[Neo1130]

Originally Posted by bmtespar

Are you sure they only replaced the control box and not the light tubes? This is very interesting if the control box was the cause of the hot spots.

Yes, just the control unit. I am wondering if the hot spots were due to the window tint and water seeping in. That's when mine appeared and they stayed for weeks. Hell, even a little drop of water when the window down will cause a hot spot. So I am thinking just coincidence. The light tubes are just like a diffused fiber optic and shouldn't have been affected at all by the changing of the box.

[bmtespar]

Originally Posted by Neo1130

Yes, just the control unit. I am wondering if the hot spots were due to the window tint and water seeping in. That's when mine appeared and they stayed for weeks. Hell, even a little drop of water when the window down will cause a hot spot. So I am thinking just coincidence. The light tubes are just like a diffused fiber optic and shouldn't have been affected at all by the changing of the box.

Interesting theory. Thanks for sharing.

[FREEDOM2020]

Just noticed lighting on passenger side front door beginning to show these so called hot spots, not so bad but noticeable. Will bring it up to sa in sept when i go for my first oil change.
Has anyone had theirs repaired....

[Alias1431]

Let us know if they say why it happens!

[FREEDOM2020]

Originally Posted by Alias1431

Let us know if they say why it happens!

Had the light strips replaced on front pass side door with new part # and not much difference, a little better not 100% yet. Dealer said they took pics and sending to BMW.
UPDATE!!!
Just noticed damage to door panel, punctured thru behind the inner door pull latch near light strip. Assuming it happened when installing light strip, made shop foreman aware of it have to bring it back.

[dinan5m3]

Originally Posted by FREEDOM2019

Had the light strips replaced on front pass side door with new part # and not much difference, a little better not 100% yet. Dealer said they took pics and sending to BMW.
UPDATE!!!
Just noticed damage to door panel, punctured thru behind the inner door pull latch near light strip. Assuming it happened when installing light strip, made shop foreman aware of it have to bring it back.

Urgh, i'm not so looking forward to picking up the x3 from dealer... i had told them not to proceed but evidently they did, to improve on front passenger side light strip hot spots. I'm going to try to "thoroughly review" before leaving the premise.

I should have just gone for the oil change alone...

Since the car's been in service extended period for the stupid rear camera recall, and few others, i'm going to ask SA to put on some serious quality control hat and thorough check the cars around the areas the work was done. And better not have washed the car...

[live]

Originally Posted by FREEDOM2019

Had the light strips replaced on front pass side door with new part # and not much difference, a little better not 100% yet. Dealer said they took pics and sending to BMW.
UPDATE!!!
Just noticed damage to door panel, punctured thru behind the inner door pull latch near light strip. Assuming it happened when installing light strip, made shop foreman aware of it have to bring it back.

Sorry for what happened on your door panel. I just sent mine in today. Did you say BMW has a new Part # of this light strip? Which is improved the hot spots issue? How long it took for them to order the parts for you? Appreciate!

[FREEDOM2020]

Originally Posted by live

Sorry for what happened on your door panel. I just sent mine in today. Did you say BMW has a new Part # of this light strip? Which is improved the hot spots issue? How long it took for them to order the parts for you? Appreciate!

I was under the assumption it is a new part # since the shop foreman said he spoke with BMW about the issue we are having and was told there was a new part, the part was available right away and was replaced with not much difference. Since they damaged the door panel they had to order a new part for the panel which came with the light strip and LED module and from what I was told by the shop foreman was replaced on my vehicle yesterday and is now working properly. I'm assuming the LED module was bad and not sure if the part came with the newer light strip. I'll get more info when I pick up my car.

[live]

Originally Posted by FREEDOM2019

I was under the assumption it is a new part # since the shop foreman said he spoke with BMW about the issue we are having and was told there was a new part, the part was available right away and was replaced with not much difference. Since they damaged the door panel they had to order a new part for the panel which came with the light strip and LED module and from what I was told by the shop foreman was replaced on my vehicle yesterday and is now working properly. I'm assuming the LED module was bad and not sure if the part came with the newer light strip. I'll get more info when I pick up my car.

Thanks for the reply! Hope they will do a good job on your door panel. I took my car back today and they said my light strips are "performing as designed". Since it is not that bad and I don't want to waste more time on this, I accept as is.

[dinan5m3]

Originally Posted by dinan5m3

Urgh, i'm not so looking forward to picking up the x3 from dealer... i had told them not to proceed but evidently they did, to improve on front passenger side light strip hot spots. I'm going to try to "thoroughly review" before leaving the premise.

I should have just gone for the oil change alone...

Since the car's been in service extended period for the stupid rear camera recall, and few others, i'm going to ask SA to put on some serious quality control hat and thorough check the cars around the areas the work was done. And better not have washed the car...

Well, after car been sitting in the dealership for 3 weeks (for getting other stuffs done), decided to bring the car home, supposedly all were done. Avoid doing a night time pickup from the dealership, close to their closing time at the service department.

The hot spots, unevenness at the front passenger side, fixed.

But the front driver side, did not get fixed. <<--------- need return visit,

Dimmed for night driving has NO EFFECT on the replacement light strip. I don't see anyone reporting this issue, so i have to assume i'm the first after a replacement by dealer. Enable, disable of the dimmed for night driving makes NO DIFFERENCE. What did dealer do wrong when hooking up the replacement light strip?

Then the new replacement light strip at the max brightness and minimum brightness show the replacement is relatively "brighter" with rest of the light strips on the front driver and rear doors.

What did dealer miss, do wrong to not calibrate this?


Took ~4 mins video showing problems with dimming and brighter at the replacement light strip,

[FREEDOM2020]

Originally Posted by dinan5m3

Well, after car been sitting in the dealership for 3 weeks (for getting other stuffs done), decided to bring the car home, supposedly all were done. Avoid doing a night time pickup from the dealership, close to their closing time at the service department.

The hot spots, unevenness at the front passenger side, fixed.

But the front driver side, did not get fixed. <<--------- need return visit,

Dimmed for night driving has NO EFFECT on the replacement light strip. I don't see anyone reporting this issue, so i have to assume i'm the first after a replacement by dealer. Enable, disable of the dimmed for night driving makes NO DIFFERENCE. What did dealer do wrong when hooking up the replacement light strip?

Then the new replacement light strip at the max brightness and minimum brightness show the replacement is relatively "brighter" with rest of the light strips on the front driver and rear doors.

What did dealer miss, do wrong to not calibrate this?


Took ~4 mins video showing problems with dimming and brighter at the replacement light strip,

Just got mine back from dealer after replacing right front door light strip, no more hot spot but now I cannot get any white color in combination with the other colors. Now what?

[dinan5m3]

Originally Posted by FREEDOM2019

Just got mine back from dealer after replacing right front door light strip, no more hot spot but now I cannot get any white color in combination with the other colors. Now what?

What do you mean by "... in combination with other colors"?

Or, are you just not getting white color to show on that replaced light strip, but all other colors would show fine?

[FREEDOM2020]

Originally Posted by dinan5m3

What do you mean by "... in combination with other colors"?

Or, are you just not getting white color to show on that replaced light strip, but all other colors would show fine?

When you choose a particular color combination that includes white, say like blue with white accents or green with white accents. I don't get the white accent it stays the same color as the main color your choosing. Just in that door. I emailed the shop foreman and waiting for reply.

[jzmundy]

Sad to report that I now have this issue after getting my windows tinted.

I suspect that water has found its way in between the so-called optical conductor and lens (driver's side part nos. 63316824241 and 63317945189, respectively - items 3 & 4 in this diagram). I have not been able to find any superseding part numbers, which would indicate a potential supplier switch.

Studying the parts diagrams and repair instructions, my hypothesis is that the hot spots are due to a design flaw allowing contaminants/debris to come in between the conductor and the lens. If I have some time this week or weekend, I'm going to pop off the door panel to investigate.

[jzmundy]

Originally Posted by jzmundy

Sad to report that I now have this issue after getting my windows tinted.

I suspect that water has found its way in between the so-called optical conductor and lens (driver's side part nos. 63316824241 and 63317945189, respectively - items 3 & 4 in this diagram). I have not been able to find any superseding part numbers, which would indicate a potential supplier switch.

Studying the parts diagrams and repair instructions, my hypothesis is that the hot spots are due to a design flaw allowing contaminants/debris to come in between the conductor and the lens. If I have some time this week or weekend, I'm going to pop off the door panel to investigate.

Following up on my own post, the uniformity has returned to my ambient lighting - presumably due to the water evaporating over the past few days. So, not going to bother with removing the panels and investigating for now.

[drewfromthehou]

adding my 2020 X3 M40i to the list of ambient lighting issues.

at first hotspots only showed up on photos and not in person.

after 2 months then they started showing up in person.

Today I got my car back from the dealership, and when I got home in the dark garage I realize now that the two front ones they repaired now are only half brightness of the back ones and full brightness on the first 1/8th of the strip. It even still has hotspots and worse than when I brought it in.

I called the dealership and they claim they checked in in a "black room" and that it was perfect but even a legally blind person can see it... like literally my friend that's legally blind spotted it immediately. They asked for photos but of course you can't see it in photos only in person.

I have been a BMW owner now for 5 months and each month has had me in the dealership with issues. I got fingers crossed though BMW will get all the issues fixed at some point.

[Toodalu]

Originally Posted by FREEDOM2019

Had the light strips replaced on front pass side door with new part # and not much difference, a little better not 100% yet. Dealer said they took pics and sending to BMW.
UPDATE!!!
Just noticed damage to door panel, punctured thru behind the inner door pull latch near light strip. Assuming it happened when installing light strip, made shop foreman aware of it have to bring it back.

This happened to me as well. They ended up replacing that plastic trim.

[FREEDOM2020]

Originally Posted by iwhineX3

This happened to me as well. They ended up replacing that plastic trim.

Dealer finally got it right, something to do with IP address. Colors are bright and perfect no hot spots.

[TheMooseMan]

Originally Posted by dinan5m3

Well, after car been sitting in the dealership for 3 weeks (for getting other stuffs done), decided to bring the car home, supposedly all were done. Avoid doing a night time pickup from the dealership, close to their closing time at the service department.

The hot spots, unevenness at the front passenger side, fixed.

But the front driver side, did not get fixed. <<--------- need return visit,

Dimmed for night driving has NO EFFECT on the replacement light strip. I don't see anyone reporting this issue, so i have to assume i'm the first after a replacement by dealer. Enable, disable of the dimmed for night driving makes NO DIFFERENCE. What did dealer do wrong when hooking up the replacement light strip?

Then the new replacement light strip at the max brightness and minimum brightness show the replacement is relatively "brighter" with rest of the light strips on the front driver and rear doors.

What did dealer miss, do wrong to not calibrate this?


Took ~4 mins video showing problems with dimming and brighter at the replacement light strip,

I have just seen this thread. I had a very similar issue 2 weeks ago (I opened a thread here about it but still needs to leave an update there). I took the car to the dealership and they had to replace the LED strip always glowing red - and at full power. The mechanic said the light was really hot and replacing it fixed the problem.

I'm wondering if a software issue could cause the LED strip to glow at max value for a long time, leading to a hardware failure, or it was just a defective LED strip.

Anyway... I would recommend taking the car to the dealership to get it checked. A hot LED strip under the door is not something desirable I believe.

[Atlanta ///M]

Wow, interesting thread...just found all of this doing some research in regards to window tinting and ambient lighting issues.

To the OP bmtespar...sorry to hear about these issues I sent you a PM...I'm in Atlanta too.

So is it safe to say that in general we have ambient lighting issues (even people with no tinted windows)...and then on top of that the window tinting installs and water getting down in there behind the lighting causes issues too, or in essence awakens an already sensitive problem?

Just had my two front windows tinted yesterday, and today I think I'm noticing hot spots on my driver's side lighting...going to check it out in more detail tonight.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful info here. Trying to figure out if mine could be related to the tinted windows project, or if it was going to happen anyways? Also wondering if this is happening on other models since a lot of BMW's have the upgraded ambient lighting now in 2020.

[Em2]

Wow I always seem to find issues the more I read on the forum

Yes I had tinting done at the dealer and I have the white hotspots on my passenger side too. But I don't think I would have really noticed it yet until this thread.

I don't think it's going to bother me that much (even though now I will know forever... lol).

I'll chalk it up to the things I need to do one day...
1. Ambient lighting fix
2. idrive 2020 update

[Atlanta ///M]

I did confirm tonight my driver's side for sure has a hot spot and uneven areas. It's not horrible but it is noticeable.

Must be from getting the windows tinted...I know for sure there was a lot of water because it was running out of the trim area.

I asked my tint guys to be careful...but...

I'm still confused whether this is 100% because of the window tint or if possibly there's a chance it's unrelated.

How many members have no tinted windows and still have these ambient lighting issues?

From what I'm reading I guess I should let my service advisor know but I should also not bank on it being fixed correctly...and maybe a damaged door panel too lol.