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were all the tail lights working? before you swapped the module?

my guess is the old module died the same way as the new one prividing there were lights out......if so...
it sounds like there is a direct short somewhere in the system, i would check the wires from the module to the bulbs, leave it unplugged and check all pins for continuity to ground, then start removing bulbs to see which wire it is (if it there's a short and the bulb is removed it'll still show ground on that wire) if it's not a faulty socket i'd be surprised, i've seen them overheat and melt causing a short........