Flickering LCI tail light

doggiedog · 02-09-2013, 02:44 PM

So I've got the flickering LCI tail light problem now and my car is 2 days out of warranty. Dealer won't fix it or give me a grace period so I've got to do something about it myself.

I'm wondering if all I have to do is replace the LED circuit board with a new one? I went online and found this:

http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...74&hg=63&fg=20

I was wondering if part number 1 is the light (or circuit board) that needs to be replaced. I looked up some other threads but am not sure if one can simply take out the old circuit board and put a new one in.

Does anyone have experience with swapping these out?

Thanks,

DD

BOBKUR · 02-09-2013, 03:13 PM

Raise hell with the dealer and call BMW. There is a service bulletin on this. Good Luck.

doggiedog · 02-09-2013, 03:36 PM

Thanks but I do have to do something about this. My car inspection is due this month and I don't know if it will pass with a flickering tail light.

BRGmatthew · 02-09-2013, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doggiedog

Thanks but I do have to do something about this. My car inspection is due this month and I don't know if it will pass with a flickering tail light.

okay? so take it to the dealer for the service bulletin lol

insane79 · 02-09-2013, 05:24 PM

is this a worldwide tail light issue for the e90 lci?

Thanks..

Sweattdogg · 02-09-2013, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by insane79

is this a worldwide tail light issue for the e90 lci?

Thanks..

Yes I believe it is. If I'm not mistaken corrosion on the LCI tailights. I cannot see how it would be just in the USA. It did happen to my car.

doggiedog · 02-09-2013, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BRGmatthew

okay? so take it to the dealer for the service bulletin lol

I did but they said it is an out of warranty repair. It is not a recall so there is no legal obligation to fix it.

BRGmatthew · 02-09-2013, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron Sweat

Yes I believe it is. If I'm not mistaken corrosion on the LCI tailights. I cannot see how it would be just in the USA. It did happen to my car.

Happened to my car too. Confused as to why the dealer won't honor OPs request to fix it?

BRGmatthew · 02-09-2013, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doggiedog

I did but they said it is an out of warranty repair. It is not a recall so there is no legal obligation to fix it.

It's a bulletin. I'll try to find it for you. And out of warranty or not, if its a service bulletin they should still repair it.

mapleridge · 02-10-2013, 11:29 PM

there is a service bulletin and not limited to any country. My right light does this too. I have seen a diy where it is fixed with re touching soldering points. Under the service bulletin in the US they are supposed to change both lights.

rorkor · 02-10-2013, 11:55 PM

Yep, I had my drivers side lamp go out in the second month I owned my car (bought new) and the dealer tried to tell me bulbs weren't covered in warranty. I raised hell with my salesman who knew about the bulletin, they ended up replacing my entire housing, I later found out they fired the SA for being a total idiot.

insane79 · 02-11-2013, 01:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mapleridge

there is a service bulletin and not limited to any country. My right light does this too. I have seen a diy where it is fixed with re touching soldering points. Under the service bulletin in the US they are supposed to change both lights.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rorkor

Yep, I had my drivers side lamp go out in the second month I owned my car (bought new) and the dealer tried to tell me bulbs weren't covered in warranty. I raised hell with my salesman who knew about the bulletin, they ended up replacing my entire housing, I later found out they fired the SA for being a total idiot.

Your'll are talking about the inner(the ones on the trunk) or outside tail lights which has the indicators?

Thanks..

Jose_JN · 02-11-2013, 07:48 AM

This is a very common problem on e90 LCI tail lights...

As someone said, the problem is that the solders are very poor... so you have two options:
1- Change the tail light
2- Open it and re solder the leds.

You can find here a good DIY: http://www.bmwfaq.com/f151/reparacio...ci-e90-658379/

It is in spanish but I thing the images are enough for understanding how to fix it.

Kind regards!

doggiedog · 03-05-2013, 01:04 PM

Thanks everyone for all of the help!

I'll try out the DIY solution when I have a chance.

02-09-2013, 02:44 PM	#1
doggiedog Captain 36 Rep 757 Posts Drives: 09 E90 335i 6MT SG/BL Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Fort Lee, NJ iTrader: (0)	Flickering LCI tail light So I've got the flickering LCI tail light problem now and my car is 2 days out of warranty. Dealer won't fix it or give me a grace period so I've got to do something about it myself. I'm wondering if all I have to do is replace the LED circuit board with a new one? I went online and found this: http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...74&hg=63&fg=20 I was wondering if part number 1 is the light (or circuit board) that needs to be replaced. I looked up some other threads but am not sure if one can simply take out the old circuit board and put a new one in. Does anyone have experience with swapping these out? Thanks, DD
	Appreciate 0 Tweet Quote

02-09-2013, 03:13 PM	#2
BOBKUR Major 20 Rep 1,361 Posts Drives: 2008 E 90 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: CALIFORNIA iTrader: (2)	Raise hell with the dealer and call BMW. There is a service bulletin on this. Good Luck.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

02-09-2013, 03:36 PM	#3
doggiedog Captain 36 Rep 757 Posts Drives: 09 E90 335i 6MT SG/BL Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Fort Lee, NJ iTrader: (0)	Thanks but I do have to do something about this. My car inspection is due this month and I don't know if it will pass with a flickering tail light.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

02-09-2013, 05:24 PM	#5
insane79 Major 83 Rep 1,093 Posts Drives: E90 lci Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Earth iTrader: (0)	is this a worldwide tail light issue for the e90 lci? Thanks..
	Appreciate 0 Quote

02-10-2013, 11:29 PM	#10
mapleridge Banned 152 Rep 2,638 Posts Drives: E90 N52 AT Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Vancouver, BC iTrader: (4)	there is a service bulletin and not limited to any country. My right light does this too. I have seen a diy where it is fixed with re touching soldering points. Under the service bulletin in the US they are supposed to change both lights.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

02-10-2013, 11:55 PM	#11
rorkor Second Lieutenant 8 Rep 277 Posts Drives: '11 E90 N52 6MT Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: here iTrader: (0) Garage List 2010 E70 X5 35d [10.00] 2011 E90 328i [10.00]	Yep, I had my drivers side lamp go out in the second month I owned my car (bought new) and the dealer tried to tell me bulbs weren't covered in warranty. I raised hell with my salesman who knew about the bulletin, they ended up replacing my entire housing, I later found out they fired the SA for being a total idiot. __________________
	Appreciate 0 Quote

02-11-2013, 07:48 AM	#13
Jose_JN Private First Class 88 Rep 186 Posts Drives: e93 330d Join Date: May 2011 Location: http://www.youtube.com/josejjn iTrader: (0)	This is a very common problem on e90 LCI tail lights... As someone said, the problem is that the solders are very poor... so you have two options: 1- Change the tail light 2- Open it and re solder the leds. You can find here a good DIY: http://www.bmwfaq.com/f151/reparacio...ci-e90-658379/ It is in spanish but I thing the images are enough for understanding how to fix it. Kind regards! __________________ Why don't do it by your self? Retrofitting is always possible!
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-05-2013, 01:04 PM	#14
doggiedog Captain 36 Rep 757 Posts Drives: 09 E90 335i 6MT SG/BL Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Fort Lee, NJ iTrader: (0)	Thanks everyone for all of the help! I'll try out the DIY solution when I have a chance.
	Appreciate 0 Quote