Hedge-Hog issues - another possible resolution

[X5-D-Sport]

These Hedge-Hog units are a sodding nuisance.

I have a NEW issue resolution to throw into the mix.........
A month ago I was also having fan issues, & swapped out 3 regulator hedgehogs to no avail, & getting intermittent fan operation now & then.

I found the remedy quite by mistake.... when groping the wiring harness while the ignition was on, & the fan controls were powered ON.

It turns out that the connector socket that plugs into the Hedge-Hog has female pins that can expand & cease to make contact with the Hedge-Hog MALE pins, or intermittent/poor contact.

If it is a poor or light contact, then the connector sockets/pins will heat up & fail due to the heat & burned connector, then you fit another Hedge-Hog & a few days later the whole situation repeats again.
The hotter an electrical contact becomes, the more electrical resistance is generated until the contact gets scorched/burned & fails.

I found that the fix was to very slightly bend the male pins of the hedge-hog module to ensure a good connection in the wired plug connector.

This may not be the fix for every issue with this temperamental device, but may be worth considering.

Regards to All
Grant B

[X5Sport]

That’s a great tip.

I wonder also if the copy parts also have different sized male pins and this causes the female receptacle to be expanded so making the situation worse?

[henrym3]

It’s an interesting point, they obviously can last a long time as the b3 one was/is stamped 1999 so 24yo but certainly if any of mine play up again I’ll try this remedy before splashing out.