:

The light isn't curved as much as the trunk lid is.
If you tighten all 3 nuts so that it seals against the trunk, it will be bowed and under stress.
Add some vibration and thermal cycling, and it will crack. First at the edges, then clean across vertically.
The red one may be softer plastic and better withstand the stress, or maybe it's curved more.
Maybe the coupe hatch has less curve? Dunno.

Solution?
Only tighten the center nut.
Wrap it, calk it, roll it in pie dough, whatever it takes to make it not leak at the ends.
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      01-19-2023, 09:49 PM   #44
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gpraceman View Post
You may need to replace the springs with ones not as strong. See this Service Information Bulletin


Bringing it back from the dead!

2005 Z4 with a cracked light. Got so bad corners are falling off. Definitely chance to get water inside etc.

Ordered the new parts on that ancient TSB posted here. Got the lower-force springs.

However, FCPEuro informed me that the washers, P/N 07119931105, has been discontinued and there is no replacement part listed. I checked my local BMW dealer website and they also list this part number as discontinued with no replacement part number.

Anyone here know if there is this identical washer and what the new/current part number is? Or at least the dimensions? Can I just go to Home Depot and get something acceptable? We're talking a $0.30 part here.

Or something better to use that makes the washer not even necessary?
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