XSeries-forum

I keep getting a brake light fail alert coming up, happend a few months back and I checked the bulb and it was OK so cleaned contacts and all worked fine.

Move on a month or so and it happens again, O/S rear brake light fail, took the cheap looking holder out, cleaned the contact again and now I've still got a brake light warning but added to it a reverse light warning !!

Poxy thing, anyone had the same experience or any ideas?
I've pulled the connection block apart and pushed it back together, my next stage will be to attempt to clean contacts in the block.

If the rear light and the reverse ,light  share a common negative/ earth and that's a poor connection. Try rigging an independant Earth to the light cluster to see if the problem goes away.
Cast your mind back to the 80's / 90's cars that you used to follow, when they pressed the brake pedal it was like a Christmas tree side lights indicators lighting up dimly. This was due to bad earth / negative connections to the rear lights.  It in them days we didn't have light check facility ( not until my E30 325 H reg 1990 )

Good idea, the other thing I found online was something about a recall in the States for dodgey connectors, doubt it applies here in the UK though.
Got the Mondial BMW warranty still running but even if there isn't something in the small print about this being an exception it will cost me £200 excess to claim.

I'll try running a seperate earth and then maybe focus on the connector, might even cut it out and solder the buggers together.