Car at dealer for 3 days for malfunctioning headlight

rickradian · 10-31-2008, 12:02 PM

600 miles into driving my car the lower left low beam malfunction warning came on. I waited till the 1200 mile service to get it taken care of. I took the car in on Wednesday for the 1200 mile service.

Three days later, it is now Friday and no M3. They claim the transformer is malfunctioning and they need approval from BMW to get it replaced. BMW is making them do a shi!t load of diagnostics prior to replacing the part.

Never imagined it would take three days to get a front headlight fixed. God help me when this goes off warranty and the part breaks down again.

On the bright side, they gave me a pretty nice 335 coupe as a loaner.

!Xoible · 10-31-2008, 12:09 PM

irvine bmw or where?

Blake · 10-31-2008, 12:18 PM

if you have DCT, the recalled software update alone can take the better part of a day. if you do have DCT, that could be another reason for extra delay.

rickradian · 10-31-2008, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ///Mantis

irvine bmw or where?

Crevier

Not really complaining about them. I actually have had a very good experience with them overall from buying the car all the way till today.

I'm just venting because I'm chomping at the bit to take the car out after driving so carefully the first 1200 miles.

Deda · 10-31-2008, 04:40 PM

strange,you should go there and ask them whats the problem!

positiveions · 10-31-2008, 05:31 PM

ok, not buying an M3

j/k

rickradian · 10-31-2008, 05:51 PM

LOL

I just got a call from the service advisor. Car wont be ready till Tuesday. The part is not in stock and comes in onTuesday.

Thats freakin hillarious!!!

positiveions · 10-31-2008, 06:01 PM

i am sorry that happened to you bro

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickradian

LOL

I just got a call from the service advisor. Car wont be ready till Tuesday. The part is not in stock and comes in onTuesday.

Thats freakin hillarious!!!

rickradian · 11-05-2008, 11:24 AM

So it has officially been a week, and I finally picked up the car today.

Here is the writeup on the repair:

Check operation of headlights - Left Xenon is Inop. Removed Front Bumber for access. Removed L/Headlight assembly. Inpected Xenon Bulb/Igniter, Bulb shows signs of failure (Black clouding in Arc Area). Removed & replaced Xenon bulb and rechecked - Light still Inop. Removed and installed xenon controll unit - xenon light flickers on briefly. Then remains out. Reinstalled Original bulb, xenon light is again inop. Removed & reinstalled new bulb, xenon light is again inop. Removed & reinstalled new bulb/igniter unit. Contacted BMW technical. AS per BMW technical, inspected wiring to FRM - No evidence of wiring damage/c corrosion observed. As per technical, removed and replaced FRM unit and reprogram/recoded (Including CAS module) Update successful. Recheck Lights, Xenon light functioning normally.

The service advisor was really appologetic. He said he hoped I would give them another try.

Should this have been diagnosed quicker. They claim they did not have the part in stock and BMW was giving them a tough time on this because this usually does not go out.

positiveions · 11-05-2008, 12:30 PM

Actually, the CA that sold me my cousin's Cayman have an issue with his B7 S4. His left light keeps going out on him; that is after replacing the bulb. It happened 5 times already, and he is getting tired of it. Thus he wants to lemon the car.

batchelorc · 11-05-2008, 02:27 PM

I'm getting an intermittent right rear break light malfunction. Dealer looked at it and ordered the part no problem. Have not had the part installed yet

timsev · 11-05-2008, 03:05 PM

did they fix the problem? Yes
did they give you a free loaner to drive? Yes

Just be patient and get over it.

BimmerRob08 · 11-06-2008, 06:01 PM

It sounds like their at least trying to figure out and trouble shoot the issue and with the help of BMW tech reps. Even though the E92 body style has been out for a while, their are allways new issues that surface and BMW gathers all the data of problems of the design through dealers and people like us bringing these issues to them. I'd give them the opportunity to figure out what the root of the problem is and maybe that will help BMW improve those parts and system for future cars.

10-31-2008, 12:02 PM	#1
rickradian New Member 7 Rep 21 Posts Drives: 2008 e90 M3 (Jerez Black) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Irvine, CA iTrader: (0)	Car at dealer for 3 days for malfunctioning headlight 600 miles into driving my car the lower left low beam malfunction warning came on. I waited till the 1200 mile service to get it taken care of. I took the car in on Wednesday for the 1200 mile service. Three days later, it is now Friday and no M3. They claim the transformer is malfunctioning and they need approval from BMW to get it replaced. BMW is making them do a shi!t load of diagnostics prior to replacing the part. Never imagined it would take three days to get a front headlight fixed. God help me when this goes off warranty and the part breaks down again. On the bright side, they gave me a pretty nice 335 coupe as a loaner.
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10-31-2008, 12:09 PM	#2
!Xoible Banned 837 Rep 46,029 Posts Drives: .... Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: . iTrader: (4) Garage List 2008 M3 [4.00] 2007 335i [9.00] 2008 528i [8.00] 2006 Infiniti - G35 ... [8.00]	irvine bmw or where?
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10-31-2008, 12:18 PM	#3
Blake Banned 755 Rep 4,649 Posts Drives: Chevy Aveo Join Date: May 2008 Location: Parent's Basement iTrader: (7)	if you have DCT, the recalled software update alone can take the better part of a day. if you do have DCT, that could be another reason for extra delay.
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10-31-2008, 04:40 PM	#5
Deda Major General 564 Rep 7,034 Posts Drives: BMW M5 comp Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Croatia iTrader: (0)	strange,you should go there and ask them whats the problem!
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10-31-2008, 05:31 PM	#6
positiveions Lieutenant General 961 Rep 11,722 Posts Drives: 19 Tacoma, 16 Golf wagon Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Upland, CA iTrader: (2) Garage List 2019 Toyota Tacoma [0.00] 2016 VW Golf Sports ... [0.00] 1998 BMW M3 [0.00] 1990 BMW 325is [0.00]	ok, not buying an M3 j/k
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10-31-2008, 05:51 PM	#7
rickradian New Member 7 Rep 21 Posts Drives: 2008 e90 M3 (Jerez Black) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Irvine, CA iTrader: (0)	Tuesday LOL I just got a call from the service advisor. Car wont be ready till Tuesday. The part is not in stock and comes in onTuesday. Thats freakin hillarious!!!
	Appreciate 0 Quote

11-05-2008, 11:24 AM	#9
rickradian New Member 7 Rep 21 Posts Drives: 2008 e90 M3 (Jerez Black) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Irvine, CA iTrader: (0)	Finally got the car today So it has officially been a week, and I finally picked up the car today. Here is the writeup on the repair: Check operation of headlights - Left Xenon is Inop. Removed Front Bumber for access. Removed L/Headlight assembly. Inpected Xenon Bulb/Igniter, Bulb shows signs of failure (Black clouding in Arc Area). Removed & replaced Xenon bulb and rechecked - Light still Inop. Removed and installed xenon controll unit - xenon light flickers on briefly. Then remains out. Reinstalled Original bulb, xenon light is again inop. Removed & reinstalled new bulb, xenon light is again inop. Removed & reinstalled new bulb/igniter unit. Contacted BMW technical. AS per BMW technical, inspected wiring to FRM - No evidence of wiring damage/c corrosion observed. As per technical, removed and replaced FRM unit and reprogram/recoded (Including CAS module) Update successful. Recheck Lights, Xenon light functioning normally. The service advisor was really appologetic. He said he hoped I would give them another try. Should this have been diagnosed quicker. They claim they did not have the part in stock and BMW was giving them a tough time on this because this usually does not go out.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

11-05-2008, 12:30 PM	#10
positiveions Lieutenant General 961 Rep 11,722 Posts Drives: 19 Tacoma, 16 Golf wagon Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Upland, CA iTrader: (2) Garage List 2019 Toyota Tacoma [0.00] 2016 VW Golf Sports ... [0.00] 1998 BMW M3 [0.00] 1990 BMW 325is [0.00]	Actually, the CA that sold me my cousin's Cayman have an issue with his B7 S4. His left light keeps going out on him; that is after replacing the bulb. It happened 5 times already, and he is getting tired of it. Thus he wants to lemon the car.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

11-05-2008, 02:27 PM	#11
batchelorc Captain 52 Rep 607 Posts Drives: Deez nuts Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Kansas City iTrader: (0)	I'm getting an intermittent right rear break light malfunction. Dealer looked at it and ordered the part no problem. Have not had the part installed yet
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11-05-2008, 03:05 PM	#12
timsev First Lieutenant 24 Rep 334 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: IL iTrader: (0)	did they fix the problem? Yes did they give you a free loaner to drive? Yes Just be patient and get over it.
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11-06-2008, 06:01 PM	#13
BimmerRob08 Major 110 Rep 1,311 Posts Drives: 2008 M3, Space Gray Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: KIKR (ABQ), NM iTrader: (0)	It sounds like their at least trying to figure out and trouble shoot the issue and with the help of BMW tech reps. Even though the E92 body style has been out for a while, their are allways new issues that surface and BMW gathers all the data of problems of the design through dealers and people like us bringing these issues to them. I'd give them the opportunity to figure out what the root of the problem is and maybe that will help BMW improve those parts and system for future cars.
	Appreciate 0 Quote