Rear tailgate light...water ingress problem...but not the seal?

[storminmike]

I haven't got a picture but the edge of one of the rear tailgate lights is showing a dark patch behind the lens. The dark grey area is creeping from the bottom up.

A closer look suggests that some form of capillary action is to blame as the facia if the light looks like it may be bonded onto the cluster itself.

I can see a thin line where if one were brave enough it could be sliced off...which makes me think that this where water or something has got in? Anyone seen this before..or attempted a fix.

They look expesive on Ebay individually and I cant be sure if they're the same across all european models either (pre/post facelift)

Suggestions?

A band new (and shiny) pair would be nice but they're sooooooooooo expensive

[storminmike]

Bump

No thoughts anyone? I'm tempted to take the whole thing off to see if it's water in via another route but I suspect the gasket that seals it may fail as soon as removed due to age.....and its tippling down

[X5-D-Sport]

You answered it yourself Mike.
The grunge at the bottom is mouldy stuff growing.... so it will be getting in from above that...

I bought an unbranded set of all 4 tail lights from Flea Bay that look nice & unfaded for about £120 a few months ago... after the same problem as yours... I tried to remove the outer lens cover... and totally buggered it lol...

[storminmike]

[quote="X5-D-Sport Salisbury"]
You answered it yourself Mike.
The grunge at the bottom is mouldy stuff growing.... so it will be getting in from above that...

I bought an unbranded set of all 4 tail lights from Flea Bay that look nice & unfaded for about £120 a few months ago... after the same problem as yours... I tried to remove the outer lens cover... and totally buggered it lol...
[/quote]

A closer look suggests that some staining on the edge nearest the outer lights (the pure vertical side) suggests that soke crud got in that way, possibly jet wash induced.

I shot some "flash" at it (belach...kills organics) and I can see it propogate down but the crud aint moving. Doesn't help the polish but that can be sorted. As for the lower edge I sort of tried the same...and shot some inside the housing too....nothing happening

Even if I did flush it out it would need to be edge sealed. I guess with a sharp blade the halves could perhaps be seperated but it seems you've been there before?


If I do look for a single or new pair....are all euro e53 tailgate lights the same or are there any differences between facelift and early versions?

[X5-D-Sport]

Hi Mike, im not sure about pre/post facelift variants.... they appear thebsame... but that means nothing with BMW...

I peeped on ebay earlier and these are available on bids or buy now.... lots...

I bought a full set of 4 to make the rear look good....  not OEM... but possibly better reflectors & partially smoked too...

[storminmike]

[quote="X5-D-Sport Salisbury"]
Hi Mike, im not sure about pre/post facelift variants.... they appear thebsame... but that means nothing with BMW...

I peeped on ebay earlier and these are available on bids or buy now.... lots...

I bought a full set of 4 to make the rear look good....  not OEM... but possibly better reflectors & partially smoked too...
[/quote]

Thanks anyhow...will take a look on fleabay. The indicator lenses are perfect....but there is a route into them too I notice for crud to force in. Might run a weensy bit of silicone into tha gap

[storminmike]

Bit of an update and food for thought

New (well new to me) facelift tailgate light installed and what a bargain.....spotless shiny and installed in 4 mins flat including getting the old one off and a spanner out of the shed.

But enough of that.....I confirmed the mode of failure...in the kitchen sink

Assembly inside the house and a basin full of warm water I submerged the old light then lifted it out flat side edge down (the end opposite the bulb holders) and water p!ssed out from the inside out. Nothing came out the what would be lower edge on the car.

The joint it would confirm the nearest to the indicator cluster is source of crap getting in then settling in the micro cavity between the outer lens and the moulded body

How it failed (glue or some sort of fusion weld) I don't know but I would hazard a guess that high pressure water "could" get in that way and carry crap with it.

The fitting is now having a soak in dish soap water to see if that dislodges the stuff. If not it might be a move up to stronger stuff though I don't know what yet

Conclusion. The join between the lens and the body of the lamp unit is a route to let crap in....some "tiny bead" of something clear in the join fillet might be prudent. Beware though as I guess anything "thin" in viscosity terms might wick in and screw it up too.

My 2p worth


edit....why bother when I've got a new one.....curiosity to see how it failed and whether it can be resurrected

[X5Sport]

May be it got a tiny bit of water in there and that froze so splitting the joint a fraction?

[storminmike]

[quote="X5Sport"]
May be it got a tiny bit of water in there and that froze so splitting the joint a fraction?
[/quote]

Who knows....but it looked a mess. Update on my cleaning attempts....EPIC FAIL

Don't try this at home kids
Went from water, to soapy water, to a bit of Vanish and water, some bleach and water, some stardrops and water.

Result....some of the muck came out.....BUT....I destroyed the silver reflective bit behind the bulb area in the process. What ever it was coated in it wasn't metal or chrome metal. Some kind of silvery chromey coating  (is that a real word) over plastic but its now gone....OOOPS....just the red plastic with ridges which are not very reflective at all.

Definately going to seal the edge on the new one now.