BMW engineer says "we need a thicker ground wire in the harness" BMW accountant says "but that will cost 5 cents more per vehicle". Now we know who won that argument.
Ivan, I am not a technician. I sold auto parts for forty years and retired last year. I always knew who the real technicians were as well as the parts changers. I really appreciate your skills and I learn a lot watching your videos. Since you speak Russian and can use mathematics skillfully, you obviously were not educated in a U.S. school system. GOD bless you and your family.
Thank you for the kind words, John! I came to the USA when I was 6 years old, so only went to school here. But I did take the advanced math classes haha
I've done this type of repair before, it works great when you don't have the right metal replacement terminals that go in the connector. Got to love over engineered tail lights.
The problem is the ground wire and pin have the same thickness(so ability to carry current) with the positive feeds for all light bulbs, ground wire and pin should have at least 3 times thickness to deal with the current that passes through when all light bulbs active.
@@jf6487 yep I just ordered used tail light with bulb holder and used wiring harness. I had water intrusion though. Someone had removed tail light gasket.
I had that same issue on my SAAB 9-3. All four of the wires and connectors are the same size, too small, and the ground got hot melting the connector. I did the same repair you did by creating a ground with a larger wire. I must admit it is quite the boost in my confidence to find out my logic worked the same as yours, at least in this instance. I can't claim the Russian repair, but since I was born and raised in Pennsylvania I'll call it a damn Yankee repair. I always keep in the back of my mind it is possible that I may need to improve the design as part of my repair, a larger ground wire as in this example. Thank you for the video.
Watched a couple of videos on this repair involving buying a repair kit and fiddly connectors , rewiring a new plug , i did wonder why they didnt just do what you did, thanks for confirming! Great stuff
Nice! I've done similar repairs like that. With multiple loads using one ground, I ran the wire like you did, then looped it around the ground strap, followed by solder to the ground strap. Put a little RTV to cover the solder joint keeping moisture out......it worked! The manufacturer does not take into consideration the current return on the ground side, thereby using the small connector pins, which as we all saw, burn up!
Same issue happens twice already to my Wife's 220d, I thought the tail light was broken, so I bought one, put it on, it works. And it happened again last week after 1 week heavy raining. I am tossing between buying a new light for 550 AU dollars or fixing it by local well known mechanic for 750 dollars.... I can not wait to give it a go, fixing it by myself!!! Wish me luck!!! Thank you so much for the video, really helpful!!! I like bmw, but owning one does not deserve to be ripped off by someone :)
Dealer recommendations: replace back light assembly and harness, $1200 plus labor. Ivan recommendations: repair ground wire, $10 plus labor. Yoir choice.. nice work ivan!
Thanks for this video! I had the same issue with my car. Used some contact cleaner and scrubbing with a brush and it works fine now. I'll do the repair you did if the issue returns. Awesome job!
Ivan, take care when soldering to the metal in that taillight assembly. I could see you tested by pulling on the wire after soldering but I have had connections come loose at a later time. The solder connection looks good but electrically it is not. Metal prep is the key, then a good amount of heat on the large metal piece until the solder will flow onto it, not just puddle up. I have a 500W soldering gun that is much better for this job.
using a good temp controlled solder station with high wattage and close fast thermal transfer from ceramic element to the tip is key. alternate to that is using a giant iron with large thermal mass (like used for leaded glass and brass sheet good crafting) while solder guns have their place, they're overkill for many things or will easily way over temperature and burn the flux off instantly, not to mention the wire, solder and coatings and plastics :)
That is not only a Russian repair, it's also an English repair, that's exactly how i would have repaired it! Had to do a similar thing on my 97 Mondeo (Euro version of Mystique) in that case is was for the main light control switch - all the current for the dash lighting and the rear tail lights go through one small pin. So if your Mystique is the same be warned, if you notice that your dashboard lights are not working, go check your tail lights! Caught me out, the dashboard illumination stopped working, annoying on it's own, but i thought i could live with it for a day or two until i had time to look into it. It was not until other motorists started flashing me at night that i realised the rear lights were out. Car manufacturers really like pushing the max amount of current possible through a connector!
Hmm I did notice some "repaired" wiring at the main lights switch on my Mystique. The previous owner probably went through that headache before I got the car haha
Great repair as always! I'd have put a glob of hot glue or silicone on the wire for strain relief and weather proofing but that might be gilding the lily.
Parts were required. One male, one female terminal...lol I actually did the same repair to my wife’s 2012 Jeep Liberty. Same rear drivers taillight. Great job.
great job > love those repairs No Parts Needed >> love that repair you did on that P.T Cruiser, installed a relay instead of purchasing a tipm >> they're pricey
Saturday morning coffee and PHD video with Russian fix! Awesome! Have a friends 57 Corvette to work on today. Running new brake lines. Just finished re-wiring whole car. 4 fuses no computer modules. All you need is a scope on a rope. No Tech 2 Launch Pro or any scan tool except the one sitting on your shoulders.
Blows my mind that little itty-bitty pin needs to carry the current for all those incandescent bulbs. I switched to all LED bulbs on my Miata and my wimpy-ass alternator is very happy with that upgrade. Surprised this fine piece of modern German engineering is still using old-style bulbs.
Nice repair. Soldering goes better if you add flux before getting started. It sounds counter intuitive but the technique works especially well if you have to scrape bare a trace on a PC board. The solder in the wire solder isn't quite enough to get a precision job done fast. On a PC board, remember to wash the flux off with alcohol.
I am happy that you learned something about Russian repairs as you call it . We don't do hack jobs like you see on UA-cam . Just a permanent fix to a common problem
One tip for you ... Exist needle (set) for cleaning tips from acetylene torch nozzles!? Now they are ideal for cleaning that's female connectors if you haven't new one to replace.
Super common issue on these in the UK too, BMW want a fortune to replace the cluster assembly and part of the loom, I just bypass the connector as you did and solder in a new earth.
Whoooo!!! More Russian repair!! Absolutely love it! If it were me, i would have replaced the back housing and the plug, but after watching your video. Now I'll do your Russian repair! I'll remember that in future :) You displayed PHAD Amazon stuff on video, but i didn't see link on description..?? Many many thumbs up!
Those oring connections fail to keep out moisture over the years. My advice as a 45 years of electronic technician, clean with Deoxit completely, the fill the pin connector with dielectric grease. This will prevent any future corrosion problems...
Brilliant minds think alike, Ivan! Exactly how I'd have fixed that one. 👍😎 That was some engineering there from ol' BMW! What a tail light assembly!! 😬
This isn't a car, it's an annuity for Ivan. 6:37 -- Hi, Amanda ! P.S. Expect a "cease and desist" order from Dorman. These "Russian repairs" must stop. Dorman is going broke. :(
Hah Dorman will go broke because they make crap. I was never so sure of what some would say about them as I'm a low budget runner at the moment unfortunately. But I have had my share of there crap now . They make trash.
@@pj7362 -- I used to avoid cheap stuff because I thought that it wouldn't last. But now EVERYTHING is either made in China or uses Chinese parts, so it doesn't last. So I buy cheap stuff, expecting that it will break in a few weeks and that I'll have to replace it. Whenever I can avoid buying stuff made in China, I do. Buying Chinese stuff is like volunteering to be cheated.
Taillights with hy amp bulbs are not designed for long periods of time use, like one hour bottlenecks or so. What i always do when not moving ahead is use the parking brake & that helps keep the engine cool too.grettings.
That's a great idea for the fix. I'm sure a new connector pigtail would be quite expensive. Ivan motor sales could sell these folks a daily beater to drive in Western PA snow. Looking forward to the videos that you shot in Staten Island.
Make sure his blinker fluid is topped off, oh yeah BMW owners don't use turn signals LOL. Fantastic idea on the ground repair, I will definitely keep that in mind when I come across something like that.
Torch Tip Cleaning files are amazing for getting down into electrical connections like that. They are also great for cleaning jets in small engines. I have the ones I use on my Amazon Store/List. I would have drilled a hole through the metal and plastic put in a screw and nut and then put on a ring connector with another nut on the back side.
A little perestroika on the tail light, eh Ivan? LOL. Also noticed that the garage needs a little "privedeniye v poryadok". LOL Amanda is right, those little BMWs are cute. You may have to get her one. Seriously, as always, we are enjoying your outstanding instructional videos.👌
I remember the guys at BOM saying in one of the Binky episodes that BMW already messed up just like that with the e60 rear lights. Quite shocking that they didn't quite learn their lesson then..
This was an issue with the BMW E46 as well. There was a whole recall on their taillight ground wires being too small of a gauge wire. I did the same exact thing on my E46.
Before the video starts I wanna say a bad ground is the problem. Let’s see what Ivan finds. Yep bad ground and a little Russian ingenuity from Ivan. Nice going
I can see it now if a BMW tech ever gets there hands on this car. "how come some one won't spend the thousands of dollers to bring this car to me to put thousands of dollars of parts on how rude" lol
Not at all. This is a common problem there’s even a bulletin for it. The BMW fix is essentially what Ivan did without even knowing it. Excellent diag and repair
Clearly a design and possible manufacturing issue, not that BMW would ever dream of picking up the tab for the repair, nice down range Russian field fix
My E60 BMW had the same problem. I added a second ground directly to the ground bus for all the lights. It could definitely be a fire hazard. Especially here in New York. Where we use our brakes more than we do our gas pedal!
Flippin Ek Ivan, I'm a Pie8ter (pie-eater) from the uk, I just realised Iv'e been doing Russian repairs for years lol I leave the terminal in the plug and strip some insulation back on the harness and just solder the new wire to that, that way the pin is still in as original but with an extra better ground
Hi Ivan Excellent diagnostic skills. Been watching a lot of your videos. German cars are supposed to be the best ones around, I beg to differ. They always have issues and strange ones at that. Over engineered in some ways and under engineered in others. Either way it's expensive at a dealer.
Great job Ivan! Love your videos! It's amazing how certain "expensive/Premium" cars (BMW and VW) are made so crappy! This is really bad! Ground issues on a late model on the tail lamps?! What a POS! I had electrical issues on the right brake lamp on my 12 Golf. It was another "cheaply" crappy design issue. It's junk! Don't these manufacturers test their electrical at all? I will never buy a BMW or another Volkswagen again. Over engineered, but poorly executed design and durability! Designed to drain your wallets and build multimillion $ dealership service departments. They don't want people fixing their own vehicles.
have been doing this earth bypass since the 80s on ford rear light clusters , we used to run the earth straight to body ground from the cluster .Not sure if that would be ok with modern electrics .
bmw had problems with tail lamps starting with the e36. the bulbs were different from a standard 1157 but people would jam it in and...yada, yada. The e 46 was way worse. Had a few melt to almost fire. The system measures resistance in the system, (brake lamp, signal etc.) Filing that will work for a while but if its resistance isnt what the range is so a error msg will pop on.
I would have gone nuts trying to find out why there was so much current running through to cause that not just make another circuit. But I guess your lucky as some say it's common. What do I know
BMW. Turn signal gives issue on test. Sends 4 codes to the owner scaring the crap out of them. Ford/Chevy/FCA. Turn signal out is diagnosed by a friend following you out of the parking lot at work and sends you a text as a friendly note.
Better focus for 2020. You're worth it! Can't find this kind of content anywhere else, so I need to be able to see with my 74y/o eyeballs! New camera time?
Nice fix Ivan. Not seen this issue before and work on these and older ones pretty frequently. Did you check the bulbs in case someone has replaced any of them with wrong spec ones?
Air compressor and your wife coming out to tell you food is ready....for a minute I thought I was watching SMA!
I heard "Whats up Mrs O?" In my head ! But wait this is an PHD video!?
BMW engineer says "we need a thicker ground wire in the harness" BMW accountant says "but that will cost 5 cents more per vehicle". Now we know who won that argument.
Ivan, I am not a technician. I sold auto parts for forty years and retired last year. I always knew who the real technicians were as well as the parts changers. I really appreciate your skills and I learn a lot watching your videos. Since you speak Russian and can use mathematics skillfully, you obviously were not educated in a U.S. school system. GOD bless you and your family.
Thank you for the kind words, John! I came to the USA when I was 6 years old, so only went to school here. But I did take the advanced math classes haha
A small knot in the wire to act as a strain relief to avoid stress on the solder joint would've been nice.
Excellent repair, I love no parts required fixes. Score one for the good guys.
I've done this type of repair before, it works great when you don't have the right metal replacement terminals that go in the connector. Got to love over engineered tail lights.
I see russian repair... i click like as fast i can 😅
Russian repairs look a lot like ole' farmer repairs. Small world.
@@phprofYT I see Russian repair, I get fire extinguisher for during repair but high confidence after repair.
Very common on BMW's Ivan. They invented the ground bypass for the E46. They still haven't sorted out their taillight ground issues 😂
The problem is the ground wire and pin have the same thickness(so ability to carry current) with the positive feeds for all light bulbs, ground wire and pin should have at least 3 times thickness to deal with the current that passes through when all light bulbs active.
I think this started with the 318/320's.
And Audi
@@jf6487 yep I just ordered used tail light with bulb holder and used wiring harness. I had water intrusion though. Someone had removed tail light gasket.
And they claimed ultimate driving machines. I know I drive them too, that’s the odd thing
I had that same issue on my SAAB 9-3. All four of the wires and connectors are the same size, too small, and the ground got hot melting the connector. I did the same repair you did by creating a ground with a larger wire. I must admit it is quite the boost in my confidence to find out my logic worked the same as yours, at least in this instance. I can't claim the Russian repair, but since I was born and raised in Pennsylvania I'll call it a damn Yankee repair. I always keep in the back of my mind it is possible that I may need to improve the design as part of my repair, a larger ground wire as in this example. Thank you for the video.
I've done that exact same repair to one of my firends E61 tail lamp :D The lights have worked ever since.
Watched a couple of videos on this repair involving buying a repair kit and fiddly connectors , rewiring a new plug , i did wonder why they didnt just do what you did, thanks for confirming! Great stuff
Nice! I've done similar repairs like that. With multiple loads using one ground, I ran the wire like you did, then looped it around the ground strap, followed by solder to the ground strap. Put a little RTV to cover the solder joint keeping moisture out......it worked!
The manufacturer does not take into consideration the current return on the ground side, thereby using the small connector pins, which as we all saw, burn up!
Same issue happens twice already to my Wife's 220d, I thought the tail light was broken, so I bought one, put it on, it works. And it happened again last week after 1 week heavy raining. I am tossing between buying a new light for 550 AU dollars or fixing it by local well known mechanic for 750 dollars....
I can not wait to give it a go, fixing it by myself!!! Wish me luck!!!
Thank you so much for the video, really helpful!!! I like bmw, but owning one does not deserve to be ripped off by someone :)
Yeah it's basically a free fix 😉
@@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics Will definitely buy first!!! thank you again!!! all the best man!!!
@@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics Fixed!!! all done! hope It will last a few years!!! Great stuff!!!
Dealer recommendations: replace back light assembly and harness, $1200 plus labor. Ivan recommendations: repair ground wire, $10 plus labor. Yoir choice.. nice work ivan!
ahhh.. yes.. this! i was wondering if this is what the dealer would tell you to do!
Thanks for this video! I had the same issue with my car. Used some contact cleaner and scrubbing with a brush and it works fine now. I'll do the repair you did if the issue returns. Awesome job!
That was a problem back to the E46. Insufficient wire gauge for ground current. How the hell was it still a problem on a 2016??
Ivan, take care when soldering to the metal in that taillight assembly. I could see you tested by pulling on the wire after soldering but I have had connections come loose at a later time. The solder connection looks good but electrically it is not. Metal prep is the key, then a good amount of heat on the large metal piece until the solder will flow onto it, not just puddle up. I have a 500W soldering gun that is much better for this job.
And you forgot to tell Ivan not to rest the iron on the plastic part and melt it too :-)
I cranked the Hakko up to 800F...solder fused very nicely to the metal :)
using a good temp controlled solder station with high wattage and close fast thermal transfer from ceramic element to the tip is key. alternate to that is using a giant iron with large thermal mass (like used for leaded glass and brass sheet good crafting)
while solder guns have their place, they're overkill for many things or will easily way over temperature and burn the flux off instantly, not to mention the wire, solder and coatings and plastics :)
One other "nit-picky" thing, strain relief for that solder joint, zip ties work well.
No worries, the wire was a snug fit in the plastic housing, and hopefully no one will tug on the wire too hard :)
Brake lamp... applied by people who sit in traffic for hours on end, no wonder it gets hot!
I use welding torch nozzle cleaners there small enough to get into the any pin connectors
That's a good idea!
"Russian Repair" We love it !!
That is not only a Russian repair, it's also an English repair, that's exactly how i would have repaired it! Had to do a similar thing on my 97 Mondeo (Euro version of Mystique) in that case is was for the main light control switch - all the current for the dash lighting and the rear tail lights go through one small pin. So if your Mystique is the same be warned, if you notice that your dashboard lights are not working, go check your tail lights! Caught me out, the dashboard illumination stopped working, annoying on it's own, but i thought i could live with it for a day or two until i had time to look into it. It was not until other motorists started flashing me at night that i realised the rear lights were out. Car manufacturers really like pushing the max amount of current possible through a connector!
Hmm I did notice some "repaired" wiring at the main lights switch on my Mystique. The previous owner probably went through that headache before I got the car haha
Great fix! Peugeot/citroen and renault have the same problem.We fix these ground wires all the time and with same technic that you did (Y)
Must be a European problem haha
Had to do similar thing to Saab 95 worked good for years.road salt here in buffalo is merciless.former Serbian here.good job on Russian repair.
Ivan the Solderer 🤗.
Great job, especially under fire from the anti- BMW/Euro guys.
Thanks for sharing.
Great repair as always! I'd have put a glob of hot glue or silicone on the wire for strain relief and weather proofing but that might be gilding the lily.
I just love how you don’t give up!!! A true MECHANIC!!
Exact problem on my 2016 m235i. Thanks so much for making the repair quick!
Can't see why this "Russian repair" wont outlast the car! Great fix!
Beautiful repair it helps to tin the wire first then puddle solder at connection then draw heat up the wire. Just my 2 cents you are very thorough
Parts were required. One male, one female terminal...lol
I actually did the same repair to my wife’s 2012 Jeep Liberty. Same rear drivers taillight.
Great job.
Good as new...NO ...It's better than new!
Your so Awesome, Very intelligent to say the least. I love watching All your video's, Your very entertaining. I'm learning a lot.
Cars are like women...sometimes the beauty is only skin deep. :D
love the bypass repair. nice.
great job > love those repairs No Parts Needed >> love that repair you did on that P.T Cruiser, installed a relay instead of purchasing a tipm >> they're pricey
Saturday morning coffee and PHD video with Russian fix! Awesome! Have a friends 57 Corvette to work on today. Running new brake lines. Just finished re-wiring whole car. 4 fuses no computer modules. All you need is a scope on a rope. No Tech 2 Launch Pro or any scan tool except the one sitting on your shoulders.
Wow 4 fuses! Modern cars may have a couple hundred fuses, so the old school :did you check all the fuses" approach doesn't work too well anymore haha
Blows my mind that little itty-bitty pin needs to carry the current for all those incandescent bulbs. I switched to all LED bulbs on my Miata and my wimpy-ass alternator is very happy with that upgrade. Surprised this fine piece of modern German engineering is still using old-style bulbs.
Nice repair. Soldering goes better if you add flux before getting started. It sounds counter intuitive but the technique works especially well if you have to scrape bare a trace on a PC board. The solder in the wire solder isn't quite enough to get a precision job done fast. On a PC board, remember to wash the flux off with alcohol.
I am happy that you learned something about Russian repairs as you call it . We don't do hack jobs like you see on UA-cam . Just a permanent fix to a common problem
One tip for you ... Exist needle (set) for cleaning tips from acetylene torch nozzles!? Now they are ideal for cleaning that's female connectors if you haven't new one to replace.
Your wive has got good taste for cars!
Haha Happy New Year Dan! She should move to Europe...cars are much sexier there ;)
That's my kinda fix. I think I'd feel right at home in the motherland
A lot of BMW Cars are very problematic and expensive to fix but they drive like a dream when its running right.
Your the King of NPR. Nice work.
Exactly the correct repair. BMW will hate you...they wanted $600 in repair parts.
Super common issue on these in the UK too, BMW want a fortune to replace the cluster assembly and part of the loom, I just bypass the connector as you did and solder in a new earth.
Whoooo!!! More Russian repair!! Absolutely love it! If it were me, i would have replaced the back housing and the plug, but after watching your video. Now I'll do your Russian repair! I'll remember that in future :)
You displayed PHAD Amazon stuff on video, but i didn't see link on description..??
Many many thumbs up!
Should be a link from the channel homepage. www.amazon.com/shop/pinehollowautodiagnosticsEnjoy the shopping spree, Josh! :)
@@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics neato!!!! Thanks, Ivan! Lots of good stuff on there! Now I know what to buy :) now it has PHAD approved :)
Might as well go through and spray the inside of all lighting connectors with dielectric grease
Those oring connections fail to keep out moisture over the years. My advice as a 45 years of electronic technician, clean with Deoxit completely, the fill the pin connector with dielectric grease. This will prevent any future corrosion problems...
Brilliant minds think alike, Ivan! Exactly how I'd have fixed that one. 👍😎
That was some engineering there from ol' BMW! What a tail light assembly!! 😬
This isn't a car, it's an annuity for Ivan.
6:37 -- Hi, Amanda !
P.S. Expect a "cease and desist" order from Dorman. These "Russian repairs" must stop. Dorman is going broke. :(
Hah Dorman will go broke because they make crap. I was never so sure of what some would say about them as I'm a low budget runner at the moment unfortunately. But I have had my share of there crap now . They make trash.
@@pj7362 -- I used to avoid cheap stuff because I thought that it wouldn't last. But now EVERYTHING is either made in China or uses Chinese parts, so it doesn't last. So I buy cheap stuff, expecting that it will break in a few weeks and that I'll have to replace it. Whenever I can avoid buying stuff made in China, I do. Buying Chinese stuff is like volunteering to be cheated.
What a wonderful spousal relationship! Your lovely wife reminds me of mine.
Ivan. Put a link to your Amazon store in the description of all your videos. Thanks for sharing.
Taillights with hy amp bulbs are not designed for long periods of time use, like one hour bottlenecks or so. What i always do when not moving ahead is use the parking brake & that helps keep the engine cool too.grettings.
Love these Russian repairs
That's a great idea for the fix. I'm sure a new connector pigtail would be quite expensive. Ivan motor sales could sell these folks a daily beater to drive in Western PA snow. Looking forward to the videos that you shot in Staten Island.
So am I 😉👍
Great repair! I bypassed a plug on a fuel pump on a '98 Windstar. Wasn't worth replacing.
12:05 I wanted you to say 'Enhance, Enhance', ala Eric O.
Make sure his blinker fluid is topped off, oh yeah BMW owners don't use turn signals LOL. Fantastic idea on the ground repair, I will definitely keep that in mind when I come across something like that.
Torch Tip Cleaning files are amazing for getting down into electrical connections like that. They are also great for cleaning jets in small engines. I have the ones I use on my Amazon Store/List. I would have drilled a hole through the metal and plastic put in a screw and nut and then put on a ring connector with another nut on the back side.
Ivan you did it again save your customer a bunch of $$ love your style
you guys are such a cute couple, you act like you're still courting. that's a really good thing.
That reminds me of the poor quality tail light set up on my son-in-law’s old Saturn very poorly made , anyway great job on the repair Ivan
Works for me! And a whole lot easier to fix than a printed circuit board!
A little perestroika on the tail light, eh Ivan? LOL.
Also noticed that the garage needs a little "privedeniye v poryadok". LOL
Amanda is right, those little BMWs are cute. You may have to get her one.
Seriously, as always, we are enjoying your outstanding instructional videos.👌
Nice. I think the Russian repair is better than the original German design. Kind of sad for a high end car but it is cute. :)
I remember the guys at BOM saying in one of the Binky episodes that BMW already messed up just like that with the e60 rear lights. Quite shocking that they didn't quite learn their lesson then..
When BMW bought Rover did they also buy Lucas?
Sure it wasn't a Dorman supplied OEM part to BMW?
This was an issue with the BMW E46 as well. There was a whole recall on their taillight ground wires being too small of a gauge wire. I did the same exact thing on my E46.
Before the video starts I wanna say a bad ground is the problem. Let’s see what Ivan finds. Yep bad ground and a little Russian ingenuity from Ivan. Nice going
I can see it now if a BMW tech ever gets there hands on this car. "how come some one won't spend the thousands of dollers to bring this car to me to put thousands of dollars of parts on how rude" lol
HAHA
Plenty of BMW owners with champagne taste but beer budget salary.
@@upallnight888 BMW owners collectively validate the generalization: "a fool and his money are soon parted"
Not at all. This is a common problem there’s even a bulletin for it. The BMW fix is essentially what Ivan did without even knowing it. Excellent diag and repair
You could also use crimp quick disconnect terminals. A large number of those styles available.
Clearly a design and possible manufacturing issue, not that BMW would ever dream of picking up the tab for the repair, nice down range Russian field fix
Love these repair videos. I find them so inspiring.
My E60 BMW had the same problem. I added a second ground directly to the ground bus for all the lights. It could definitely be a fire hazard. Especially here in New York. Where we use our brakes more than we do our gas pedal!
Nice flawless repair
KolhoZ again, and again an excellent result :)
Flippin Ek Ivan, I'm a Pie8ter (pie-eater) from the uk, I just realised Iv'e been doing Russian repairs for years lol I leave the terminal in the plug and strip some insulation back on the harness and just solder the new wire to that, that way the pin is still in as original but with an extra better ground
Hi Ivan
Excellent diagnostic skills. Been watching a lot of your videos. German cars are supposed to be the best ones around, I beg to differ. They always have issues and strange ones at that. Over engineered in some ways and under engineered in others. Either way it's expensive at a dealer.
BMW Dealer would have charged to replace harness and tail lamp assembly. Nice work!
That worked great! Good job Ivan!
Great Repair, better than OEM brother.
Hopefully my ground wire will outlast the rest of this fancy car lol
@@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics lol
Do you think the computer now will detect a difference in the amperage draw between the left and right side grounds?
Dude I love u, I ve been looking for a video like this and it actually works
Thanks!!
Very nice fix Ivan. Thanks!
Ivan nice fix on that expensive BMW plastic junk mobile LOL ....!!!!
Not much interest in BMW but you got me with the Russain Repair part. I'm sure it will be good.
great video Ivan.yea this was a Russian fix.
Great job Ivan! Love your videos! It's amazing how certain "expensive/Premium" cars (BMW and VW) are made so crappy! This is really bad! Ground issues on a late model on the tail lamps?! What a POS! I had electrical issues on the right brake lamp on my 12 Golf. It was another "cheaply" crappy design issue. It's junk! Don't these manufacturers test their electrical at all? I will never buy a BMW or another Volkswagen again. Over engineered, but poorly executed design and durability! Designed to drain your wallets and build multimillion $ dealership service departments. They don't want people fixing their own vehicles.
have been doing this earth bypass since the 80s on ford rear light clusters , we used to run the earth straight to body ground from the cluster .Not sure if that would be ok with modern electrics .
bmw had problems with tail lamps starting with the e36. the bulbs were different from a standard 1157 but people would jam it in and...yada, yada. The e 46 was way worse. Had a few melt to almost fire. The system measures resistance in the system, (brake lamp, signal etc.) Filing that will work for a while but if its resistance isnt what the range is so a error msg will pop on.
I would have gone nuts trying to find out why there was so much current running through to cause that not just make another circuit. But I guess your lucky as some say it's common. What do I know
Great video Ivan and great fix! I’m sure your food had to be reheated by the time you got to it!😂🤦🏽♂️ Happens to me all the time!!
BMW. Turn signal gives issue on test. Sends 4 codes to the owner scaring the crap out of them. Ford/Chevy/FCA. Turn signal out is diagnosed by a friend following you out of the parking lot at work and sends you a text as a friendly note.
"...three year old luxury car." Exactly. I cannot wait until all cars are mandated to be fully automated.
Better focus for 2020. You're worth it! Can't find this kind of content anywhere else, so I need to be able to see with my 74y/o eyeballs! New camera time?
Thank you for the feedback Bill! A new camera may be coming soon :)
Nice fix Ivan. Not seen this issue before and work on these and older ones pretty frequently. Did you check the bulbs in case someone has replaced any of them with wrong spec ones?
Put some spring back into the contact and put dielectric grease so that over-amp won't cause a spark.
Same ground issue on a 2004 BMW E46 Sedan. Just moved the tail light ground directly to the body. Problem Solved!
great fix at a fraction of the cost. parts replacement way$$