Help with broken ZHP gear stick light

[ShaunKC]

I am just looking for a bit of advice regarding my ZHP illuminated gear knob.

The light that illuminates the gear knob stopped working a few years ago; when I removed it from the gear stick I found that the black wire was loose and disconnected from the inside of the gear knob. Seeing no obvious place to refit the wire, I ended up just putting the knob back on with the wire stuffed inside; amazingly, the light came back on and has worked happily for a few years. This week, though, it stopped working again, I had assumed that the black wire was earthing through the metal of the gear stick, and that was why it was working previously. However, nothing I now do will bring the light back on, and I just can't see anywhere that the wire could be connected inside the knob, and even if there was I'm not sure how it would be reconnected inside such a small space.

Does anybody know where this black wire should fit inside the knob? If not, are OEM versions still available to purchase (I believe they are discontinued from BMW), and if so what is the part number?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many Thanks

 

[Mr Tidy]

Sorry I can't help with your wiring question, but judging by the age of this tread the illuminated ZHP for our cars has been NLA for years:- https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=66074

I recently bought one of the F10 M5 illuminated ZHPs but haven't got around to sorting the leather gaiter to fit it yet. When I rang Cotswold BMW to order it they said they have been selling quite a few, mostly to E46 M3 owners. They're not cheap at just over £150, but I just wanted one!

Anyway the Part Number is B25.11.2.284.205 if that helps.

 

[ShaunKC]

Sorry I can't help with your wiring question, but judging by the age of this tread the illuminated ZHP for our cars has been NLA for years:- https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=66074

I recently bought one of the F10 M5 illuminated ZHPs but haven't got around to sorting the leather gaiter to fit it yet. When I rang Cotswold BMW to order it they said they have been selling quite a few, mostly to E46 M3 owners. They're not cheap at just over £150, but I just wanted one!

Anyway the Part Number is B25.11.2.284.205 if that helps.

Thank you for the help; I did suspect that they were no longer produced, which is one reason I hoped to fix mine. I don't fancy changing the gator just for a light, especially as I only drive the car in the summer and most of the time, the lights are off anyway! Perhaps someone will jump in with some advice on the placement of the black wire. It must be fixable, considering it worked for years with the wire just stuffed inside; I wish I could make it work by using the same slapdash technique again!

 

[Mr Tidy]

I've just had a look at my OE illuminated one and there is a brown wire plus a grey and red one - no black though!

The wires seem to go up to the light between the plastic inner that attaches the knob and the outer leather covering, one on each side, so I'm guessing fixing a broken wire would require major surgery sadly.

 

[srhutch]

I think the only way you are going to fix that is to remove the coverplate (1-6 ///M logo bit) and fix the wire back to the LED.

 

[ShaunKC]

I think the only way you are going to fix that is to remove the coverplate (1-6 ///M logo bit) and fix the wire back to the LED.

Sounds like a sure way to destroy an otherwise mint gear knob! I think I might just have to live without the lights