02 Brake Light Switch

That's what it's about! Found this post before I went to the store. Avoided a confusing inter year part change debacle. Thanks a million.
Yep, those terminals were definitely corroded by years of electrical arcs. The contacts are super easy to pull from the switch for a good sanding and a drop of oil on the micro slide. Seems as thought the interlock was still hesitant to disengage. I was hearing the clicks of a relay but still couldn't get it out of park at first. I fanagled the switch with my foot and that always worked. After a few rounds of that all seems to have come back to life without any size 11 assistance . Hopefully the wear down and subsequent sanding hasn't made the contact gap too large. I'll see on the drive to work.
Way to circumvent the manufacturers failures. This should be a recall! No brake lights and the CC not shutting off with a tap of the brakes. MAJOR safety hazard.

azdevildog0311 said:

That's what it's about! Found this post before I went to the store. Avoided a confusing inter year part change debacle. Thanks a million.
Yep, those terminals were definitely corroded by years of electrical arcs. The contacts are super easy to pull from the switch for a good sanding and a drop of oil on the micro slide. Seems as thought the interlock was still hesitant to disengage. I was hearing the clicks of a relay but still couldn't get it out of park at first. I fanagled the switch with my foot and that always worked. After a few rounds of that all seems to have come back to life without any size 11 assistance . Hopefully the wear down and subsequent sanding hasn't made the contact gap too large. I'll see on the drive to work.
Way to circumvent the manufacturers failures. This should be a recall! No brake lights and the CC not shutting off with a tap of the brakes. MAJOR safety hazard.

Click to expand...

I agree, this forum is awesome. Glad you got it fixed. And remember, God loves a rifleman.

OOH RAH BigRondo!
The maintenance on the switch is working. However, knowing that the contacts are now pretty thin, and upon further review of the mechanical/metal upgrade replacement part: Oreillyauto- BWD - Brake Light Switch Part # S37030, it looks as though, on a close up of the pic of the new electrical connector, that it would receive the OEM plug from the vehicle without having to splice in wiring. I might check it out. Looks like a dependable plug n' play upgrade for $15.

Let us know how you make out with the new part. Pics would be nice.

Just as I expected. The old switch failed within a few days. Just a terrible design with worn contacts.

The BWD part is fantastic, and super easy to butt-splice in two wires. It comes with full instructions. The wires, on the new part, are ran through, and taped to a plastic bracket for some models; maybe models with the adjustable brake pedal. ? I just needed 6" of wire and no bracket upgrade, so cut it off. This leaves just the new connector and 6" of wire. Cut off the old connector at about 3", and spiced in the new. Slapped on the new METAL switch, which comes with 2 external plastic bushing/washers AND a new black one to replace the old one. Nice, tight design..no sloppy play.

Remove the switch assembly and then cut through all the electrical tape that holds the 2 wires under the steering column. Free it up enough so you have a bunch of slack. Re-route the 2 wires separately from the column harness wires and this will create more slack in the connector wires. Now reconnect to the brake light switch and mount it back on the brake pedal and you won't have anymore intermittent brake light problems.

Did you have to do this splicing to install the windstar part?? I need to replace the switch on my ford and will be making a stop at orileys to buy the windstar part today.

argetim2000 said:

Did you have to do this splicing to install the windstar part?? I need to replace the switch on my ford and will be making a stop at orileys to buy the windstar part today.

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No, the Windstar part was a direct plug and play replacement. I have noticed in the last couple weeks my brake lights stay on after the pedal is released. I'm not sure if it has to do with the spring inside the switch or if the updated Explorer part is a little more robust.

Good info in here

Replaced it not too long ago with the windstar one, bit the dust again. I took the original one apart and I can't believe how flimsy this thing is, anyway, one of the metal plates was bent so no point even filing it because as soon as I took it out, it came apart. So, time to get a new one or hoping I can take the metal plate out of the other one and between the two have a good part.

I changed mine with the Windstar replacement as well not too while ago (less than a year) and it seems that I don't have rear lights again, at least I know what to check now.

@azdevildog0311,

YOU ARE A LIFE SAVER. Just finished mine up. Everything is up and running fine now. This Forum is the BEST!!!

Thanks

Glad it worked out for you. It is a terribly simple failure that can really put the truck out of commission.

Brake Light Switch

I have no brake lights on my Explorer. Have taken the switch off and sanded contacts per another post. Also lubed the plunger and verified functionality of switch when activated. Re-installed and still no brake lights. Verified bulbs are good. I will buy a new switch this week, but since this switch is mechanical in nature, I don't see the point since the one I have seems to work. Frustration reigns supreme! :exp:

Brake Lights

I have no brake lights on my Explorer. Have taken the switch off and sanded contacts per another post. Also lubed the plunger and verified functionality of switch when activated. Re-installed and still no brake lights. Verified bulbs are good. I will buy a new switch this week, but since this switch is mechanical in nature, I don't see the point since the one I have seems to work. Frustration reigns supreme!

Did you ck the fuse to the break switch. Here is a link for a wireing diagram good luck.

http://arrc.ebscohost.com/

user is rrcc
password is rebsco

Dude! You inspired me.

azdevildog0311 said:

Just as I expected. The old switch failed within a few days. Just a terrible design with worn contacts.

The BWD part is fantastic, and super easy to butt-splice in two wires. It comes with full instructions. The wires, on the new part, are ran through, and taped to a plastic bracket for some models; maybe models with the adjustable brake pedal. ? I just needed 6" of wire and no bracket upgrade, so cut it off. This leaves just the new connector and 6" of wire. Cut off the old connector at about 3", and spiced in the new. Slapped on the new METAL switch, which comes with 2 external plastic bushing/washers AND a new black one to replace the old one. Nice, tight design..no sloppy play.

Click to expand...

My hot girlfriend just bought a sweet 04 Ranger 4.0 supercab 4 door fx4 black on black etc... but it had a few issues:

1.Tailgate plastic handle sheered off one leg...replaced with cast metal anaodized version for $26. Darn tailgate hadn't opened for years it seems.

2. right hand suicide door lower latch froze/rusted solid stuck shut...a whole long Sunday afternoon popping the panel off and slowly but surely taking that latch apart piece by piece...Tasca Autoparts brand new latch=$63

3. Tuneup... way harder than my 02 explorer 4.0. Apparently they left #2 and #3 plugs in on last tuneup...telltale paint dot on factory plugs don't lie. Suckas are pistols to get at. I used a lead pipe in two places on my left wrist to enable contorted wrenching thru the wheel well (after removing inner fender for better access)

4. Repainted tailgate and cleaned up door panel seams and painted those too

and then the electrical issues....

First the dreaded airbag light was generating a code 27...telltale blown bulb in PAD $3.27 fix from radio shack...soldered in a nice new 12V 60mA mini yellow...beautiful! Airbag now fully engaged

And Finally....the dreaded "can't shift from park when engine is on".... everybody says the shifty/interlock solenoid! Because the brake lights worked the whole time the consensus was that solenoid. No deal there. but yes all the jostlin' did have it workin for a week or so and then again it starts jamming up. Hmmmm so I come across this thread? and Voila! I popped open our 2 pole switch-5 pins (brake lights) and (power to interlock solenoid) Seems the pair to the interlock was badly carboned over.. so a complete disassembly and individual clean and shine of each copper leg with 600 wet sand...BOOOM! she works better than ever now...Shifts out of park without a glitch. We'll keep an eye on that switch and start shopping ebay for a high quality replacement should it reoccur

Thanks for this forum and the wealth of the community knowledge. It's the free fixes that just tickle me the most

Mitey SnoBird

Ok I have a slightly different problem.. My break lights are staying on after I press the pedal.. I have to pull back on the pedal to get them to go off? Any suggestions... Will this post fix my issue as well?

Where does the black piece go? I don't see it in the pictures.
I just purchased a brake light switch and I'll trying to make sense of the directions.
I've gathered I'm going to;
1) unplug the old switch harness
2) take off the old switch
3) cut the old harness off and use that wiring to connect to the new harness
4) connect the new harness to the existing wiring (wiring we just cut off the old harness from)
5)install the new switch to the pedal.
6)plug in the harness to the switch
7)test

Hopefully this is correct. If so, my only question is where does the black plastic (bushing/washer?) that came with it go?
Thanks

The bushing/washer goes on the post on the brake pedal lever...don't try to install it on the new brake switch...fussed with it for 10 minutes because of that.

The directions in 3 different languages are a pain but I just highlighted the English ones,read it again and had no issues.

The Explorer manual only offered instructions to remove the old switch...obviously no info in their on the new switch install.

I'd rate this, on a 1-10 difficulty rating, at a 3. Pull the pin, old switch off and install new one. Splice and attach the two wires on the new switch to the old (red to red and green to green) and you're done.

I'm not sure what a mechanic would charge but it took me 20 minutes and a $29 part.