Lights On + Brakes = Trunk Opens By Itself Help!
 

Hi Everyone
Wanted to start by saying thanks to everyone for all of their help. I read these forums everyday and many of you help people everyday and don't know it. You've certainly helped me, so thank you!

As the title states, when my headlights are on and I hit the brakes, my trunk will relelase. I have an 01 X5 3.0. I've only had it since August and this is my first winter with it. It has only started happening since the winter arrived here in Toronto.
I think it happens more when it's wet outside. It doesn't happen every time though. I tired disconecting the wires that go to the licence plate lights. It turns out they were severely corroded. I thought that was somehow connected to the trunk release. I guess not because it didn't do a thing to fix it.
I've read some other articles on this problem but am unclear on what to do to fix it. Can anyone help me on what to do about this?

Thanks so much!

It sounds like wiring problem, especially since other posts (from search results) suggest that wires going to the trunk latch can short and cause this. It seems like you have narrowed it down to your headlight (which means tail lights are on too) as well as the brake lights... so I would be searching for a short between this combo and the latch wires. The fact that wires to license plates were pretty corroded also leads one to believe there is wire shorting problems in that general vicinity.

I know, I just stated the obvious.. but sometimes it helps.

you will likely have to replace the tailgate trim piece, which comes with the trunk release button and license plate bulb already installed inside. It should come primed from the factory.

reference: http://www.xoutpost.com/x5-e53-forum/...runk-open.html

the wiring in the back gets wet. wires will have corrosion. the back gate wires need to be waterproofed and re-wired.

http://www.northerntool.com/images/p.../150092_lg.jpg
One of this should get you through the winter.:cool:

LMAO, thanks tambalolong!!! Very funny!

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm gonna take it off and have a look at it again. I thought that the only wires were the licence plate wires but I must have been wrong. I'll have a look at the rubber piece that you use to open the truck as well to look for water damage. I'll report back.

So I took the trim piece off again yesterday and discovered my problem....
When I first disconected the wires, I thought that would cut off the power to everything but I was still getting the trunk popping open. It turns out that because the connector coming from the trunk (that attaches to the connector on the trim piece) was so corroded, the water was still getting in the trunk and it was shorting out the trunk latch. I verified this by cutting the connector off and touching a couple of the wires together. Sure enough, it would pop the trunk latch. I have taped up the wires tightly and will have to order a new trim piece, as well as a connector for the wires that attach to it.

not max worthy. ;)

im sorry i had too... just way to similar too the commercials haha

Same thing happens to me, I even get the anoying "check license plate bulb" message. The only thing is that if I lock the doors it'll stay closed. Other than that the silly hatch pops open. Thanks for the info guys!