Million to 1 shot: Front Parking Camera cracked

fw_fw · 03-20-2019, 02:25 PM

Yep, it was most definitely a 1,000,000-to-1 shot, but a rock coming off of the road cracked the lens on my front view camera without damaging anything else on the bumper.....arrrggghhhh!!

I was considering letting my local dealer fix it next week when it goes in for an oil change, however after looking up the part number on realOEM and then pricing it....ouch!! List price $578.26 plus labor for install!!!

So, I've been able to find used cameras on ebay for $150 and looked at the install info on newTIS, and BMW recommended procedure is to remove the front bumper. To me it looks like there is a possibility of doing this with just removing the front grills. I do wonder if there is enough clearance in there to fit a hand an do this, as the part is only held in place by clips.

For the ones who have removed their front grilles to do a swap or even have removed the front bumper, did y'all see if there is enough room to get back there??

ggrwatt · 03-20-2019, 02:31 PM

Woavvv... You are a lucky guy....!!!!

fw_fw · 03-20-2019, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ggrwatt

Woavvv... You are a lucky guy....!!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by ggrwatt

Woavvv... You are a lucky guy....!!!!

Seriously!! I'm going to stop tomorrow to buy a PowerBall ticket.....

teaston · 03-20-2019, 04:28 PM

Does your car have the active grille shutters? They would hinder access via the grille method.

fw_fw · 03-20-2019, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teaston

Does your car have the active grille shutters? They would hinder access via the grille method.

Yep, sure do.......looking at the newtis.info there may be enough room to sneak a hand past them in the middle.

Douggie · 03-20-2019, 08:49 PM

Wow. Wonder if there are glass lens protectors available like the ones we use to protect our phone screens.

teaston · 03-21-2019, 03:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fw_fw

Quote:

Originally Posted by teaston

Does your car have the active grille shutters? They would hinder access via the grille method.

Yep, sure do.......looking at the newtis.info there may be enough room to sneak a hand past them in the middle.

There isn't, I wanted to when I changed my grilles.

tastes jigga · 03-21-2019, 09:03 AM

MILLER335I · 06-12-2019, 06:38 AM

btt

MADBMWX5MC · 06-12-2019, 07:23 AM

I wonder if it would be worth placing a small size paint protection film over the camera and sacrifice screen quality over price of repair, of course if a big rock comes your way, the camera would by bye-bye anyway.....what a terrible placement for a camera.

Alias1431 · 06-12-2019, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MILLER335I

btt

What's btt?

BobsM3Coupe · 06-12-2019, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MADBMWX3

.what a terrible placement for a camera.

Where else are they supposed to mount a front camera that also allows a low curb to be seen?

MADBMWX5MC · 06-13-2019, 04:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobsM3Coupe

Where else are they supposed to mount a front camera that also allows a low curb to be seen?

Not in the exact front without some sort of protection, cover, screen or whatever and where it's easily covered up by bugs or cracked by rocks.

MILLER335I · 06-14-2019, 02:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alias1431

Quote:

Originally Posted by MILLER335I

btt

What's btt?

Bump to top

Alias1431 · 06-14-2019, 04:14 PM

Ahh, thanks!

bimmermongrel · 03-05-2024, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fw_fw

Yep, sure do.......looking at the newtis.info there may be enough room to sneak a hand past them in the middle.

Did you ever accomplish this camera replacement? I have the part in hand but my local BMW mechanic is iffy about installing it plus $600 in labor. Need to know if it actually requires coding or not before I go digging around myself.

03-20-2019, 02:25 PM	#1
fw_fw Freude am Fahren 108 Rep 278 Posts Drives: 18 X3 xDrive30i xLine Phytonic Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Alabama iTrader: (2)	Million to 1 shot: Front Parking Camera cracked Yep, it was most definitely a 1,000,000-to-1 shot, but a rock coming off of the road cracked the lens on my front view camera without damaging anything else on the bumper.....arrrggghhhh!! I was considering letting my local dealer fix it next week when it goes in for an oil change, however after looking up the part number on realOEM and then pricing it....ouch!! List price $578.26 plus labor for install!!! So, I've been able to find used cameras on ebay for $150 and looked at the install info on newTIS, and BMW recommended procedure is to remove the front bumper. To me it looks like there is a possibility of doing this with just removing the front grills. I do wonder if there is enough clearance in there to fit a hand an do this, as the part is only held in place by clips. For the ones who have removed their front grilles to do a swap or even have removed the front bumper, did y'all see if there is enough room to get back there?? __________________ Current: 18 X3 xDrive30i Past: 03 530i Sport \| 06 330ci ZHP \| 14 X1 xDrive35i M-Sport \| 11 328i M-Sport \| 98 M Roadster
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03-20-2019, 02:31 PM	#2
ggrwatt New Member 6 Rep 24 Posts Drives: X3 30d Luxury Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: France iTrader: (0)	Woavvv... You are a lucky guy....!!!!
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03-20-2019, 04:28 PM	#4
teaston Banned 10994 Rep 32,881 Posts Drives: X3 M40d Join Date: May 2012 Location: The High Seas iTrader: (1)	Does your car have the active grille shutters? They would hinder access via the grille method.
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03-20-2019, 08:49 PM	#6
Douggie Lieutenant 142 Rep 491 Posts Drives: BMW X1, X3 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Asia iTrader: (0)	Wow. Wonder if there are glass lens protectors available like the ones we use to protect our phone screens.
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03-21-2019, 09:03 AM	#8
tastes jigga First Lieutenant 316 Rep 343 Posts Drives: '19 750i xDrive Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois iTrader: (0) Garage List 2019 BMW X3 M40i [0.00]
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06-12-2019, 06:38 AM	#9
MILLER335I Captain 68 Rep 763 Posts Drives: BMW E90 Dinan stage 3 335I Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Peoples Republic of California iTrader: (11)	btt __________________ 2007 E90 335i N54 Montego blue with grey Dakota leather interior
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06-12-2019, 07:23 AM	#10
MADBMWX5MC Major 722 Rep 1,048 Posts Drives: 2023 BMW X5MC Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Northern Virginia iTrader: (0)	I wonder if it would be worth placing a small size paint protection film over the camera and sacrifice screen quality over price of repair, of course if a big rock comes your way, the camera would by bye-bye anyway.....what a terrible placement for a camera. __________________ 2023 BMW X5MC Tanzanite Blue II Metallic 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Black 2006 Ford Mustang GT Convertible (car-show car)
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06-14-2019, 04:14 PM	#15
Alias1431 Lieutenant Colonel 795 Rep 1,959 Posts Drives: 2019 BMW X3 M40i Join Date: May 2019 Location: Washington iTrader: (0)	Ahh, thanks!
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