2008 BMW 550I

The daytime running lights aka Angel Eyes wiring is sub-standard. The plastic coating on the wires for the daytime running lights/Angel Eyes has melted away exposing bare wiring that has fused causing the lights to malfunction and not work. I believe the manufacturer is aware of this sub-standard issue and needs to provide a suitable fix or replacement for the sub-standard wiring of their product.

I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH BMW OF NORTH AMERICA FOR 8 WEEKS. MY 2008 BMW 550I CAUGHT FIRE WHILE STATIONARY AT A GAS STATION AT THE GAS PUMP. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED OUT TO CONTAIN THE FIRE. THE FIRE INSPECTOR AND THE FIRE CHIEF BOTH STATED THAT IT WAS A WIRING ISSUE. I HAVE THE FIRE REPORT. I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GET BMW OF NORTH AMERICA TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE ON FEB. 5, 2018 AND WAS TOLD THERE 'LOOKS LIKE THERE COULD HAVE BEEN'WORK DONE TO THE WIRING OF THE CAR. I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE SINCE APRIL 2017 (7 MONTHS) AND HAVE NOT DONE ANY WORK TO THE WIRING. I ALSO PULLED A CARFAX REPORT BEFORE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. IT SHOWED 0 ACCIDENTS AND 0 MAJOR MECHANICAL WORKING. I ASKED BMW FOR A COPY OF THE INSPECTOR'S REPORT AND WAS DENIED. THAT REALLY MADE ME SUSPECT SOMETHING FOUL FROM BMW.

FRAYED AND DISINTEGRATING HEADLIGHT WIRING PRESENT THROUGHOUT MY HEADLAMPS. THESE ARE SEALED ENCLOSURES FOR WHICH THERE ARE NO PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE ITEMS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS THE HEADLIGHTS MAY FAIL WITHOUT WARNING, PARTICULARLY IN HOT WEATHER. THESE ARE NON CONSUMER REPLACEABLE PARTS AND PROHIBITIVELY EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE AND SHOULD NOT BE FAILING AFTER ONLY 8 YEARS OF SERVICE.

I HAD A PARKING LIGHT GO BAD AND WHILE I WAS REPLACING IT I NOTICED THAT THE WIRING INSIDE THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY IS NO LONGER INSULATED. THE INSULATION HAS BECOME BRITTLE AND IS FLAKING OFF. I REMOVED THE COVER FOR THE OTHER HEADLIGHT AND THE SAME THING HAS HAPPENED TO THAT LIGHT. IT WOULD SEEM THAT THESE BARE WIRES COULD CAUSE A VEHICLE FIRE.

I RECENTLY STARTED EXPERIENCING FUSES BLOWING ON MY RIGHT FRONT HEAD LIGHT UNITS. ERRORS WOULD INDICATE IT WAS THE 'RIGHT DAYLIGHT PARKING UNIT' AND THEN WOULD CLEAR OR STAY CONSTANT. WHEN IT WAS CONSTANT, IT WAS DUE TO A BLOWN FUSE. IT TURNS OUT WHEN I HAD A BMW CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN LOOK AT THE ISSUE HE SAID THAT THE PROBLEM WAS RELATED TO THE WIRING INSIDE THE FRONT HEAD LIGHT. THE WIRING HAD INSULATION THAT WAS STARTING TO FLAKE OFF ALLOWING CONTACT OF THE TWO WIRES GOING TO THE BULB AND WAS EVEN APPARENT ON OTHER WIRES WITHIN THE HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLY. IF I HIT A BUMP OR WENT OVER RUMBLE STRIPS THESE WIRES COULD TOUCH AND SHORT CAUSING THE FUSE TO BLOW AND/OR ERROR MESSAGE. AFTER 3 FUSES AND BUYING AN UNNECESSARY SET OF H8 BULBS, THE TECHNICIAN FIXED THE WIRING WITH SOME ELECTRICAL TAPE BUT SUGGESTED THAT A FILE A COMPLAINT HERE SINCE THERE IS NO OPEN RECALL FOR THIS COMMON ISSUE. HE ALSO TOLD ME THIS PROBLEM WITH WIRE INSULATION FALLING OFF WAS VERY COMMON ON BMW'S THAT WERE 5-7 YEARS OLD. I COULD SEE BURN MARKS ON THE WIRE AN INSTALLATION FROM WHERE THE SHORT OCCURRED AND WAS SHOCKED THAT ALL THE WIRING WITHIN THE HEAD LAMP ON BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT FRONT SHOWED THESE FLAKING AND CRACKING. AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE AT SEVERAL BMW FORUMS I FOUND MANY SIMILAR ISSUES AND IMAGES ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THE ONES MY TECHNICIAN TOOK. I WOULD LIKE A RECALL TO BE ISSUED BY BMW TO REPLACE THE HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLIES OR INTERNAL WIRING WITH WIRES THAT HAVE A BETTER/PROPER INSULATOR THAT DOESN'T FLAKE OFF. I'VE NOT HAD THE BACK LIGHTS CHECKED, BUT FOUND THAT THIS IS COMMON ON MOST IF NOT ALL BMW LIGHT ASSEMBLIES FRONT/BACK FOR A FEW ONLINE RESEARCH QUERIES. ALSO WHERE CAN I SEND THE DIGITAL PICTURES MY TECHNICIAN TOOK OF THE WIRING?