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Light bulb above the license plate needs replacement

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#61 ·
aliaw528 said:
is the wiring loom from the trunk lid
[
Image
Click to expand...
Hmm,

This must be a common problem on '01 E39, as mine had the exact same issue. One license light was out and it was not the bulb. I jumped the wires from the working light and drove around with OBC error for years until one day recently I decided to find the problem. Sure enough in the exact same place in the wiring loom the wire was broken. This must be a friction point or the wires are just too stretched from the factory. Easy fix. No more Check License Light error!

--Rob
 
#62 · (Edited)
The loom is a common problem

I replaced my right bulb and nothing happened. I swapped it with the left and it lit so I knew it was good. The wire in the loom for the right hand bulb was severed and 3 more had lost their insulation. These wires are very fine, only about 20-22 gauge. They have a cloth tape around them that does not protect them. I resoldered them and wrapped them in hockey tape to protect them from chafing again. Took ten minutes and most of that was waiting for the soldering iron to heat up.
 
#63 ·
Trunk Loom

Thanks for this post... been having weird issues lately. One of my license plate lights went out, and the buld was good. Then all of a sudden my instrument cluster lights and other dash lights went out, as well as both license plate lights, and my right taillight. Changed fuse #37, everything but one license plate light came back. I opened my trunk the next day, and everything went out again. I checked my trunk wire loom last night after seeing this thread. Every single wire had exposed copper, and one was broken all the way through. I cut out about a 3 inch piece from each wire and soldered in new wire. All of my weird electrical issues are now gone.
 
#64 · (Edited)
dustindustrial said:
I checked my trunk wire loom ... Every single wire had exposed copper, and one was broken all the way through.
Click to expand...
I was having so many other weird electrical problems that I finally pulled the loom back at the trunk to find THIS!

01. Red/yellow stripe = broken in half
02. Red/black stripe = ok
03. Gray/yellow stripe = nicked bare (multiple places)
04. Gray/brown stripe = ok
05. Gray/brown stripe = ok
06. Gray/black stripe = ok
07. Gray/green stripe = ok
08. White/brown stripe = ok
09. Brown = broken in half
10. Brown = nicked bare
11. Brown = ok
12. Brown = ok
13. Brown/blue stripe = nicked bare

I can't find my second Bentley which would have a wiring diagram.
Do we have a cross reference as to which of these 13 wires
innervate what?

Image


The question is WHICH components are affected by this BMW E39 trunk lid wiring harness?

I simply had weird electrical problems over the past 6 months of ...
a. Cluster suddenly reports "CHECK LICPLATE LIGHT" ...
b. Brand new 6418 13.5 volt 5 watt bulbs didn't light up ...
b. Trunk latch weirdly starts unlatching when I move the trunk ...
c. Wiggling just the scuba hose caused the trunk to latch & unlatch ...
d. Someone with the same problem posted their experience with the loom ...
e. Another E39 owner reported a cluster OBC error for years due to the same problem ...
f. Yet another E39 owner reported fuse #37, cluster lights, tag light, & taillight out due to this problem ...

It seems some of us have taken months or years to find the real culprit!

If we list what is affected by these 13 wires, and which fuses can blow, then we can help many others!
 
#65 · (Edited)
dustindustrial said:
I cut out about a 3 inch piece from each wire and soldered in new wire.
Click to expand...
From now on, when we work on the trunk lid wiring harness problem, it would be nice if we discussed which wires broke and what went wrong when they did.

That way we could create a better weird trunk-related electrical problem diagnostic DIY to help others who have strange electrical problems.

BTW, here is a decent license plate light DIY xref that might help others.
Image

Note: Some BMWs you push left; others you push right - but in both
cases, you push to the side that has the least room (go figure).
 

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#66 ·
Over in this E39 electrical problems diagnostic DIY, we find the following 4 of 13 possible frayed trunk-lid wiring harness wires to be related to dead license plate lights.

Brown/gray line = 2 @ x709 -> left license plate light (positive)
Gray/black line = 2 @ x710 -> right license plate light (positive)
Brown = 1 @ x709 -> left license plate light (ground)
Brown = 1 @ x710 -> right license plate light (ground)
NOTE: (majority color)/(line color)=(pin number)@(connector number -> description

Bear in mind, frayed trunk loom wiring harness wires can cause weirdness in:
- license plate lights
- inside trunk light
- trunk latch (and anything with the central-locking system, aka zv)
- blown fuses & intermittent weirdness (especially when the trunk lid is moved)

Image

 
#67 ·
Hey all - thanks for this post - I had the bulb issue with my bimmer - switched bulbs and nothing - found this post and went right to the wires in the "scuba hose" in the trunk - found the severed wire and some others that were close to being severed. Fixed my issue in like 10 min...great info!! thanks again fellow festers!!! :thumbup:

Papa
 
#69 ·
took a while. figured out its easier with the trunk lid up.. 2 slot screw drivers, one for prying one for sliding.. can of wd40, shop rag... done.
 
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#70 ·
Papahawk said:
found the severed wire and some others that were close to being severed. Fixed my issue in like 10 min...
Click to expand...
My wires are still severed. I don't know how to fix 'em. Do you have a pic of your results and how you did it (e.g., did you have to slice the hose, did you solder, did you add wire, what gauge, did you add insulation, did you lube, etc.).

jmhunter said:
its easier with the trunk lid up ... two screwdrivers ... can of wd40
Click to expand...
Thanks for the update and information about the trunk position and multiple screwdrivers. As for the WD40 penetrating oil, I've heard that recommendation before, but, after looking at the mechanism, I don't see how that can help.

It seems we have to apply a decent amount of force (almost all I had) in the right direction (very important as it's plastic versus metal if you push in the wrong direction) to compress the metal plate spring.

I don't really see how WD40 makes a difference ... but I'm sure it didn't hurt so I'm just wondering out loud.

Image
 
#71 ·
License plate bulbs are out

Thanks for the great posts on this problem. Both lights are out, I changed each bulb and they still do not work. The metal parts of the assembly unit had some corrosion which I cleaned up. I then pulled the scuba hose back as far as I could, removed the cloth tape and found no cracks or breaks in any wire. I have not considered the possibility of it being a fuse as all other lights work fine. Any suggestions for what to consider next?

Thanks
 
#72 ·
aliaw528 said:
is the wiring loom from the trunk lid
[
Image
Click to expand...
Thanks for this! I was researching online for the same problem with my BMW 318Ci (I'm stationed in Germany and have a European spec). After seeing this post and pulling back my own rubber outfitting, I had the exact same problem! I'm not savvy and I really didn't have time so I took it to a local BMW mechanic off base and they said this is a very common thing. I needed this to work in order for my car to pass inspection.

Anyhoo, just wanted to repost my problem so others can use it and also say thanks for the picture. Isolating the problem and showing the mechanic exactly what needs to get fixed prevents getting ripped off!
 
#73 ·
just a thought - take a small rubber mallet or closed fist to the area just to the left of the roundel on the trunklid... maybe the bulb just needs to be reseated... been there, done that. i wen through 3 bulbs before realizing this one!
 
#74 ·
kaptom540 said:
the secret is WD40 .. spray it on for two minutes .. then place a flat headscrew driver and push towards the right .. how do I know ... cause I just did my plate bulbs ...
Click to expand...
:yikes:Two minutes!! I didn't think a can would last that long! :D
 
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#75 ·
bluebee said:
I consider the license plate the government's property ... so I've been waiting for THEM to replace the bulb in my Bimmer!

:)

Bluebee
Image
Click to expand...
I'm surprised that you can tolerate your dash-nanny reminding you every time you use your lights...with your fastidious nature and all :)
 
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#76 ·
golferjohnm said:
I'm surprised that you can tolerate your dash-nanny reminding you every time you use your lights...with your fastidious nature and all
Click to expand...
I did finally fix my entire trunk loom.

I really wish people posted pictures of their fixes as my repair is downright uuuuggggllllyyy.

I'd like to see what the BMW mechanics do (I doubt they solder the wires like I did) with this common repair; and I'd love to see pictures of how you guy do the trunk-wiring repairs!

Here are my pictures:
- E39 Electrical Problems Traced to Trunk Lid Harness Wire Chafing (DIY Diagnostic)

Image
 
#77 ·
Sorry if posted earlier, I did not read all 4 pages to find out, but what models does this problem apply to?
 
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#78 ·
franka said:
what models does this problem apply to?
Click to expand...
I don't think we specifically stated which specific BMW models are affected by the badly designed trunk wiring harness.

IIRC, when I did the research, the problem popped up in a multitude of BMW models; but I generally try to limit my search results to the E39 ... so I don't have a table of which other models are affected.

Certainly the E39 is afflicted with the poorly designed trunk loom; but some of the references that I dismissed (and may have included) have the trunk loom on the driver side so they're not E39s AFAIK.

BTW, it's only 1 page to me (but my settings are to allow as many posts as possible per page).
 
#79 ·
heat-shrink tubing cleans-up the mechanical connection and provides additional insulation...then I wrap the entire repaired bundle with hockey stick tape, (I live 20 mile from the Canadian border, eh):thumbup:
 
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#80 ·
golferjohnm said:
heat-shrink tubing cleans-up the mechanical connection and provides additional insulation...
Click to expand...
It seems the 13 trunk loom wires are cracking and fraying because, as someone said, the loom is about an inch too short.

In hindsight, I should (and would next time) have added about an inch to each of the 13 wires.

But, we didn't know then what we know now about this problem!

- TRUNK WIRING FRAYS ATROCIOUSLY: a badly designed trunk loom wiring harness certain to chafe causing all sorts of light and fuse blowing and locking problems (1) (2) & opening the trunk with the key when the car battery is dead (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Image
 
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