Bringing a 740 back to life

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Challo

True. She works for BMW so has a new company car every 6months which is handy. To be honest she doesn't like my daily either which is a Mini Cooper S Clubman (09).

Hmmm, she hasn't been totally innocculated with the BMW ethos then!

Interesting BMW buying Rover to eliminate the competition (the 600 was outselling the 3 series by 10:1 in the 90s and the 800 was the best selling executive car of the decade - crippling BMWs sales!) and get their hands on the Mini and also the 4x4 technology to create their own X3/5 etc cars.

[Challo]

As the weather has been dreadful I thought I would fix the bulb issue. One of MOT fails was on the Stop(s) lamp not working offside. I have had a quick look and all the bulbs are fine and not blown. The standard lights come on as normal, and the central brake light works ok.

I had replaced the rear lights with aftermarket ones as the originals are faded, but every thing is connected ok, and even when I plugged the old light back in the stop lamp doesn’t come on.

Anything worth checking?

[360beast]

Swap the bulb holder to the other side and see if the light stops working on the other side, if it does then you know it is the bulb holder and you can start looking at the contacts in the holder.

[Challo]

Originally Posted by 360beast

Swap the bulb holder to the other side and see if the light stops working on the other side, if it does then you know it is the bulb holder and you can start looking at the contacts in the holder.

Just been doing a little research and found a video from IPD. Apparently it’s due to the connections on the brake light getting covered in plastic and worn as they are higher heat. Easy fix is to change the connections and move the wire from the fog to brake and vice versa. Means I now have brake lights

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Challo

Just been doing a little research and found a video from IPD. Apparently it’s due to the connections on the brake light getting covered in plastic and worn as they are higher heat. Easy fix is to change the connections and move the wire from the fog to brake and vice versa. Means I now have brake lights

You can't do that Chris - you could in the USA where IPD are but not here. Can't remember the exact regulation or how it's worded but the fog lights need to be separate from the tail lights.

Better to clean the excess plastic from the connectors if indeed that is why - more than likely just dirty! Also try swapping the bulbs in the bulbholders sometimes one bulb won't find its proper position in one but will in the other - also check/clean the tracks on the back of the light cluster where the bulbholders connect.

[Challo]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

You can't do that Chris - you could in the USA where IPD are but not here. Can't remember the exact regulation or how it's worded but the fog lights need to be separate from the tail lights.

Better to clean the excess plastic from the connectors if indeed that is why - more than likely just dirty! Also try swapping the bulbs in the bulbholders sometimes one bulb won't find its proper position in one but will in the other - also check/clean the tracks on the back of the light cluster where the bulbholders connect.

Yes your correct. Just been spending the evening taking out all the holders and cleaning them up with some contact cleaner. Look a lot better already, will try a test fit tomorrow.

Got some new bulbs as well with the double filament if they need to be replaced.

[Ian21401]

Re. brake lights......What Dave said.
I recently had contact problems between the bulb holder and the lamp body in the left side of my estate and now it seems I have similar problems in the right side. The bulb failure warning light comes on very occasionally and when checked the right side brake light is flickering. Then it works fine for a few days then does the same again.

[Challo]

Originally Posted by Ian21401

Re. brake lights......What Dave said.
I recently had contact problems between the bulb holder and the lamp body in the left side of my estate and now it seems I have similar problems in the right side. The bulb failure warning light comes on very occasionally and when checked the right side brake light is flickering. Then it works fine for a few days then does the same again.

Yeah I have the bulb warning light come on. I have cleaned all the contacts now, and will see how that goes. Looking at the brake light holders they look pretty grim even after cleaning. Might need a replacement.

[Challo]

Managed to fix the brake light issue by simply switching over the bulb holders between the rear lights and now they both work. Had another bulb holder on the shelf, swopped it with the faulty one and hey presto two working brake lights.

Sprayed WD40 on the U joint on the steering column and turned the wheel lock to lock a few times. No issues anti-clockwise but its definatly sticking clockwise. It did start to free up after a while. Will get some thicker grease on it as well over the weekend.

Got the MOT booked again for this weekend so hopefully it passes now. All the other jobs it failed have now been fixed. Only thing left to do is the steering rack boot, and reseal the exhaust but not had the time.

Fingers crossed she will be pressed into daily duties over the bank holiday weekend.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Challo

Managed to fix the brake light issue by simply switching over the bulb holders between the rear lights and now they both work. Had another bulb holder on the shelf, swopped it with the faulty one and hey presto two working brake lights.

Sprayed WD40 on the U joint on the steering column and turned the wheel lock to lock a few times. No issues anti-clockwise but its definatly sticking clockwise. It did start to free up after a while. Will get some thicker grease on it as well over the weekend.

Got the MOT booked again for this weekend so hopefully it passes now. All the other jobs it failed have now been fixed. Only thing left to do is the steering rack boot, and reseal the exhaust but not had the time.

Fingers crossed she will be pressed into daily duties over the bank holiday weekend.

Good luck for the retest Chris, let us know how it goes!