BMW recall 11V-438 covers the rear lamp ground connection on 2002 to 2005 E46 sedans built from September 1, 2001 through March 1, 2005. The recall fix is free at a BMW center. If a tail, brake or turn signal lamp has quit on your car, check the recall before you buy bulbs. NHTSA acknowledgement letter, August 31, 2011.
Models and production dates covered
NHTSA lists the 325i, 325xi, 330i and 330xi, model years 2002 to 2005. The affected cars were built from September 1, 2001 through March 1, 2005, about 241,000 vehicles. NHTSA 11V-438, Summary. BMW's owner FAQ says only E46 sedans are affected. SI B63 06 11, Q1 and Q4.
The M3 is not included. NHTSA says the M3 sedan used a different rear lamp assembly. NHTSA EA09-019 closing resume. Coupes, convertibles and wagons are not in the recall.
| Item | Recall 11V-438 |
|---|---|
| Models | 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi sedans |
| Model years | 2002 to 2005 |
| Built | September 1, 2001 to March 1, 2005 |
| Affected lamps | Tail, brake, turn signal (body side panel portion) |
| Cost | Free at a BMW center |
What goes wrong
BMW says the problem is in the part of the rear lamp mounted in the body side panel. The part in the trunk lid is not affected. Over time, one or more lamps may stop working. SI B63 06 11, Q2. NHTSA describes rising resistance at the electrical contact points of the ground wiring and its 8-pin connector, which can cause intermittent or permanent loss of tail, brake and turn signal function. EA09-019, Summary.
The investigation logged 1,110 complaints, 80 to NHTSA and 1,030 to BMW, and no crashes, fires or injuries. EA09-019, Failure Report Summary.
Warnings the car gives you
BMW lists these signs. SI B63 06 11, Q5.
- Tail or brake lamp fault: a warning symbol appears in the instrument cluster message display.
- Turn signal fault: the cluster arrow and the clicking sound run at twice the normal rate.
- An audible chime sounds each time you start the car.
Wiring fault or bulb fault
The recall describes a ground connection problem in the body side panel lamp section. BMW says bulbs of the wrong type, or a damaged bulb socket housing or circuit board, are separate problems and are not part of the recall repair. SI B63 06 11, Q6, Note.
Simple first checks: swap in a known good bulb of the correct type, look for a burned or discolored socket, and see whether the failure moves around or comes and goes. Intermittent failures fit the contact resistance NHTSA describes. A lamp that fails in more than one function at once (tail and brake together, for example) points toward the shared ground rather than a single bulb. That last point is our reading of the recall description, not a BMW test step. BMW's specific electrical test sequence is in its dealer repair instructions, which we could not find published, so we do not list measurements here.
Checking VIN and recall status
Run your 17 character VIN on the NHTSA recall lookup or ask any BMW center to run it. A lookup tells you whether a recall is open. A car with the repair already done may show nothing, so it will not tell you who did it or when. Ask the seller or dealer for the repair order. BMW says the 2006 service bulletin first gave this repair, so a car may have had it done before the recall began. SI B63 06 11, Q7.
BMW's FAQ also says owners get a letter and the recall was rolled out starting October 2011. SI B63 06 11, Q10 and Q12. An older car that never got the letter can still be taken to a BMW center to ask.
What the recall repair covers
BMW installs an added ground connection from the rear lamp bulb socket circuit board to the ground wire in the rear tail lamp harness connector. The lamps are then rechecked. If they still do not work, the repair may also replace the 8-pin harness connector housing and pins. The repair may take up to one hour. SI B63 06 11, Q6 and Q11. NHTSA describes the added ground as running in parallel with the original ground. EA09-019, Summary.
Not covered: bulbs, the bulb socket housing and the circuit board. SI B63 06 11, Q6, Note.
After the repair
- Test tail, brake and both turn signals from the driver seat, with a helper behind the car.
- Start the car and make sure no lamp warning shows in the cluster and the turn signal clicks at the normal rate.
- Keep the repair order. It is the record that the recall was done.
The recall remedy is a dealer repair with no published owner procedure, so this article does not give wiring steps. For other E46 electrical work, see our E46 window regulator guide.