Part Number Question — HID rubber boot

[02_lsb]

Can someone help me figure out the part number for the missing rubber boot?

[02_lsb]

Anyone know?

[oceansize]

12521711262

[02_lsb]

You are the man!!

[heinzboehmer]

12521711262

Huh, is that from another connector with the same footprint? I always thought the left ballast connector didn't come with a boot from the factory, but maybe that's not the case.

Edit: Did a quick image search and it seems like half the cars I see online have it and the other half don't. Maybe a facelift change?

[oceansize]

^ My left ballast connector has the rubber boot and it definitely came that way. I can't answer as to when the boot came into play for our cars (or maybe it always did). I stored this part number away as I had a friend looking for the same part and it was really hard for me to find. I can't remember what forum I pulled it from, probably the old m3forum, but I remember I couldn't find it on realoem for the e46, but it is listed on some even older BMWs on realoem.

[02_lsb]

So, hold up.

Should PRE LCI cars only come with one boot like my picture above?

[Tbonem3]

Mine's that way and the car is very original/untouched, so that seems likely. I've seen it before.

Can the pins be ejected from the plug so that we can slip a new grommet on?

[Andrew 06M3Cab]

Mine is March 06 production, and it does not have the boot on the left ballast connector. I always wondered why it is missing. It is one of those things i never got around to looking into.

[heinzboehmer]

^ My left ballast connector has the rubber boot and it definitely came that way. I can't answer as to when the boot came into play for our cars (or maybe it always did). I stored this part number away as I had a friend looking for the same part and it was really hard for me to find. I can't remember what forum I pulled it from, probably the old m3forum, but I remember I couldn't find it on realoem for the e46, but it is listed on some even older BMWs on realoem.

Weird. You're right, realoem doesn't even show that part for the e46. I wonder why some cars got that and others didn't.

Mine's that way and the car is very original/untouched, so that seems likely. I've seen it before.

Can the pins be ejected from the plug so that we can slip a new grommet on?

Yeah you should be able to take the wires out, feed them through the boot and reinsert them into the connector

[PSUEng]

Bumping this thread to hopefully see if anyone can provide insight how to properly disassemble the plug in order to remove the wires, to allow for installing 12521711262. I had posted in the "dumb question forum" but maybe best to keep the info here if someone knows. Looks to me there are a few options for where to pry/pick/probe the white piece for removal, unlocking the terminals from the housing for removal. But, I'm not sure, and would like to avoid any damaging mistakes here. Below photos of what I'm thinking:

[PSUEng]

Success! Will update with more photos shortly.

[Estoril]

Success! Will update with more photos shortly.

I will sincerely appreciate "how to" pics/description of your methods.

[PSUEng]

Ok, here's what I did:

First thing to note is that you are really dealing with 3 primary components of the connector:

1: External keyed housing
2: White internal housing retaining clip
3: Internal housing where the wire terminals lock into

You first need to:

1: Separate the external housing from the internal housing (lift small tab away from housing and push internal housing to separate)
2: Remove white clip with a pick as I show in the photo; be gentle and it will separate.
3: Depress terminal locking tabs and pull wire from the internal housing.
4: I hit everything, including the control unit receptacle with QD contact cleaner to clean everything up before reassembly.
5: Used some detailing APC to clean off the white residue from the new boot, and applied a small piece of electrical tape after installation.

As they say, reassembly is reverse of removal. Note correct wire position, and also note that the inner/outer housings can only go together the correct way. And of course, you're dealing with 20yr old wiring and plastic.

[BlueBimmers]

You guys made me go look - my car has left boot, 2006 with 10/05 prod date. FWIW. Seems like someone could follow this tutorial if they need to remove headlight and want to leave ballast in car.