Same thing happened here, with the plug and socket looking just about the same as the posted pix. I ordered the carrier from ECS for $31.61 ... and will go to the dealer for the plug and socket.

2009 535i ... problem started around 62k miles while I was on a trip to Massachusetts. Got it working okay for the trip back, but when inspecting it this evening noticed that the receiving pin in the socket disintegrated so that it's only about half as long ... this, along with the melted plastic.

 

Has anyone seen this on a pre-LCI upgraded to LCI tails w/Bruce's cables? I'll be checking mine over the weekend!

 

Added a separate ground wire yesterday going directly to the ground connection nearest the tail light assembly. Used 14-gauge wire and this should easily handle the high current apparently in the circuit ... can't hurt anyway. I'm going to leave the additional ground in place when I get the new parts, because it seems that just replacing them would leave the problem in place, only to have melting occur again.

I also put a tag on the wire noting what it is doing there, since it's not standard. It should help anyone servicing the area if I ever sell the car (not to mention help me, when I see it there in a couple of years and wonder what the heck it's for ).

 

Burnie - could you post up some pics to show others what ground wire you're adding and where exactly it's going too.
Hopefully this will help many of us that might encounter the same issue.

 

Took some photos as requested. This is an easy fix ... but I suggest doing any drilling outside the trunk and away from the battery to keep any metal flakes from it. I didn't disconnect the battery, so when I removed the ground block (just to check it out) and then put it back, heard a few things being activated. (This ground block is used for a number of things, including the low-pressure fuel pump.) But it didn't seem to hurt anything ... I've been driving around for a couple of days. But maybe it's best to disconnect the battery before doing the work.

Inserted the last photo to better show the location of the ground point.

 

thanks Bernie, that's really helpful, at least everyone now has an idea what exactly you're talking about.

 

UGH!! I just got this error message intermittently though reverse/turn sig./brake lamp malfunction error. I will check this out this weekend and see if it is indeed burnt wire from my LCI tail lights.

 

Received my replacement bulb holder from ECS Tuning today (an original BMW part in a BMW box). Notice the brown wire already attached to the part ... it's an extra ground wire ... so they're shipping the new stuff with the "fix" already in place.

 

Interesting I might go this route.

 

I did code the SZL and compared the before and after and there were no changes.