Hey folks,
In another episode of "what's wrong with my E39", I was picking up some Krispy Kreme doughnuts and coffee in my E39 today, and when I was on my way back home, I got a "check brake lights" error. Hmm, must have a bulb out. Nope. After filming the back of my car while I pressed the brake pedal, I had ZERO brake lights working. Hmmmm.
So I grab my laptop, scan the LCM with INPA, and see that the brake light switch is working properly through the "read status" page. BMW Scanner 1.4 agreed. However, the live data from the LCM claims the all the brake light bulbs are out. Center, and both tail light brake lights. What are the odds of that?
So the brake light switch is working, or at least the LCM thinks it is. The taillight brake light bulbs were swapped with the reverse lights; they're working. The center taillight bulb was suspect, so I changed it; it's working now.
All of the other bulbs in the car are working - indicators, Celis taillights, reverse lights, all working. The outer brake lights - the most important lights, IMO - aren't working. Still getting a "check brake lights" error message. I changed the bulbs with some from my box of spares - still not working. I cleaned the contacts in the taillight connectors with CRC QD contact cleaner. No dice.
Has any one else experienced a problem like this?
I need this problem fixed, obviously. Sooner the better.
- - - Updated - - -
Checked fuses, obv. Swapped fuse 41 (brake lights) and 43 (same amperage); no difference.
Nate J.
(oOO\ (|||)º(|||) /OOo)
Titanium Silver/Black Nappa Full 07-18-2001 E39 M5 Heritage (BZ99672). 198,000mi+. Increasing daily. Engine rebuild thread.
(eŌō\ (||||)º(||||) / ōŌe)
Alpineweiss III/Black Merino Full 03-26-2007 E60 M5 Manual (CX08265). 157,000+. Dead starter -_-
RIP, Seabiscuit. Black Sapphire/Schwarz 03-11-2003 530iA Sport (CK39185). T-boned 03-01-2017 at 155,861mi.
Take 2 "Otto" - Toledo Blue/Sandbeige 04-25-2002 530iA Sport (CH98032). Sold 11-10-2017 at 147,743mi.
Take 3 "Manuel" - Toledo Blue/Grau 10-29-2001 530i5 Sport (CE92358). Sold 02-01-2019 at 217,600mi. I regret that. Build Log
Reliable P.O.S. - Green/gray 1995 Camry V6 LE. 270k mi. Sold for space.
Ok, well, this is a new one. It would appear that the taillight socket in the taillight housing was not making good contact with the "wiring" in the taillight. When I removed the taillight, there is a very slight amount of corrosion inside the socket housing. Like, really light corrosion. Now I have left and center brake lights. I will take photos of the right taillight before I fix it, if indeed that is the issue.
- - - Updated - - -
Also spent about an hour getting the WDS to work again. Grr.
Nate J.
(oOO\ (|||)º(|||) /OOo)
Titanium Silver/Black Nappa Full 07-18-2001 E39 M5 Heritage (BZ99672). 198,000mi+. Increasing daily. Engine rebuild thread.
(eŌō\ (||||)º(||||) / ōŌe)
Alpineweiss III/Black Merino Full 03-26-2007 E60 M5 Manual (CX08265). 157,000+. Dead starter -_-
RIP, Seabiscuit. Black Sapphire/Schwarz 03-11-2003 530iA Sport (CK39185). T-boned 03-01-2017 at 155,861mi.
Take 2 "Otto" - Toledo Blue/Sandbeige 04-25-2002 530iA Sport (CH98032). Sold 11-10-2017 at 147,743mi.
Take 3 "Manuel" - Toledo Blue/Grau 10-29-2001 530i5 Sport (CE92358). Sold 02-01-2019 at 217,600mi. I regret that. Build Log
Reliable P.O.S. - Green/gray 1995 Camry V6 LE. 270k mi. Sold for space.
Nate J.
(oOO\ (|||)º(|||) /OOo)
Titanium Silver/Black Nappa Full 07-18-2001 E39 M5 Heritage (BZ99672). 198,000mi+. Increasing daily. Engine rebuild thread.
(eŌō\ (||||)º(||||) / ōŌe)
Alpineweiss III/Black Merino Full 03-26-2007 E60 M5 Manual (CX08265). 157,000+. Dead starter -_-
RIP, Seabiscuit. Black Sapphire/Schwarz 03-11-2003 530iA Sport (CK39185). T-boned 03-01-2017 at 155,861mi.
Take 2 "Otto" - Toledo Blue/Sandbeige 04-25-2002 530iA Sport (CH98032). Sold 11-10-2017 at 147,743mi.
Take 3 "Manuel" - Toledo Blue/Grau 10-29-2001 530i5 Sport (CE92358). Sold 02-01-2019 at 217,600mi. I regret that. Build Log
Reliable P.O.S. - Green/gray 1995 Camry V6 LE. 270k mi. Sold for space.
Here's the level of corrosion that stopped both rear brake lights from working at the exact same time (AFAIK).
Left taillight, after being cleaned up with a brass wire brush, and before being cleaned with some vinegar on a q-tip:
1 Left.jpg
Right taillight, before any cleaning. I replaced it due to previous water ingress in taillight, and not at all because I had a spare lying around:
2 Right.jpg
I also cleaned up the socket contact points with the brass brush, and I replaced all three brake light bulbs with new ones.
My expensive SilverVision turn signal bulbs are still going strong, and the car is back to its normal, error free dash.
Nate J.
(oOO\ (|||)º(|||) /OOo)
Titanium Silver/Black Nappa Full 07-18-2001 E39 M5 Heritage (BZ99672). 198,000mi+. Increasing daily. Engine rebuild thread.
(eŌō\ (||||)º(||||) / ōŌe)
Alpineweiss III/Black Merino Full 03-26-2007 E60 M5 Manual (CX08265). 157,000+. Dead starter -_-
RIP, Seabiscuit. Black Sapphire/Schwarz 03-11-2003 530iA Sport (CK39185). T-boned 03-01-2017 at 155,861mi.
Take 2 "Otto" - Toledo Blue/Sandbeige 04-25-2002 530iA Sport (CH98032). Sold 11-10-2017 at 147,743mi.
Take 3 "Manuel" - Toledo Blue/Grau 10-29-2001 530i5 Sport (CE92358). Sold 02-01-2019 at 217,600mi. I regret that. Build Log
Reliable P.O.S. - Green/gray 1995 Camry V6 LE. 270k mi. Sold for space.
Glad you solved it. Those gaskets on the tails are marginal at best.
98 540i 6, 525 whp, 120 mph 1/4, V3 Si S/C'er @16 psi, W/A I/C, Water/Meth, Supersprint Headers, HJS Cats, 3" Custom Exhaust, UUC Twin Disc, Wavetrac LSD, GC Coil Overs, Monoball TA, AEM FP, Aeromotive FPR, AEM Failsafe AFR/Boost, Style 65's w/275's, M5 Steering Box, Eibach Sways, M3 Shifter, Evans Coolant, 85 Deg Stat, PWM Fan, 10" Subs, B.A. speakers, Grom Aux/BT, Still Rolling as my DD!
Hey Nate - strongly suggest you give those surfaces a squirt or wipe w/ a contact 'cleaner' / lube like Deoxit after you cleaned 'em up. If there's any residual vinegar acid left there it'll be super corrosive over the long term... Some product like that should neutralize that, and then provide a bit of surface coating to prevent more corrosion. Use a little WD-40 if you have nothing better (can replicate the Q-tip application so you don't spray oily crap into the lens itself).
I'm guessing there's something about using a common ground for diagnosis or something that made the bad reading on one side take out both sides 'logically'. There's a lotta advantages to modern LCM type module control - basically they eliminate the need for a lot of extra specific fuses and can identify bad bulbs etc - but once in a while they cause something funny like this where an old-timer switched brakelight would have kept working fine.
2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i (wifemobile)
Former:
1985 MB Euro graymarket 300SL
1995.5 Audi S6 Avant (utility/winter billetturbobattlewagen)
I did; CRC QD contact cleaner was liberally applied (to a q-tip and directly into the connector).
That makes sense, actually. However, I've had similar (worse) grounding and rust issues in the past (I had an internally cracked taillight in my first E39 which allowed water in), but with just one bad bulb.
Nate J.
(oOO\ (|||)º(|||) /OOo)
Titanium Silver/Black Nappa Full 07-18-2001 E39 M5 Heritage (BZ99672). 198,000mi+. Increasing daily. Engine rebuild thread.
(eŌō\ (||||)º(||||) / ōŌe)
Alpineweiss III/Black Merino Full 03-26-2007 E60 M5 Manual (CX08265). 157,000+. Dead starter -_-
RIP, Seabiscuit. Black Sapphire/Schwarz 03-11-2003 530iA Sport (CK39185). T-boned 03-01-2017 at 155,861mi.
Take 2 "Otto" - Toledo Blue/Sandbeige 04-25-2002 530iA Sport (CH98032). Sold 11-10-2017 at 147,743mi.
Take 3 "Manuel" - Toledo Blue/Grau 10-29-2001 530i5 Sport (CE92358). Sold 02-01-2019 at 217,600mi. I regret that. Build Log
Reliable P.O.S. - Green/gray 1995 Camry V6 LE. 270k mi. Sold for space.
Bookmarks