Number plate light warning

[euanT]

Hi guys,
New here so be patient! daughter just got herself a 2001 3.0i X5 with a few niggles. Dashboard warning messages for bulbs out, firstly foglights traced to bad earth at the light, fixed!! Second one is the number light warning but both are ON!!  took the unit apart this afternoon to find it has been totally bodged. Festoon bulbs removed and capsule bulb/holders re-wired in their place, and tailgate switch removed with wires cut and not insulated(thats why it wont open) Bulb failure warning will not go away, would it be because of the bulb change????

Thanks

[themoog]

Probably. I had a Cayenne that had some LED things in and the warning wouldn't go until I put normal bulbs in. My wife's X5 has a bulb that won't work so I took the unit to bits yesterday- bit awkward as it's all plastic welded- and found a load of rotten corroded circuit board. No wonder the light won't work or boot won't open.

[grumpywurzel]

[quote="euanT"]
Hi guys,
New here so be patient! daughter just got herself a 2001 3.0i X5 with a few niggles. Dashboard warning messages for bulbs out, firstly foglights traced to bad earth at the light, fixed!! Second one is the number light warning but both are ON!!  took the unit apart this afternoon to find it has been totally bodged. Festoon bulbs removed and capsule bulb/holders re-wired in their place, and tailgate switch removed with wires cut and not insulated(thats why it wont open) Bulb failure warning will not go away, would it be because of the bulb change????

Thanks
[/quote]

Sounds like the incorrect lamp/bulb is sending the CANBUS system into meltdown thus bringing up the error codes, even though the bodged lights are working

[euanT]

Thats what I was thinking, but not sure how sensitive the canbus system was! The capsule bulbs will be a lesser wattage that the OEM festoon for sure!!

[Horizon]

Canbus is looking for the normal wattage of OEM bulbs, if u fit bulbs with a lower wattage IE LEDs you have to buy error free LED bulbs or fit a load resister into the circuit to fool the can bus. Loads on sale on eBay for a few quid.
Trouble is the BMW X5 was an expensive car when it was new, so people that could afford them looked after them.
Now they are within reach of almost everyone. I bought one

[euanT]

Well she did get this one for £800, non runner sitting in a driveway for a year with burnt out clutch!!  Her boyfriend is a mechanic, so clutch done for cost - £160! runs sweet but been neglected over the years!!
All the niggly problems seem to be electrical and I am slowly working my way through them!!!

[AW8]

Appreciate it was a non runner but £800 has to be the chespest sourced used X5  I have heard of.

Pics would be intersting.

Suggest swap out to a salvage tailgate switch & plate electrics.

Clutch repair makes this a potential bargain assuming flywheel all good & its not a money pit.....That said in worst scenario (latern non cost effective repairs needed) its worth more than £800 if broken for sale of useable remaining parts.

[euanT]

Will post some pics tomorrow(Tue)

[AW8]

[euanT]

Pictures as requested!!  How can I find out the spec for this car??

[Horizon]

http://www.bmwvin.com/