Home Forums Articles How To's FAQ Register
Go Back   Xoutpost.com > BMW SAV Forums > X5 (E53) Forum
Arnott
User Name
Password
Member List Premier Membership Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Xoutpost server transfer and maintenance is occurring....
Xoutpost is currently undergoing a planned server migration.... stay tuned for new developments.... sincerely, the management


Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 12-01-2011, 06:09 PM
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 4
jizzlets is on a distinguished road
Taillight Rust

I keep getting a warning saying to "Check Rear Light". I thought the bulb was out but it turns out that there is alot of rust on the Right and Left rear bottom light. That is was causing me to have no brake light. Is there a way to fix the rust or do I need to change the whole tail light housing?
Attached Images
  
Reply With Quote

Sponsored Links

  #2  
Old 12-02-2011, 06:23 AM
powers1's Avatar
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Lisbon-PT & London-UK
Posts: 3,361
powers1 is on a distinguished road
Thats the rubber linings around the tail lights that let the water in ..IMPORTANT ,You need to change the rubbers ,in anyways.
Think most of us with older E53 (me included),had this problem.
From the pictures,You seem to have a lot more rust than usual,but you can only see the extent of the damage after you cleaned all the rust around it.
First cover up the bulb hole with by putting a clean cloth inside (you pull it out afterwards),so you dont get rust inside tail light.If you do ,you will have to vacuum it out .
Use sand paper and a "scratcher ",anything pointed,to remove the rust.If the damage isnt too bad,you may get away with using some solder to repair the damage.
Good luck
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 12-02-2011, 09:09 AM
Bulk's Avatar
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Mona Vale, Sydney, Australia
Posts: 693
Bulk is on a distinguished road
From what I can gather here in AUS we have a 12 year warranty against rust. Don't know what the deal is in the U.S.....
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 12-02-2011, 03:03 PM
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 4
jizzlets is on a distinguished road
actually, some of the metal pieces are starting to peel off because of the rust. so when i put the socket in, it feels like the metal contacts in the socket is not touching the metal contacts to the housing. i think this is why the light is not working. and my soldering skills is not really good... actually, its non-existant. i guess im screwed.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 12-03-2011, 06:51 AM
powers1's Avatar
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Lisbon-PT & London-UK
Posts: 3,361
powers1 is on a distinguished road
Quote:
Originally Posted by jizzlets View Post
actually, some of the metal pieces are starting to peel off because of the rust. so when i put the socket in, it feels like the metal contacts in the socket is not touching the metal contacts to the housing. i think this is why the light is not working. and my soldering skills is not really good... actually, its non-existant. i guess im screwed.
In that case ,try and clean the rust the best way you can,then use some foil (what you out in the oven ),to cover the damage part and it should conduct electricity to the bulb.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 12-05-2011, 12:01 PM
TiAgX5's Avatar
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Coppell,TX
Posts: 3,489
TiAgX5 is on a distinguished road
You can thank the local road dept for all the rock salt (NaCl) to Calcium Chloride (CaCl) they spread on your roads. That stuff rots any bare steel it comes in contact with,
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 12-05-2011, 12:49 PM
mrbmwx5's Avatar
Premier Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Brownstwn,Michigan.
Posts: 4,794
mrbmwx5 is on a distinguished road
Cheap and easy way to fixing this is..Hardwire the sockets with + and - than tap the wires into the wiring harness.( If you don't want to buy the new light )
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 12-17-2011, 02:23 AM
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 4
jizzlets is on a distinguished road
the foil thing did the trick. but i have a feeling that the foil might fail, so i may had to redo the foil thing quite often.

but the hardwire the socket thing sounds intriguing. do you have any images that i can go by? im not really a DIY type person, so any images will help.

thanks
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 12-17-2011, 10:29 AM
killcrap's Avatar
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: america
Posts: 1,508
killcrap is on a distinguished road
You can use a mercedes repair kit "164 826 00 07" and modify it to fit the tail lamp, and then take the pin out of the connector and using the correct connector to connect the new socket wiring to the vehicle body harness.

attached picture is not my own, and is from audipages
Attached Images
 
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 12-21-2011, 07:11 AM
Drkenigma1's Avatar
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 31
Drkenigma1 is on a distinguished road
I had holes too. What I did was a little easier. I sanded the metal to expose the contacts, then I bent the metal up to make a better connection to the socket and it worked.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On





All times are GMT -4. The time now is 08:26 PM.
vBulletin, Copyright 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd. Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.6.0
© 2017 Xoutpost.com. All rights reserved. Xoutpost.com is a private enthusiast site not associated with BMW AG.
The BMW name, marks, M stripe logo, and Roundel logo as well as X3, X5 and X6 designations used in the pages of this Web Site are the property of BMW AG.
This web site is not sponsored or affiliated in any way with BMW AG or any of its subsidiaries.