I picked up the car at the dealer, and the receipt does mention an SIB:
"Confirmed complaint, removed taillights, found left ground pin melted. As per SIB 63 07 16, replaced both taillight assemblies and installed new harnesses."
But I can't find any info regarding SIB 63 07 16 on Mitchell's, nor anywhere else on the internet. Perhaps it's too new.
Interestingly I did find find an SIB for 3 series cars with a similar problem:
https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/c...1v438-4559.pdf
So it's not the first time this has happened with BMW. Not only that, according to the SIB referenced above the 3 series situation eventually turned into a recall, or at least the document describes it as a recall.
But it appears instead of proactively contacting customers to get the cars in for repairs, all they did was quietly tell the dealers to repair the cars when they were brought in for service:
PERFORM THE PROCEDURE OUTLINED IN THIS SERVICE INFORMATION ON ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES BEFORE CUSTOMER DELIVERY OR THE NEXT TIME THEY ARE IN THE SHOP FOR MAINTENANCE OR REPAIRS.
The reason BMW would choose to do this is obvious...the negative publicity of a publicly announced recall. Seems pretty shameful, don't you think?
Not only that, what about the customers who are having their cars serviced somewhere other than a dealer, or servicing the car themselves? They don't need to be told about this?
So BMW is now doing the same thing again with the 2 series problem and not telling us owners of the problem with the lights. Not only is this a clear safety issue given that it involves brake lights and turn signals, if a component of the electrical system is melting isn't that also a fire hazard?