LCI tail light conversion, smoking under hood

ehoffman · 09-30-2018, 03:41 PM

I just finished replacing my very tinted (painted by previous owner) pre-LCI tail lights with some LCI tails from eBay.

Went to start my car to connect to the Carly app and do the appropriate voltage check coding to hopefully remove the flickering.

Maybe about 30 seconds later, I see and smell smoke coming out from the left side of the hood. Smelled like a burning wire or something.
I quickly shut the car off, and took a quick look under the hood. Didn't notice anything abnormal. Started the car again and the smoking did not continue. Have driven it since then and seems to be a non issue. No codes were ever thrown except the initial light bulb errors, and the car didn't go into limp mode.

Any ideas? How is temporary smoking under the hood related to new LCI tail lights? Any tail light wiring under the hood that might have been burning?

Also, my inner tail lights (on trunk lid) are extremely dim and barely noticeable.

Thoughts?

bluewater328 · 10-01-2018, 02:24 PM

Not sure I would understand any direct relation between the two.

Are you in a cold weather area? Did you already get the blower and PCV recalls done? I'm pretty sure that applied to the 335i. There is the potential for those to cause a fire.

ehoffman · 10-01-2018, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluewater328

Not sure I would understand any direct relation between the two.

Are you in a cold weather area? Did you already get the blower and PCV recalls done? I'm pretty sure that applied to the 335i. There is the potential for those to cause a fire.

I am not, it's been 70s and 80s here. I've done the takata airbag and blower motor recall, that's all I've received for my VIN.
Car seems to run fine and all lights operate as expected. Just wondering what might be smoking right above the driver side fender.

pizza_nightmare · 10-04-2018, 04:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ehoffman

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluewater328

Not sure I would understand any direct relation between the two.

Are you in a cold weather area? Did you already get the blower and PCV recalls done? I'm pretty sure that applied to the 335i. There is the potential for those to cause a fire.

I am not, it's been 70s and 80s here. I've done the takata airbag and blower motor recall, that's all I've received for my VIN.
Car seems to run fine and all lights operate as expected. Just wondering what might be smoking right above the driver side fender.

I find this frustrating and funny: works on taillights — smoke appears under hood

Squibby1996 · 10-04-2018, 07:00 AM

If you have a n54 335i then maybe unrelated as my car smokes from the left hand side of the engine and it's the valve cover gasket leaking and burning oil ?

ehoffman · 10-06-2018, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squibby1996

If you have a n54 335i then maybe unrelated as my car smokes from the left hand side of the engine and it's the valve cover gasket leaking and burning oil ?

Yeah, I think my valve cover is slightly leaking (who's isn't...)
Perhaps it was just a coincidence. I've been problem free since.

Squibby1996 · 10-06-2018, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ehoffman

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squibby1996

If you have a n54 335i then maybe unrelated as my car smokes from the left hand side of the engine and it's the valve cover gasket leaking and burning oil ?

Yeah, I think my valve cover is slightly leaking (who's isn't...)
Perhaps it was just a coincidence. I've been problem free since.

Haha that's a good point yeah most likely that as every now and then smoke comes out the side of my engine from that gasket usually when it's first started aswell

09-30-2018, 03:41 PM	#1
ehoffman First Lieutenant 63 Rep 387 Posts Drives: 2013 BMW 335is Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Atlanta, GA iTrader: (0)	I just finished replacing my very tinted (painted by previous owner) pre-LCI tail lights with some LCI tails from eBay. Went to start my car to connect to the Carly app and do the appropriate voltage check coding to hopefully remove the flickering. Maybe about 30 seconds later, I see and smell smoke coming out from the left side of the hood. Smelled like a burning wire or something. I quickly shut the car off, and took a quick look under the hood. Didn't notice anything abnormal. Started the car again and the smoking did not continue. Have driven it since then and seems to be a non issue. No codes were ever thrown except the initial light bulb errors, and the car didn't go into limp mode. Any ideas? How is temporary smoking under the hood related to new LCI tail lights? Any tail light wiring under the hood that might have been burning? Also, my inner tail lights (on trunk lid) are extremely dim and barely noticeable. Thoughts? Attached Images
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10-01-2018, 02:24 PM	#2
bluewater328 Colonel 642 Rep 2,098 Posts Drives: 2011 bluewater 328i LCI sedan Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Hawaii iTrader: (0)	Not sure I would understand any direct relation between the two. Are you in a cold weather area? Did you already get the blower and PCV recalls done? I'm pretty sure that applied to the 335i. There is the potential for those to cause a fire.
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10-04-2018, 07:00 AM	#5
Squibby1996 Second Lieutenant 73 Rep 208 Posts Drives: BMW F36 440i Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Somerset iTrader: (0)	If you have a n54 335i then maybe unrelated as my car smokes from the left hand side of the engine and it's the valve cover gasket leaking and burning oil ?
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