Devastated : Go easy what would you do?

[easyrider]

The super basic and easy to do yourself from easiest to hardest are..


Air filter

This dude says

How to replace the engine air filter.
It's not a just do it task.
320d

Looks complicated for a noob like me....Although I wish I had the confidence....Might have to do it with my help from my old man...(bonding session)

 

[Joe T]

R.E

Bad earth connection on the O/S/R Lamp unit which requires further diagnostics



I decided to have a look at this today...The OSR bulb is showing on the dash...

I got a mate to check today and all the lights are working...

Anyway I took the rear lights out from inside the boot and it looks like a wire as melted one of the metal prongs the rear electrical plug goes when you click it inside the housing...

I need some help here to fix it...I have cleaned the connection and the prongs on one side but the other side prong is melted into a stump...If that make sense.

I cant quite tell your exact issue, but I think I had something similar where the prongs had completely corroded. I ended up buying the entire piece that holds all the bulbs (complete with all the bulbs) from BMW for less than £40. A bit overkill, but it fixed the issue!

 

[F355]

R.E

Bad earth connection on the O/S/R Lamp unit which requires further diagnostics



I decided to have a look at this today...The OSR bulb is showing on the dash...

I got a mate to check today and all the lights are working...

Anyway I took the rear lights out from inside the boot and it looks like a wire as melted one of the metal prongs the rear electrical plug goes when you click it inside the housing...

I need some help here to fix it...I have cleaned the connection and the prongs on one side but the other side prong is melted into a stump...If that make sense.

This is a common design flaw on the E46. The earth on the rear light connector is not good enough. You can buy the light section which screws in and they also sell the connector complete with 15cm or so of wire. I spliced a new connector on and added an extra earth onto the light unit to stop the issue reoccurring. It has been fine for the last 5 years or so.

 

[easyrider]

I cant quite tell your exact issue, but I think I had something similar where the prongs had completely corroded. I ended up buying the entire piece that holds all the bulbs (complete with all the bulbs) from BMW for less than £40. A bit overkill, but it fixed the issue!

I would need two I think

This is a common design flaw on the E46. The earth on the rear light connector is not good enough. You can buy the light section which screws in and they also sell the connector complete with 15cm or so of wire. I spliced a new connector on and added an extra earth onto the light unit to stop the issue reoccurring. It has been fine for the last 5 years or so.

Got the part number mate for the connector ?

This is more up my street

http://www.rotatone.co.uk/bmw-e46-3-series-rear-tail-light-warning-earth-issue-fix/

 

[F355]

I would need two I think



Got the part number mate for the connector ?

This is more up my street

http://www.rotatone.co.uk/bmw-e46-3-series-rear-tail-light-warning-earth-issue-fix/

That fix is very similar to what I did, but from memory my connector was a bit worse and the car was relatively new. I wanted to do a proper job so replaced the whole connector. If I was you considering the age of the car I would follow the guide above and it will fix the issue without much expense.

Part codes here: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=ED92-EUR-12-2004-E46-BMW-330d&diagId=63_0459

 

[craig_t]

Some of them prices are crazy, not to mention sounds like a typical main dealer you go in for one thing and come out with an extortionate list.

A lot you could do yourself and others a smaller garage could do cheaper.

 

[Scania]

The light connector corrosion issue is very common with most older vehicles, not just BMW's, I had a similar issue on my e46, spliced a new connector into place and the light worked although the obc still showed a bulb failure.

In the end I asked a fitter at work to sort it and he wired in an extra earth (as somebody else has in this thread) which sorted it.

Apparently very common failure on Volvo HGV's hence him knowing how to cure it!


Glad you got it sorted for a good price, so much better than dropping a few k on a newer car that'll most likely throw the same faults soon enough itself.

 

[easyrider]

I did exactly what that guy did in the link for the lights..

Its fixed it!

Can't believe it!

cost of a few pence for a couple of wire clamp thingies....Took all of 5 mins!

Mine looks identical to that.