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      07-11-2018, 01:36 AM   #1
kaiv
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Third brake light replacement: what's the deal?!

The third brake light on my M roadster was cracked so I ordered a replacement.

This is what the brand new replacement looks like:
Notice the less than nice top edge.



And after the very first wash:



Got it exchanged and lo and behold the replacement is just as shitty with a terrible seal that's already coming off in places.











Again both of these are brand new in-box parts from the dealer.
Anyone else having this issue?
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      07-11-2018, 10:15 AM   #2
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That's terrible, what did the dealer say after the second fail? I personally feel that BMW either spec'd or at least sourced sub-par materials in the rubber/seal area. The rubber seal parts generally last much shorter on my BMW's than the Lexus - case in point, our windscreen glazing & cowl. Would like to know what the dealer comes back with, new parts should at least look fine to start even though they lack longevity.



On a side note, I am struggling to start the process of replacing the two rear quarter windows on my coupe, the darn thing is a single piece with glass+seals, can't buy the seals separately. Worse yet, the interior panels need to come off, then one must "wire saw" the existing windows as these are bonded to the frame with adhesive and 3 pieces of Velcro. Haven't found one person who had done this so this info is entirely from the TIS.



Good luck and keep us posted, I will need to replace the 3rd light on the coupe soon.
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      07-11-2018, 11:17 AM   #3
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I just ordered one. I will certainly be looking closely at it when I get it.
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      07-11-2018, 12:59 PM   #4
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Great. I broke off a small piece of my existing 3rd light last year while washing it. Was going to replace it, but now I'll just leave it alone. The best laid plans...
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      07-11-2018, 02:53 PM   #5
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I have one BNIB. I suppose I should take a closer look at it.
It's my third. When I replaced the first with the second, I noticed after just a few weeks it was cracking near the top.
I replaced the standard nuts with Nyloks, and only threaded them on 1/2 way.
No help. Few years later and it's shattered in 20 pieces.
I'm waiting for a big chunk of it to fall on the driveway before putting the new one in.
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      07-11-2018, 03:11 PM   #6
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Were the replacements....

OEM??
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      07-11-2018, 04:50 PM   #7
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Update:

I removed #1 light (the one that fogged up) and compared it to #2 (the one in box).

Surprisingly #1 actually looks better than #2. Also, when not on the car the seal looks even enough; it's only when installed that the seal squeezes poorly and unevenly again the trunk lid.

In any case I have no doubt that #2 would've also leaked so I didn't bother installing it and returned it. The dealer is ordering me a third one.

I also took a look at a red one they had in stock. The seal bead on the red one definitely looked fatter. I may end up with a red one if #3 doesn't work out.
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      07-11-2018, 04:51 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by racerbruce View Post
OEM??
Mine are.
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      07-12-2018, 10:58 AM   #9
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The one that came with the car (Original clear one for the ///M), was cracked all over the place within a few years. I replaced it with the OE but the red one this time simply because i liked it better. Seems to be just cracking now but very little. Lasted me a lot more years that's for sure.
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      07-12-2018, 11:09 AM   #10
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Curious if people push down on the trunk lid to close it. If that helps lead to the cracking. Maybe a bit too much force being used to close the lid. I pull my trunk down by the inside handle and then let it drop for the last few inches. It's a nice and gentle close.

My brake light is cracked in the middle, but it was that way when I bought her a bit over a year ago. Every Z4 I looked at in my hunt had a cracked lens. I ordered a new OEM one a couple of days ago. I'll be checking it closely now before using it.
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      07-12-2018, 03:45 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gpraceman View Post
Curious if people push down on the trunk lid to close it. If that helps lead to the cracking. Maybe a bit too much force being used to close the lid. I pull my trunk down by the inside handle and then let it drop for the last few inches. It's a nice and gentle close.

My brake light is cracked in the middle, but it was that way when I bought her a bit over a year ago. Every Z4 I looked at in my hunt had a cracked lens. I ordered a new OEM one a couple of days ago. I'll be checking it closely now before using it.
That's exactly how I always close the trunk. Apparently the screws have to be at a specific torque; too little or too much will cause the cracks.
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      07-12-2018, 06:38 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RossBMWZseries View Post
That's exactly how I always close the trunk. Apparently the screws have to be at a specific torque; too little or too much will cause the cracks.
Mine are tightened barely enough to prevent water from getting into the trunk. Maybe not even.
Still cracks.
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      07-12-2018, 06:41 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StickMon View Post
Mine are tightened barely enough to prevent water from getting into the trunk. Maybe not even.
Still cracks.
You may need to replace the springs with ones not as strong. See this Service Information Bulletin


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      07-12-2018, 06:42 PM   #14
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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
Yep, got those too. Still cracks.
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      07-12-2018, 06:53 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StickMon View Post
Yep, got those too. Still cracks.
One guy I saw suggested RTV'ing them in place instead of using the nuts and springs.
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      07-12-2018, 07:16 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gpraceman View Post
One guy I saw suggested RTV'ing them in place instead of using the nuts and springs.
I thought about that, but mine's in there so loose that I now wonder if the mounting has anything to do with it.
I'm willing to bet if you just sat one out on your backyard deck for a couple of years it would crack to pieces all by itself.
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      07-12-2018, 07:25 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StickMon View Post
I thought about that, but mine's in there so loose that I now wonder if the mounting has anything to do with it.
I'm willing to bet if you just sat one out on your backyard deck for a couple of years it would crack to pieces all by itself.
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.
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      07-13-2018, 07:37 PM   #18
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Do note that the SIB says up to 10/03 production and M roadsters are all 06+.

With that said I too got the new springs just to be safe but they seem to be the same as what was already in there.

Anyways, I got light #3 today and it's just as crappy as the others









I ended up grabbing a red one. It looked better in the box and actually goes well with the car given that the tail lights themselves are mostly red.







The top seal is still not very uniform but at least it's not already coming off. I guess I'll find out whether water gets in the trunk or in the lense at the next wash.
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      07-13-2018, 07:39 PM   #19
kaiv
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BTW I expected the red one to be cheaper but it was actually more expensive!
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      07-13-2018, 11:01 PM   #20
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Good call Kevin. The red looks much nicer on darker color cars

So, what ever happened to "I'm going to leave it stock"? I already see those meaty wheels/tires on there!
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      07-23-2018, 02:54 PM   #21
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Did I say that? ahah

Agreed, red looks good on IB. Cheers Ken!
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      07-23-2018, 06:04 PM   #22
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I just received the one that I ordered via BimmerBum.com. This one seems fine.
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