E46 coupe tail lights problem - different

[razvan.zod]

Hello,

First of all sorry if this has been discussed already but I didn't manage to find the exact problem using the search function.

I have a 11.2001 318Ci with stock bulb tail lights and I have the bulb error on my dash for both left and right tail lights.

The situation is like this:
- the brake bulbs work fine at normal intensity
- the position tail light bulbs are at half/ quarter of the normal intensity
- the left fog tail light is always on at half/full intensity

I have opened the right tail light and the ground wire (brown) seems to have partialy melted the plug but otherwise clean and no burn mark on the metal.

On the left I already have the "ground wire fix", bought the car like that.

It seems that both the tail lights have the same problem even though one of them is supposedly fixed.

I have tried with 3 sets of bulbs so the bulb itself it is ok.

I have tried to add an additional ground wire from the tail light to the nut and bolt of the tail light as in the " tail light error fix" but it didn't worked at all, same half intensity on position/ running tail lights.

Any help appreciated as I have to fix them before passing the MOT. Thanks!

[All2kool]

First thing to check is if the correct bulbs are installed. My car had the wrong bulbs in - a PO had forced bulbs into the sockets that should never have been in. Remove the bulbs, examine the socket, examine the bulb. If the pins on the bulb do not match the socket notches/keys, you have the same issue I did - a dumbf**k prior owner was too stupid to buy the correct bulb.