BMW 5 Series Tail Lights: Specs, Fitment & Common Faults
Confirmed: a genuine safety recall covering 134,000 vehicles (2008-2010) addressed corrosion causing taillights, reversing lights, and turn signals to short out entirely — a fault regulators warned could contribute to a collision.
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OEM Part Number: confirm via VIN — tail light (aftermarket) Hella 2SD011144-311
| Tail lights (aftermarket) | Hella 2SD011144-311 (left, LED, with bulb holder, outer section); Hella 2TZ011145-511 (left, with bulb holder, inner section) |
|---|---|
| Genuine (OE) numbers quoted | None quoted in the catalogue listings — the genuine light varies by trim, bulb or LED type and facelift date, so order it against your VIN |
| Fitment notes | Left and right are separate parts; check LED or bulb type, whether the bulb holder is included, body style and facelift date before ordering. |
BMW 5 Series Tail Lights: More Wiring Behind There Than Most People Assume
The BMW 5 Series's tail light unit typically bundles several functions into one housing — brake light, indicator, reversing light and rear fog light — which means a single electrical fault can affect more than one function at once, and a "faulty tail light" can mean several genuinely different things.
BMW 5 Series Tail Lights: What It Does
Beyond basic rear visibility, tail light units on the 5 Series typically integrate brake lights, indicators, reversing lights and rear fog lights into a single housing. Higher trims may use LED units with a distinct light signature, which are not interchangeable with standard halogen units even if the physical mounting looks similar.
BMW 5 Series Tail Lights: Watch: Replacing It
Fitment & Compatibility
BMW 5 Series Tail Lights: Generations, Derivatives & Tail Light Type
| Standard trims | Halogen bulb-based units as standard, in a conventional red lens design |
|---|---|
| M Sport/M Performance | Genuine factory "Black Line" tail lights — a smoked/blacked-out lens finish confirmed as a real BMW OEM part, not just an aftermarket style, giving a more aggressive rear appearance |
| Higher trims, later model years | Full LED tail lights with a distinct light signature become standard, genuinely not interchangeable with the halogen units on lower trims |
Tail light design changed between generations of the 5 Series, and facelifted versions within the same generation often use a revised light signature that isn't interchangeable with pre-facelift units. Always confirm the exact part for your specific model year before ordering. Whether you're sourcing a replacement tail lights for your BMW 5 Series from a dealer, specialist, or online marketplace, always check compatibility against your registration or VIN before buying, and confirm you're ordering the correct side — driver's side (RH in the UK) or passenger side (LH in the UK) — since these are not interchangeable.
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Confirmed: A Genuine Safety Recall Worth Checking Your Car Against — BMW 5 Series Tail Lights
This is genuinely worth checking directly on 2008 to 2010 model years: a confirmed recall covering around 134,000 vehicles addressed corrosion on electrical connections that could cause the taillights, reversing lights, and rear turn signal lamps to short out entirely. Safety regulators warned this fault could genuinely contribute to a collision, since the affected lights could fail without warning. Worth checking your specific VIN against the official recall register directly, particularly on a used car where you can't be certain a previous owner had this work completed.
It's also genuinely worth knowing that a separate confirmed recall covering related BMW models from a similar era addressed a wiring fault that could cause the car to completely lose power, shutting down all lighting including hazard lights and brake lights.
BMW 5 Series Tail Lights: Common Faults, DIY Difficulty & Aftermarket Advice
These are the same regardless of make or model — see our full Tail Lights Guide for diagnosing which circuit has failed, how easy this job is to DIY, and aftermarket advice.
More BMW Tail Lights
The same part, covered across other BMW models.