Solved 3rd brake light repair for a 2000 V8 XLT

[jrbjrbjrb]

Hi,
My center brake light is out, the lower left was blown which I replaced and now left and right work fine. My XLT seems to be unusual in that it has LEDs and not a neon center brake light, but there are no screws on the outside of the lamp. So my first question is how do I get the thing off? There seem to be many videos online for the neon version and also for the 2002 on up that have external screws, but I can't find any for mine. Maybe I'm not searching for the right terms "LED" "3rd brake light", "3rd tail light", "high tail light"?

There appear to be several replacement parts on amazon/eBay that look correct but none have any kind of directions.

Also I see many online fuse box diagrams for the 2000 XLT but none of them mention the center brake light, only the left and right. I think if the left and right would share the same fuse so that's probably not it, but I'm not sure, anyone?

Apparently I'm going to need to fix this since I won't be able to smog it. I really don't want to start tearing about the door from the inside if I don't have to. I've watched the videos of people drilling out the rivets to get to the neon version, sigh.

thanks in advance for any info

 

[dvdswan]

If there are no visible screws on the outside there should be 2-3 nuts on the inside of the liftgate behind the molding where the brake like is.

Ford Explorer 3rd Brake Light Fix

Ford Explorer 3rd Brake Light Fix: WARNING! There is a risk of electrical shock associated with this instructable. The manufacturer recommends only authorized service personnel make this repair. The high mount brake light on my 1996 Ford Explorer went out. There were several years w…

www.instructables.com

 

[jrbjrbjrb]

Yeah, that instructable is for a neon version, hence the electrical danger, mine's LED. So I will also require the same access from the back, the drilling out the rivets and all that?

 

[amj441]

Rear access is required. Drilling may be required. new light bolts in

 

[wollimann]

Yeah, that instructable is for a neon version, hence the electrical danger, mine's LED. So I will also require the same access from the back, the drilling out the rivets and all that?

Yes the whole assemly have to come out, rivets and so on.
If you have a LED strip inside, someone changed that before from neon to led,
the ballast for the neon - stick have problems and not available anymore.

 

[jrbjrbjrb]

yes, that's the neon version though, mine's the LED. There's no balast (that silver box with the "high voltage danger") for an LED and the light assembly itself (the red plastic part) is about half the length. I cannot find any diagrams or videos of how to replace the LED version. On the 2002 on up there are exterior bolts to the red plastic, I don't have those. I'm just going to tear into the backside of the door as if it was the neon and see where I get to. Maybe I'll take pictures and post them here. There goes my Saturday

 

[jrbjrbjrb]

Good news, Fixed! 10 minutes tops. You need access from the back but you only need to pop out the tabs on the top and sides to the trim. Trim does not need to come off the door. The tabs are not like the '95-'99 and there's nothing to pop off from the outside, you just lever the trim perpendicularly away from the door, there's one tab on the left and right of the light and one on each side about 12" down from the top. Then, no rivets! There is a piece of wide electrical tape on the door panel (!) you pull it back to reveal holes in the panel exposing the three small bolts holding the light in.

thanks everyone!

PS got the light for $24 on amazon.com