3rd brake light bulb replacement

[jseabolt]

1996 XLT:

How in the heck do you replace the 3rd brake light bulb? The lense does not have any screws (as far as I can tell) and all I see if a rubber grommet with the wiring on the inside of the lift gate.

Advance Auto is not showing a replacement bulb but an assembly for about $50. This vehicle doesn't use an LED light bar does it?

I bought this vehicle back in July with about 81K miles on it. It's got almost 90K miles on it now. Other than the recalled cruise control switch, minor headgasket(s) leak which was fixed with a tube of stop leak, all I've had to really do was replace a few bulbs. Fog light, brake light, PS puddle light (got bulb but haven't replaced it yet) and now this one. I guess the bulbs are just starting to get weak.

 

[section525]

Good read:
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=221741

Great read:
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146303

 

[jseabolt]

Good read:
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=221741

Great read:
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146303

Apparantly Ford didn't intend on this thing going bad, having to drill out rivets and all. Now I know why Advance Auto is not showing a bulb but rather a whole assembly for $50.

I don't mind paying $50 for the assembly, just hate to go through all that trouble. Maybe one of those back burner projects.

 

[96eb96]

Apparantly Ford didn't intend on this thing going bad, having to drill out rivets and all. Now I know why Advance Auto is not showing a bulb but rather a whole assembly for $50.

I don't mind paying $50 for the assembly, just hate to go through all that trouble. Maybe one of those back burner projects.

I saw a price closer to $100. Do you have a link?

 

[rizzjc]

Apparantly Ford didn't intend on this thing going bad, having to drill out rivets and all. Now I know why Advance Auto is not showing a bulb but rather a whole assembly for $50.

I don't mind paying $50 for the assembly, just hate to go through all that trouble. Maybe one of those back burner projects.

I doubt they have what you need if you have the long neon bulb. I think that the ballast is over $150, and the lamp is something like $300. I couldn't even find the thing at any dealer - they were backordered from overseas. I am 99.9% sure that whatever they are telling you they have at Advance Auto is NOT what you need.

 

[96eb96]

I doubt they have what you need if you have the long neon bulb. I think that the ballast is over $150, and the lamp is something like $300. I couldn't even find the thing at any dealer - they were backordered from overseas. I am 99.9% sure that whatever they are telling you they have at Advance Auto is NOT what you need.

There is an aftermarket (I believe LED) replacement. It is the entire red bulb housing assembly and does not need the ballast. It is around $80-$100. Its made by Dorman,available from ebay, advance, Rockauto etc. Someone probably stole your idea from your original thread

 

[96eb96]

Yikes, I looked up ford prices for the bulb and ballast:

List Price discount price​

ballast - 1995-97 - 1995-97 95-97 $325.60 $0.00 $214.90
Rear lamps - High mounted stop lamp - Lamp - ballast

W/wiper - 1995-97 - 1995-97 95-97 $347.22 $0.00 $229.16
Rear lamps - High mounted stop lamp - High mount lamp - W/wiper

So $700/w tax if someone walks in cold to a dealer.

 

[rizzjc]

There is an aftermarket (I believe LED) replacement. It is the entire red bulb housing assembly and does not need the ballast. It is around $80-$100. Its made by Dorman,available from ebay, advance, Rockauto etc. Someone probably stole your idea from your original thread

*******s! :

 

[team]

there is a thread on here about how to take your current third brake light apart and install a LED strip inside it. I did this to my 96. It is brighter than factory and i think I may have 20 dollars in it now.

 

[Joe Dirt]

It could also be the ballast, or the fuse for the rear towing plug. I thought my bulb was out, and it ended being the ballast. You can remove the rear tailgate trim and get to the ballast, but the bulb if bad needs to be removed from the outside.

I have a spare ballast, and may have a spare bulb too. Check your fuse for the rear though...

 

[jseabolt]

I doubt they have what you need if you have the long neon bulb. I think that the ballast is over $150, and the lamp is something like $300. I couldn't even find the thing at any dealer - they were backordered from overseas. I am 99.9% sure that whatever they are telling you they have at Advance Auto is NOT what you need.

I don't know where the guy got $50 from. I think he quoted me something like $46.?? actually

I looked up the assembly on their website and it's actually $98.00. That's probably doesn't include the ballast.

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/we...orman_22148099-P_2280_R|GRP60004_873671751___

How would you test the ballast? Is it just a resistor that reduced voltage from 12 to something lower?

Where's this "trailer plug" that if disconnected and reconnection might fix it? I'm assuming corrosion can develop causing a poor connection. Having owned Fiats for 20 years, I know all about this. Relays, connectors, etc.

 

[jseabolt]

there is a thread on here about how to take your current third brake light apart and install a LED strip inside it. I did this to my 96. It is brighter than factory and i think I may have 20 dollars in it now.

Do you just bypass the ballast and connect it directly to power?

 

[96eb96]

How would you test the ballast? Is it just a resistor that reduced voltage from 12 to something lower?

You could probably build a Tazer from that thing, so be careful with it. It puts out a very high voltage actually.

You would probably need a neon bulb tester to check it.

I was told a bad bulb can overload it and destroy the ballast.I try to find a used set for $20-$30 bucks for the both. Car-parts.com is a good source.

 

[96eb96]

Do you just bypass the ballast and connect it directly to power?

Yes. Never connect LEDs to that! Just get rid of the ballast if you install a LED light.

 

[budwich]

the led system won't / doesn't need a ballast.... which is taking the voltage UP a "few notches". As suggested, find the post on the replacement LED stuff, it gives you everything you will need to know. As for testing the ballast, without proper equipment, you will likely "kill it", if you don't know what you are doing. IF you have a "certified good lamp", then you can test it that way (ie. using the lamp as a "check").

 

[rizzjc]

Yeah, I was never able to test the ballast, or the junk yard ballast I picked up, or the bulb. I gave up, and did the LED swap. I need to do it again, but it works well. I just used LEDs with a smaller viewing angle, and didn't orient them quite right, and only used silicone to seal it, so it gets some condensation in there. I'll make some improvements the next time I pull it off.

 

[jseabolt]

Well I don't know what the deal is but the 3rd brake light is now working on my 96. And has been working for awhile. The other day I was watching my wife leave for work and she hit the brakes I notice it was working.

I usually test my brake lights by backing up toward the sunroom and look for the reflection in the windows. On that particular day I did not notice it working.

What's up with that?