Joined this forum to ask about trunk problems on a [new to me] 2009 528i - battery drain, lights stay on, actuator engages spontaneously, false license lamp messages, etc.
Read a few posts here about broken wires at the hinge. Opened mine up tonight to find the exact thing I read here - broken brown (ground?) wire. Textbook example.
I pulled the inner trunk lid liner, unclipped the harness so I could slide it out of the hinge enough to repair. Soldered and shrink wrapped the one broken wire, then added some corrugated plastic sleeve around the entire harness. I left out the rubber plug usually at the end of the hinge - that looks like the source of the problem to me - guarantees the wires will bend at a 90 degree angle every time opened/closed. By leaving the plug out and using the plastic sleeving I believe the wires will take a more natural bend, and will be protected from rubbing on the hinge tube.
Last edited by allpinball; 01-17-2019 at 01:32 AM.
Nice little fix. Kudos !
José
1987 M6
Livin the dream!
I hope you scrutinized all the other wires in the harness as I'd be surprised if only the brown wire was affected. Th brown may have been broken but I'm guessing the others were likely stressed and may not be far behind. Good luck.
2007 530i sport (Montreal Blue w/ gray interior)
2008 550i sport (Alpine White w/ black interior)
yes I stretched and bent the other wires looking for other breaks. Typically if the copper is broken the insulation will stretch if you pull on the wire. The brown wire appeared to be the only culprit - and being broken and contained within the wire tape - it was certainly making intermittent connection and acting randomly.
Speaking of wire tape - what the hell is that sticky stuff they used? I still have residue left on my hands!
I repaired my old Volvo wagon with wire that they use on the robots that they for building cars. The wire as a very fine diameter but the flexablitly comes from the fact that the wire core is not just one. It Is a bunch of individual cores of wires that make up the whole wire.
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