I could swear there is a bulletin on this. Seem to remember something like looking at the color of something in the tail light assembly denoting the difference in the old and improved part. Does that ring a bell to anyone?

 

Here's the part#, dealer pricing:

63-21-7-177-701 Left Bulb Carrier (driver's side), $44.68
63-21-7-177-702 Right Bulb Carrier (passenger)
12-52-7-502-933 Socket Contact (pin), $1.76
12-52-7-505-477 Universal Socket (plug), $3.19

Looks like ground wire is not large enought diameter to carry the power current. If that is the case, people who live in the states, do lots of night driving would experience this problem. The cars here use the "rear fog" as taillight which puts more current through the ground wire. Or it could also be something defective that short out the two pins melting the area.

In the meantime, I'm waiting for the right side to go up in smoke......BMW should address this issue!

 

Wow, this is insane. I can't believe I'm seeing this in more than one occasion other than my own.

By the way everyone. My car is still holding up fine. I haven't modded anything other than replacing the parts with new ones.

 

When I replaced one of my taillight connectors this was the case; the original was black and the replacement was blue and had a slightly different design. I replaced mine because a different, user created, problem.

What usually happens is the added current requires the full use of the contacts surface and if there is any corrosion or impurities on the surface the "smaller" contact area causes heat to build up which exacerbates the problem until total failure. It's how electrical fires usually start.

 

I had the same problem with mine..I have an '08 535i (LCI) and the same thing happened with the rear melting and the burning through the housing. I simply cut through the harness and got a 3" piece of thicker wire and wired it directly (my car warranty was up a week before this happened )I actually forgot I did this until I read this post just now.

Is there a recall yet? CLEARLY two or three people experiencing this problem cannot be all in the entire US of A...i'm just sayin...

 

Add me to the list. Started getting the warning on Sunday. Thought I would go in and change the bulb, but noticed that the old bulb looked exactly like the new one in regards to the filaments.

Then I unplugged the connector from the pins. Looks EXACTLY like what I am seeing in the pictures above, and on the Number 1 pin as well just like for you guys. I'd love to see what you guys are doing for the extra ground.

I just hit 100000 on my 2008 535i today as too, so I'd like to know where about you guys were when you saw your problems.

 

right side same problem in my '08 535 with error message. and it seems from what i have read here and at bimmerfest, that once a message appears in the idrive the damage is done. so...in for fix tomorrow at dealer, and will have them check the driver side as well. my car goes out of warranty 12/31 and have a list of items.

 

Wow

Yeah man get it fixed by them asap before it's too late.

 

Same thing happening to my car a 2007 523i it's two times already. My car is in Singapore.

 

I was at 35k.