BuddyB

BMW Headlights Insulation Deteriorating
Hi all,
I have a 2006 BMW 530i with Bi-Xenon Adaptive headlights.
I had an error that my parking light was out but after removing my headlight assy. I found flaking insulation and bare wires everywhere.
I have searched and searched the internet but cannot find a wire harness.
The Halo Fiber Optic cables are flaked off as well.

Using a heat gun I have completely disassembled my headlight and removed the wire harness.
My next attempt is to totally make a new wire harness complete with new pins in connectors.
I think that I can use heat shrink tubing over the fiber optic cables.
The actual light assy. has just 2 black wires that are flaking, the majority of the bad wires are in the actual wire harness.

Have others found this as well and what have you done?

Thanks,

Bud

BuddyB

I sent a email to Hella North America, the headlight manufacturer.
Below is their response.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Casey.Callaway@hella.com

As you know, we don't really have spare parts of this nature.

Unfortunately, we may manufacture the lamp, but it is to the specifications of the BMW design team - we really have nothing to do with the selection of the components.
Perhaps he should direct his inquiry to BMW in Germany, rather than to the dealer - in the end, all the dealer wants is to sell him the lamps.

Sorry.

Regards,
Andrée


Andrée Chaisson
Senior Product Manager - OE Replacement Parts, Bulbs & Wiperblades
__________________________________________________ _____________________________

So I will now write to BMWNA for their official response

Bud

BuddyB

Here is BMWNA's official response regarding support for the crumbling wire jacket in their headlights.....
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Mr.

Thank you for writing to BMW of North America, LLC regarding your 2006 BMW 530i. We were sorry to read of your concerns with your vehicle's headlight.

The warranty for your vehicle provided coverage up to four years or 50,000 miles. Although we empathize with your situation, due to the current age of the vehicle, we cannot offer assistance in this case.

Many factors contribute to the actual length of life of any given vehicle part, and it is natural to expect that some parts may have to be replaced due to mechanical failures, or normal wear and tear. The service team at your authorized BMW center is in the best position to address any specific questions you may have. A list of our authorized BMW centers categorized by name, state or ZIP Code can be found on our website at: www.bmwusa.com, under “Dealer Locator.”

The BMW Customer Relations and Services Department is available Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., ET. You can reach us at 1-800-831-1117.

Sincerely,

Emily Lane
Customer Relations and Services
Representative

4.8 SECONDS TO THE TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN.
The first-ever BMW 2 Series knows no boundaries.

www.bmwusa.com

KyleB

Hi Ed,

Yes, I had the same problem on my '04. I'm also in Florida. I bit the bullet and ordered two new Hella housings off of Amazon. I admire your tenacity; hopefully enough people will band together and BMWNA will do something about this. It's laughable that headlight wiring would be considered by BMW to be a 'wear item'. It won't surprise me if someone files a class action lawsuit at some point.

BuddyB

Well it looks like it is now in my lap to resolve the wiring issue in my headlight....
No one is going to come to my aid and step up and do the right thing.
BMW thinks that it's just normal wear and tear that after 8 years all of the insulation is literally flaking off of the wires.
It is no responsibility of theirs!
I should just be a stand up guy and reward them for their poor manufacturing and choice of wiring!
While at the same time lining their pockets more and Purchase a new headlight at upwards of $1500.00, of my hard earned money and then like cancer
let it all happen again, over and over!

I imagine a room full of exec's with big cigar's in their mouth's sitting back and fanning money from bags of cash.
The head exec now promoted to the top saying, "See, I told you that having HELLA use all that defective wiring would be a win win!
Not only dump the wire rather than take a huge capital loss, but net us bundles and bundles of cash, from the unsuspecting witless public!
Such Fools!
God, America is a Great Country! Party on my Yacht this weekend! LOL! LOL!
BMW is literally that lucky!

Bud

tonyb635

I'm on board! I also called BMWNA and was simply just jacked around. Recently my inner turn lens just fell off. I had to cut open the light assy to repair. After seeing the inside condition of wires all i wanted to do was vomit! If you think you have bare wires based on only what you can see you are dead wrong! Inside they are 10 times worse.

KyleB

Bud, you were able to remove the lens using nothing but a heat gun?

twh

Wow.

Are these wires from inside the headlight assembly or are they the outside wiring harness?

I've never seen anything this bad. I've seen cracked insulation in older house wiring. The PVC or whatever they used at the time got brittle over time and cracks.

Maybe the hot FL air has some part in this. Are you by the water? Maybe also salt air.

If the insulation is intact farther down the harness, you may be able to repair the wires with dual-wall adhesive heat shrink tubing. That might be useful on any almost disintegrated wires under the hood.

tonyb635

Bud, I sent you a pm

BuddyB

Complaint filed..

Your Complaint Information has been successfully submitted.

Your Confirmation Number (ODI Number) is: 10639511.

Your Complaint will be available within 72 hours at Vehicle Owners | Safercar -- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)