NHTSA Complaint #10995679 — 2011 BMW X3

THERE APPEARS TO BE A CHRONIC DEFECT ON BMW X3S (2011-2017 F-25 CHASSIS) OF LET TAIL LIGHT FAILURES DUE TO DEFECTIVE LED CURRENT REGULATOR CIRCUIT BOARDS. OUR X3 HAS HAD 3 OF THE 4 LED TAIL LIGHTS FAIL BECAUSE OF EXACTLY THE SAME DEFECT. SOME OF THE LED CURRENT REGULATOR BOARDS WERE APPARENTLY POORLY SOLDERED AND SOLDER JOINT FAILURE CAUSE COMPLETE OR PARTIAL LOSS OF THE TAIL LIGHTS. THE "ON-BOARD" LIGHT MONITORING SYSTEM ON THE VEHICLE DOES NOT REPORT THE LIGHT FAILURE, SO THE OWNER IS USUALLY NOT AWARE THAT THE VEHICEL HAS NO TAIL LIGHTS VISABLE. ON OUR X3 THE LED TAIL LIGHT FAILURE WAS TRACED TO THE SAME COMPONENT ON ALL (3) LIGHTS. TEH CIRCUIT BOARD (LABELED VALEO B 003809.2) HAD A RESISTOR (R750) THAT WAS NOT SOLDERED PROPERLY. RE-SOLDERING THE COMPONENT FIXED THE PROBLEM AND RESTORED CORRECT LED TAIL LIGHT OPERATION. THERE ARE MANY ON-LINE REPORTS OF BMW X3S HAVING EXACTLY THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS NOT THE WELL-KNOWN 3-SERIES AND 5-SERIES TAIL LIGHT ISSUE RELATED TO CONNECTOR GROUND ISSUES. THE X3 TAIL LIGHT ISSUE IS DUE TO POOR CIRCUIT BOARD MANUFACTURING LEADING TO EARLY FAILURES. IT IS ESPECIALLY OC CONCERN BECAUSE THE OWNER MAY EXPECT TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE LIGHT FAILURE BY THE BMW ON-BOARD MONITOR SYSTEM (WHICH WILL REPORT HEADLIGHT, TURN SIGNAL OR BRAKE LIGHT FAILURES BUT NOT THE LED TAIL LIGHTS LOSS. WHEN THE CIRCUIT BOARD FAILS, THE LED LIGHTS ARE NON-FUNCTIONAL. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING OR PARKED WITH PARKING LIGHTS TURNED ON. THE TAIL LIGHTS ARE STILL DARK. IN MY OPINION, THIS CONSTITUTES A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE FOR ALL "F-25" BMW X3S AND SHOULD BE THE BASIS FOR A RECALL. THE (PLUG-IN) CIRCUIT BOARDS CAN BE EASILY REMOVED AND REPLACED WITHOUT REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE (EXPENSIVE) (ABOUT $340 EACH) TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY.