2002 BMW 330I Electrical Systemwiring Rear Compartmenttrunk Problems

FAILURE OF THE TURN SIGNALS, BRAKE LIGHTS AND REAR PARKING LAMPS OF THE 1999-2005 BMW 3 SERIES ("E46"). ALSO NOTED ARE FORWARD TURN SIGNAL LIGHTING FAILURES. THE PROBLEM MAY INVOLVE TWO UNRELATED COMPONENT FAILURES: CHRONICALLY OVERHEATING/PARTIALLY MELTED 7-PIN WIRING CONNECTORS (AT THE REAR LAMP CLUSTER) AND CORRODED BULB SOCKETS (AT THE FRONT TURN SIGNALS). (THE FIRST PROBLEM MAY BE MORE COMMON IN WARM WEATHER STATES.) BY WAY OF BACKGROUND, I HAVE OWNED THREE E46 MODEL BMW'S, ALL PURCHASED NEW. ALL HAVE HAD REPEATED, YET INTERMITTENT TURN SIGNAL AND EXTERIOR LIGHTING PROBLEMS. MOST RECENTLY I NOTED ANOTHER INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF ALL THE LIGHTS IN THE LEFT REAR LAMP CLUSTER OF MY 2002 BMW 330I WITH ~48,000 MILES. AFTER ANOTHER CAREFUL INSPECTION, TO INCLUDE REMOVING EACH BULB AND CHECKING ITS FILAMENT, RESISTANCE AND CONNECTION CLEANLINESS, I FOUND SOMETHING I HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY NOTED--THE 7-PIN WIRING CONNECTOR WAS MELTED AT TERMINAL #2, THE...