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Thread: BMW X3 E83 LED Tail light / Rear Light repair.

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Mel, Aus
    Posts
    1,043
    My Cars
    5series M62B44

    BMW X3 E83 LED Tail light / Rear Light repair.

    Hi all,

    Other day I noticed the LED bars on my back right tail light were not working, after pricing up replacements I thought I would introduce it to Mr.Dremel.

    The two side marker LED's still worked but the bars did not, I reverse engineered the PCB and did some testing.

    It appears the 2 side marker LED's are ran from a vehicle 12/14v > 12v Regulator > 560ohm resistor > 2x Side marker LED's in Series.

    The 3 BAR/Parking light LED's run in series as well but differently. They are 12/14v > 12v Regulator > Generic 4001 constant current LED driver > 3x LED's in series.

    Then there are some caps and a schottky diode for the current sense for the LCM/Bulb out error.

    Managed to kill one of the side marker LED's during testing as I discovered the fault being the first LED in the series that make up the 3 Parking Light Bars.

    Ended up replacing the 4001 LED Driver. (It popped the 2 side marker LED's after I moved them)

    Then replaced both side marker LED's with 3mm 7600mcd RED with clear lens LED's.

    As well as also replaced the first LED in the series for the light bars with a 5mm 9600mcd RED with clear lens

    Here are some photos I put together, I can't include the 6th photo of the cut/plastic welding it back together due to 5picture per post limit.

    Photos:
    Photo1: PCB Diagram I put together.
    x3 light01.jpg

    Photo2: Top of PCB with original LED's
    Old.jpg


    Photo3: Top of PCB with new side marker 3mm & top LED bar 5mm installed.
    New00.jpg


    Photo4: Powered up & working with the new 4001 driver also soldered on.
    New01.jpg


    Photo5: Tail light back together and working as intended.
    Working01.jpg


    Cheers
    Mat
    Quote Originally Posted by hakhawk
    I know first hand that owning a bmw isnt what made hozy the way he is, its just his charm
    Quote Originally Posted by geargrinder
    HoZY is good guy and has proven it many times by being a longtime participant in this community.


  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    warwick RI
    Posts
    2,522
    My Cars
    E30/E32/F25
    I had to do this on my brothers e39 Celis lights. I’ll have to keep this handy good info thank you !
    Me E30 87/ 325i + F25 12/ M-Sport + E32 94/ 740i

    G/F’s E34 92/ 525iT + F48 18/ X1

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    New Zealand
    Posts
    1
    My Cars
    2006 X3
    Thanks Hozy,

    I had the same issue as you, but was doing the job for a friend. He advised that all the LEDs were broken so i assumed it was the driver. After replacing the driver i found that only the 2 centre LEDS came on and not the light bar LEDs. It turned out that was the original problem not the whole light :|

    So after a quick look I saw that the 1st LED in the series of 3 looked a little brown so replaced it and boom, all 3 started working. So my issue was one dead LED causing the light bars not to work. The LED on the end closest to the 4001 driver. Was a $4 fix vs $900 from BMW.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    2
    My Cars
    BMW E83 LCI
    Hey, great post - and really helps with my issue too, I'm just ordering some replacement LED's and driver so I only need to make the change once - do you have a link to the LED's you got, I'm working up an order on farnell and want to make sure I'm ordering similar spec

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    PR
    Posts
    2
    My Cars
    1989 325ix
    Quote Originally Posted by HoZy View Post
    Hi all,

    Other day I noticed the LED bars on my back right tail light were not working, after pricing up replacements I thought I would introduce it to Mr.Dremel.

    The two side marker LED's still worked but the bars did not, I reverse engineered the PCB and did some testing.

    It appears the 2 side marker LED's are ran from a vehicle 12/14v > 12v Regulator > 560ohm resistor > 2x Side marker LED's in Series.

    The 3 BAR/Parking light LED's run in series as well but differently. They are 12/14v > 12v Regulator > Generic 4001 constant current LED driver > 3x LED's in series.

    Then there are some caps and a schottky diode for the current sense for the LCM/Bulb out error.

    Managed to kill one of the side marker LED's during testing as I discovered the fault being the first LED in the series that make up the 3 Parking Light Bars.

    Ended up replacing the 4001 LED Driver. (It popped the 2 side marker LED's after I moved them)

    Then replaced both side marker LED's with 3mm 7600mcd RED with clear lens LED's.

    As well as also replaced the first LED in the series for the light bars with a 5mm 9600mcd RED with clear lens

    Here are some photos I put together, I can't include the 6th photo of the cut/plastic welding it back together due to 5picture per post limit.

    Photos:
    Photo1: PCB Diagram I put together.
    x3 light01.jpg

    Photo2: Top of PCB with original LED's
    Old.jpg


    Photo3: Top of PCB with new side marker 3mm & top LED bar 5mm installed.
    New00.jpg


    Photo4: Powered up & working with the new 4001 driver also soldered on.
    New01.jpg


    Photo5: Tail light back together and working as intended.
    Working01.jpg


    Cheers
    Mat

    How i can access that pcb board? i need to brake something in the back of the tail light?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    Christchurch
    Posts
    1
    My Cars
    X3 E83
    Yep you need to cut open the abs plastic behind the 2 side marker leds on the tail light. A dremel is probably the tidiest way to achieve it. I have just gained access to the pcb board and yet to replace the failed led on my X3. I found that it was the first led that failed in the series, confirmed by shorting accross the pins of the first led which caused the 2 remaining leds to light up. Will pick up the led suggested from hozy from local electronic geek store tomorrow. Thanks again for your original post hozy, - saved me a bundle of cash!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2019
    Location
    Scotland
    Posts
    4
    My Cars
    X3
    Quote Originally Posted by Alpina325ix View Post
    How i can access that pcb board? i need to brake something in the back of the tail light?
    a better photo, couldnt find my dremmel so used a multitool, worked just as well. Shows clearly where the PCB is. Unfortunately must have caught the LED on the way out and lifted the solder pad off the PCB. In the process of a make shift job but I reckon it may be something else causing the fault.IMG_20190416_165325.jpgIMG_20190416_165329.jpg

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2020
    Location
    Uk
    Posts
    1
    My Cars
    X3
    Just wanted to say a quick thanks to the OP. I searched far and wide to get end up with this thread. No one else had taken the time to document so it was very much appreciated. I was in the same situation with the first LED failed. Was a bit of a faff to swap and fiddly as electronics not my thing. However I got there in the end. Also thanks to the person who suggested shorting the LED to see which one was faulty.

    Saved a fortune as these parts get more difficult to get hold of.

    Cheers.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2019
    Location
    Toronto
    Posts
    1
    My Cars
    E83
    Quote Originally Posted by Paulc1976 View Post
    Just wanted to say a quick thanks to the OP. I searched far and wide to get end up with this thread. No one else had taken the time to document so it was very much appreciated. I was in the same situation with the first LED failed. Was a bit of a faff to swap and fiddly as electronics not my thing. However I got there in the end. Also thanks to the person who suggested shorting the LED to see which one was faulty.

    Saved a fortune as these parts get more difficult to get hold of.

    Cheers.
    Anyone attempt the LED on the tailgate? Mine is starting to flicker or sometimes not work.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    1
    My Cars
    BMW X5

    Where to buy drivers?

    Quote Originally Posted by HoZy View Post
    Hi all,

    Other day I noticed the LED bars on my back right tail light were not working, after pricing up replacements I thought I would introduce it to Mr.Dremel.

    The two side marker LED's still worked but the bars did not, I reverse engineered the PCB and did some testing.

    It appears the 2 side marker LED's are ran from a vehicle 12/14v > 12v Regulator > 560ohm resistor > 2x Side marker LED's in Series.

    The 3 BAR/Parking light LED's run in series as well but differently. They are 12/14v > 12v Regulator > Generic 4001 constant current LED driver > 3x LED's in series.

    Then there are some caps and a schottky diode for the current sense for the LCM/Bulb out error.

    Managed to kill one of the side marker LED's during testing as I discovered the fault being the first LED in the series that make up the 3 Parking Light Bars.

    Ended up replacing the 4001 LED Driver. (It popped the 2 side marker LED's after I moved them)

    Then replaced both side marker LED's with 3mm 7600mcd RED with clear lens LED's.

    As well as also replaced the first LED in the series for the light bars with a 5mm 9600mcd RED with clear lens

    Here are some photos I put together, I can't include the 6th photo of the cut/plastic welding it back together due to 5picture per post limit.

    Photos:
    Photo1: PCB Diagram I put together.
    x3 light01.jpg

    Photo2: Top of PCB with original LED's
    Old.jpg


    Photo3: Top of PCB with new side marker 3mm & top LED bar 5mm installed.
    New00.jpg


    Photo4: Powered up & working with the new 4001 driver also soldered on.
    New01.jpg


    Photo5: Tail light back together and working as intended.
    Working01.jpg


    Cheers
    Mat


    Where to buy drivers?
    Any online site?

    Thanks

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    2
    My Cars
    BMW
    you can buy repair pcb board here https://xenons4u.co.uk/bmw-x3-f25-le...-b0038092.html will save you guys a fortune!

  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    2
    My Cars
    BMW E83 LCI
    That's for the f25 not the e83 they are different pcbs.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2021
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    1
    My Cars
    x3
    did you have any luck on the tailgate? mind is out, does not look like i can use this process.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Toronto, ON, Canada
    Posts
    46
    My Cars
    '98 328is, '07 X3
    Quote Originally Posted by BigBud View Post
    did you have any luck on the tailgate? mind is out, does not look like i can use this process.
    Would like to know this as well

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