Brake lights work, don't work, work **FIXED** | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Brake lights work, don't work, work **FIXED**

Tony H

Explorer Addict
Joined
September 4, 2003
Messages
1,595
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13
City, State
New York, Wading River (that's on Long Island)
Year, Model & Trim Level
'91 Eddie Bauer
I'm getting this second hand. I will be looking at this tomorrow evening.


'94 Brakes lights work sometimes and sometimes they don't. I suspect maybe the Directional Stalk causing the problem. But usually only one side wont work with this problem, I thought.
Is there a Fuse that might need cleaning? Any other thoughts why teh Brake Lights would be intermittent?
 



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...You have a Stop light Brake switch, attached to the brake pedal...It could be going bad, need adjustment, or I have even had the factory wiring to the switch need to be adjusted..;)
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I've never seen them be intermittent. In my experience when they die, they die. I will look there as well and see if maybe there is some contacts I can clean up..
 






I've seen the brake on/off switch loosen up on these and get out of adjustment, or one of the bolts will come loose or be missing.
 






It's fixed.

My nephew replaced a Bad Brake light switch with a new one. He installed the new one incorrectly so the Master cylinder Plunger didn't have enough movement to depress the switch before the entire switch moved. A few minutes understanding what needed to happen to activate the switch and I was able to reinstall the switch correctly. The old switch must have died prematurely do to much carbon build up across the Third Brake light assembly.
This had to cause a lot of arching at the Brake switch.
The third light assembly is disconnected until we can get a replacement.. But he's got reliable Brake lights now. It'll keep him from getting rear-ended from some clown not paying attention.
Easy fix, it was the first place I looked....all around a good evening.
 






Tony,

I would very much appreciate it if you could explain in a little detail how you fixed the plunger/swtich problem. I've did all my meter testing and all the wiring is just find. When I hard wire the plug that fits into the brake pedal switch - all the brake light - light up just fine. I also tested both the old brake light swtich and the new brake light switch and they are working fine. The problem is that when I press the brake pedal it does no activate the brake switch.

I was careful to install the brake switch just like the old one was installed. Since the old one tested OK, I don't think it was the installation; rather something else. I could use some help as my neck is really cramping up being under the dash :)

Many thanks.
 






Tony,

All my wiring tested OK. Both my old and new brake pedal switch tested OK. The problem I'm having is that pressing the brake pedal is not activating the switch. I was careful to install the new brake pedal switch just like the old one came off. I don't think its the installation since the old switch was actually just fine. There is something else going on. I could sure use any help you can give. Many thanks.
 






UPDATE - RESOLVED:

Traced the problem electrically to the brake pedal switch. Installed new switch - didn't work. After many hours of making sure it was installed correctly and doing more wiring checks, decided it may be a problem with the "fit" of the new switch since it tested OK on the meter. The pedal was not depressing the switch enough to reliably trigger on/off.

I didn't know if it was the switch itself or perhaps the push rod from the master cyclinder was worn. I did something I don't normally do - I bought the genuine Ford swtich and installed it. Work perfect now. Done deal.
 






thats depressing, mine fritzing out. On a wierd note if i press the pedal and reach down and push in the connector the lights come on. but sitting at a stop light like that is stupid so im working on this in the morning, hopefully for free. if i find a cheap or free solution i'll stick it up
 






You simply need a new switch. You won't find a cheaper or easier fix.
 






thats depressing, mine fritzing out. On a wierd note if i press the pedal and reach down and push in the connector the lights come on. but sitting at a stop light like that is stupid so im working on this in the morning, hopefully for free. if i find a cheap or free solution i'll stick it up

Going back to my Nephews issue, When I took out the Bushing 2A309 ( see the diagram above from TBARS4) it gave the Pushrod enough movement to trigger the switch. Give that a try.
 






my setup is a little different on the newer model. but i figured it out. The wire harness attached to the switch itself was loose and put needless stress on the plug. i reattached the harness and secured it, then i just added a little material with epoxy to where the snap is suposed to click and its working good for now. you have to really push it in and then some for it to snap into place now, if it makes a week i say fixed. if this doesnt work i've got one more thing to try, and if that fails then i'll get a new switch even tho mines fine.
 






No Brake lights working

I have a 1997 Explorer Eddie Bauer and all brake lights stopped working. Replaced the Brake Light Switch and still no lights. I am able to shift out of park with brake pedal depressed so switch is working, right? Fuse good. Any ideas other than switch? Thanks.
 






If its not the break pedal switch and not a fuse, I would think it may be in the wiring. However, I would first make absolutely sure that your brake pedal switch is not the problem. The first new brake pedal switch I put in did not work. I got it from Shucks. I later put in a Ford part and it worked.

All you need to do is to take the connector off the brake pedal swtich. Take a short wire and put one end in each slot on the connector. In other words, complete the connection at the connector plug. If your wiring is OK, then once you complete the connection your brake lights should come on. If they do, then there is something wrong with your brake pedal switch setup. If the tail lights don't come on when you complete the connection at the plug - the problem is not the brake pedal swtich.

Now mind you, I'm talking a 1994 Explorer; however, I believe the principle still applies.
 






Okay, I found the problem. It was a faulty Light Out Module. The brake light switch was working fine. I jumped the two appropriate wires (light green and red with white stripe) and brakes worked so I have now connected the wires together with a wire nut and have bypassed the LOM. The third light already bypasses the LOM. I will try to post some pictures.
 






Going back to my Nephews issue, When I took out the Bushing 2A309 ( see the diagram above from TBARS4) it gave the Pushrod enough movement to trigger the switch. Give that a try.

thanks for this tip - had same problem on my 98 expl 4.0 sohc, switch ok, removed the bushing, SOLVED!!
 






Trying to revive this post. I've replaced the brake light switch, the wires coming from the brake light switch, both brake light harnesses and still the driver's side brake light goes out when I hit the brake. Please help.
Thans, Mark
 






...Do you blow the bulb??

...Check your wiring from the tail light and trailer wiring connections...All it takes is for a small nick from rubbing on something on the wire jacket to ground it out.
 






I already changed all the bulbs. The man who owned it before me spliced the wires at both brake lights for a trailor harness, and spliced the stop light switch wires for some sort of ground effect lighting I guess. The only thing I have left to replace is the actual stop light socket ( it does look a little black on the outter edges. ) Any other suggestions on what could cause only one brake light to go out?
 



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...Yes...Bad splices or splicing the wrong wires...;)

...This happens often and is why I had mentioned to "Check your wiring from the tail light and trailer wiring connections..."

...Some people just splice stuff till it works without checking a wire diagrahm first..You might need to do this to remedy your problem..I believe your Haynes and Chilton's manual will both have your wiring diagrahm's...
 






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