Turn Signal problems of the 2002 BMW X5

The dashboard went dark, only gauge that worked was the tachometer which I couldnt see because I had no dashboard lights. Stopped vehicle and took the keys out couldnt turn my lights off had no turn signals,the 3rd brake light was on all night long killing the battery I tried every fuse. Also my headlights wouldnt turn off the lighting controls were useless, and just kept smelling an electronic burning smell. I managed to disconnect all the lights except the 3rd brake light. Couldnt disconnect the battery because the lift gate to get into the back wouldn't work and the center console hazards stuck on and door locks didn't work I had to remove the glove box and all the paneling and track down the smell. Turns out the problem with this vehicle is that the rain manages to work itself down the inside of the a frame on both driver and passenger sides of the vehicle on driver side it destroys the obd module but on the passenger side it trickles directly into the lcm lighting control module which completely takes your eyes off the road when you cant see the dashboard your headlights start strobing on and off and then half get stuck on and half just dont work but when you spend the hours getting to the lcm to find out it has melted right into the side of your vehicle and you can tell it was on fire !! and this has happened to numerous people on the BMW forums im just happy my 3 year old son wasn't with me. And the real kicker is that I have no vehicle now and it cost 600$ for a new lcm that has to be programmed to your vehicle which will cost another 300$ when I could have hurt someone else or myself when you cant see but you can smell somethings burning its a hazard to everyone on and off the road .

I drive a 2002 BMW x-5. I am extremely disappointed and frustrated by the failure of a basic component of my auto. On three separate occasions there have been electrical shorts in both front turn signals and one of the brake lights. At 58,315 miles the right turn signal bulb and socket burned at contacts and was replaced for $126. 25. At 85,549 miles the left turn signal bulb and socket burned out and was replaced for $133. 89. At 88,685 miles the left brake light is shorted out. The dealer did not have the part in stock but the repair was quoted to be $239. 00. The second failure actually happened as I was driving in a heavy rain storm. The other two failures just showed up on the car's diagnostic self check at start up. It seems the light fixtures and wiring are prone to water exposure that results in the electrical short. Perhaps it is faulty design or substandard materials.