Need replacement for rear license plate lamp socket

[LTLBRIT]

I need to find a replacement for my rear license plate lamp socket on my 05 Cooper S. The housing leaked and one of the bulb holders (those little metal tabs) got corroded and disintegrated! I'm sure I can disassemble it and rig something up, but I was hoping there was some replacement I could buy that would be less expensive than getting the entire rear latch/lamp housing (at $85 which only comes in black or primer).

Anyone else have this problem? Any suggested solutions? Or should I resign myself to the fact that I just have to spend the money and be done with it?

Thanks!
~Mrs. G.

[LTLBRIT]

We successfully installed a "new" socket! Pictures will follow soon in hopes of helping others.

~Mrs. G.

[LTLBRIT]

As promised, here are the pictures and description of the repair, but first, I must thank my husband for actually doing the work. Great job, Mr. G.!

This is the first time I've tried to post something like this with pictures, so I hope it comes out well and makes sense. Please feel free to ask for clarification on anything. I have more pictures than I could possibly post, but you never know what you'll need. So if anyone wants to see something specific, just ask.

The repair, according to Mr. G.:

You'll need to remove the interior panel from the boot. After removing the six screws, pull hard to release the clips. This will give you access to the connector.



Unplug the connector and remove the four exterior torx screws from the boot latch/light assembly.



Remove the lens to access the bulb. You can see the kind of corrosion my "good" bulb had. The other one was so bad the metal prong broke off. The lens cleaned up fairly well with a stiff bristle acid brush and soapy water.



Very carefully peel back the rubber seal with a razor blade or knife to separate the rubber cement from the plastic. This will allow you better access to the bulb socket housing and wiring.



Remove the back cover of the housing to access the wires. You have to break the four plastic pins (sonic welds) on the cover (circled in red).

Unplug the three wires from the terminals (circled in green). You MUST do this before you can remove the housing from the outer assembly because the wires are not very long. You see what was left of the broken terminal/prong. [In the previous picture, you can see that the mating spade lug was completely gone.]




There are four tabs on the plastic housing that snap into the outer assembly (circled in blue). These are what hold the housing in place and are not really meant to be removed. You have to pry the housing out. [You may be able to notice in the previous picture that the thin plastic on the right hand side broke upon removal. Stuff happens...]



For the fabrication of the replacement socket, see the following post. Since I've used my allotted five pictures already, I'll have to continue there.

[LTLBRIT]

There is no replacement for the bulb socket and housing so we had to get creative. We bought a dome light that uses the same style bulb as the original socket. Optronics part # IL-11CS purchased at Advance Auto Parts for $2.69. They sell it online a bit cheaper:
Mini Interior Light by Night Blaster - Part IL-11CS - Advance Auto Parts

Here’s what it looks like straight from the package. It comes with a self-stick pad on the back, which came in handy.



Take the unit apart (remove the lens, the front cover and the switch) so that you have just the back with the socket and wiring. Cut the back to the size and shape of the original housing so it fits in its place. Save the part you cut away so it can be used later to fill space behind the socket. Remove the wire from the end with the metal tab.



Fold the metal tab (circled in red) flat to the back. Attach the two short wires to this tab by removing the spade lugs and soldering the wires to the tab. (Scuff up the tab first so the solder will stick.) Attach the longer of the three wires to the remaining wire on the new socket and run the wire around the side to the back of the socket.

Note: all the wires will be coming in from the end with the bent tab. It actually fits better this way.



Slide the new socket in where the old housing was. (Sorry, I have no picture of this or of the following step!)

Remove the backing paper on the self-stick pad. Take a piece of the plastic you cut away earlier and put it on top of the pad with its self-stick pad facing out. Remove the backing paper on that pad and place the cover on it. This will hold the cover in place while you permanently mount it. (The Hubby melted the plastic cover to the outer housing, but you could super glue it instead. Either way works, I suppose.)



Re-attach the rubber seal with rubber cement. Remount the entire assembly with the four Torx screws. DON’T FORGET to plug the connector back in. Snap the inner boot panel back in place and replace the six screws.

Voila! Functional rear license plate lights!



Thank you for your patience with my lengthy descriptions. I hope this helps someone. At the very least, you can see what a mess these lights can become due to the poor seals on the lenses. I think I will be checking these on a regular basis from now on so they don’t fall apart again!

Now, let’s motor!

~ Mrs. G.

[thartek]

I just wanted to thank you for this. Maybe it's just the NH MINIs that this happens to, but I had one corrode away too.

Looks like I've got a new project on my hands!

[LTLBRIT]

Thartek: Glad to see this finally helped someone! It's time for me to go check on mine. Your post was a good reminder. Good luck with the fix!

[rik6147]

Both of mine are corroded as well i'm going to have to give this a try, LTLBRIT thanks for the diy.

[Gem]

hi mine has just gone, how spooky i did recently change one bulb and it was fine for 4 months or so, but now one of the metal contacts was so crystlaised with this green gunk (bulbb tip was also covered, i snapped one side so now the bloody bulb wont hold in place. my cooper s is gunmetal grey

pls can anyone advise of the part number (realoem) for the whole housing and cost? i dont think i can do the repair as its very fiddly and id rather have no contacts. i have to say its a very poor design.

what is the green gunk? and why does it happen?

[LTLBRIT]

@rik6147: You'll need to know that the link I gave for the part no longer exists because Advance Auto doesn't carry the part in stores anymore. You can only order it online. I suggest a Google search of the part number IL-11CS made by Optronics.

My other one needed to be replaced this month and we couldn't find the part locally. My husband ended up replacing both with a different type of socket/bulb. I can get the info & pics of that up soon. Both types worked fine. He just wanted them both the same.

@Gem: I priced the whole assembly, which includes the boot latch release. It was $85 and only came in primer (either black or I think white). You have to have it painted to match your Cooper. I thought it rediculous to spend that kind of money just to get a working bulb socket, and the new one would be prone to the same problem. I do understand your position. It's not something that everyone wants to undertake.

I wish you both the best of luck!

Mrs. G.

[LTLBRIT]

PS..
@Gem: The green gunk is corrosion because of dissimilar metals plus moisture. If you put two different metals in contact, add water & electricity you get gunk...eventually.

And yes, it is a VERY poor design. You'd think that BMW could come up with something better!

[Gem]

thanks for the info
been onto my dealer today who heppened to be fixing a mini with the same problem!! yes u can get in prima and then painted, or crome, my s is silver grey and i dont want crome, basically parts dept said obver time water seeps in, but once changed it should be fine for many years, the girl who was having her fixed had effected a temp repair like u but it dnt last. u have to replace the whole unit allegedly?? anyway in sterling/pounds

prima £65 plus vat
painted to car colour £137 inc of vat....ouch

parts/labour £47 plus vat

all in around £200, one bulb works but im sure it will fail its MOT so i guess i cud try and get a temp repair done cheaper, but in the long run be better getting it new, obviously parts have 2 yrs warranty so if it goes wrong you can go back to dealer??

any thoughts

[rik6147]

Quote: Originally Posted by LTLBRIT (original)

@rik6147: You'll need to know that the link I gave for the part no longer exists because Advance Auto doesn't carry the part in stores anymore. You can only order it online. I suggest a Google search of the part number IL-11CS made by Optronics.

My other one needed to be replaced this month and we couldn't find the part locally. My husband ended up replacing both with a different type of socket/bulb. I can get the info & pics of that up soon. Both types worked fine. He just wanted them both the same.

Mrs. G.

Yeah so I just ended up ordering the Optronics IL-11CS online today. I need to get this fixed before the end of the month because this was one of the reasons why I failed inspection...which I completely thought was nonsense.

Anyway thank you sooo much Mrs. G!!!

Rik P.

[LTLBRIT]

@Gem: The side we repaired last year had absolutely no corrosion on it this year and I run my car year round (including New England winters). If we could have gotten the same part locally we would have stuck with that type of socket and I don't think we would have any more problems. It was only for the sake of having matching sockets that we replaced both of them this time. You must choose the course that's best for you. It was just too expensive in my eyes, especially since we had the technical knowhow and skills. I'll try to remember to get the new pictures up with the alternate socket & lamp in case it helps. Best of luck!


@ Rik: Mine would have failed inspection, too if we hadn't fixed it. That was the whole reason we started this last year (it failed then). Like I said, should have done them both the first time!
So, I see you are in Boston. Have you ever gone to Minis On Top? If not, Google it and come join us this June. Lots of fun to be had!

[LTLBRIT]

Here are some pictures from the latest upgrade. The part is from NAPA. Their number is LIT1520D. NAPA Online

You need to do a bit of plastic removal from the original socket to make them fit, but it works out well.





Remove the lens and the bulb (it takes bulb # 193).





Remove the back cover of the old socket and pry out the socket housing.





Cut the outer housing down flush using a utility knife and/or a Dremel tool. (we used both)





Prep the lamp sockets by removing the brass eyelets and cutting the end off. Both ends of the socket housing will be cut back so they don't hang over the black plastic frame they will be mounted in. This will give you a good lip to hold the socket in place and enough room to seal the edge with silicone to prevent water seepage.

[LTLBRIT]

Insert the socket with the brass tab towards the center where the wiring is.





You need to cut back enough of the black plastic to fit the socket in. (see where the white lip of the socket needs extra room)





Attach the wiring. Solder one wire to the brass tab. Cover gaps with silicone to keep the water out. (a dab of super glue on the wire helps hold it down while the silicone hardens)






Both sides finished.





Good job Mr. G.!





I have many more pictures of both fixes if anyone needs to see something specific that they don't see here. Good luck everyone!