High Mount Brake Light Problem

[Brock94]

So my sister needed a car, so I permanently "loaned" her my 1994 XLT. She's down in Virginia and apparently the brake lights stopped working. She took it to a shop that replaced the brake light switch at the brake pedal.

The main brake lights are now working, but the tech says that he thinks (but is not sure) the wiring harness to the center high mount brake light or the light itself has a short that will quickly ruin the new brake light switch. He wants to replace the CHML assembly and wiring harness with new ones to the tune of $300 parts and labor.

My sister called me and I told her to pay the shop for the brake switch repair and refuse the CHML repair. She'll be coming up here in about 2 weeks and I can probably fix the harness with a piece of electrical tape if there's anything wrong with it.

The problem is, I'd like to walk my sister through disconnecting the harness that goes to the CHML in case there is a short in it, but I can't seem to find my CD manual.

Could someone post a picture/diagram that shows where the connector is located? Also, if someone knows off hand, could you give me quick instructions on removing the trim to get to it?

If there is a short, I figure it will be in the area where the harness jumps over to the liftgate, so I'd want to disconnect it in the body itself.

If I could look at the truck, I'm sure I'd be able to figure it out in about 2 seconds, but I can't and I need to walk her through it. I'd really appreciate your help!



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[ricco750]

OK, Brock...I found this to be an interesting question, and had some time on my hands...you know, you can only watch the Weather Channel for so long before becoming stupid.

Anyway, I went out to my 93XLT and took three pics. The first is where the brake light circuit comes out on the upper left hand side of the chassis, and is mated to the CHML circuit. These were NOT user friendly connections...the one on the right goes to the CHML, and it looks like it is riveted to the chassis. My hunch is that you have to go under the headliner at the rear of the truck to disconnect at the chassis. The second pic is where the wire goes up into the liftgate, nothing to disconnect here. The third pic is what I would do in the shortterm, and I'm sure your sister could manage it. Just unscrew the HCML, pop off the fixture, pull it out a few inches, and there's a connector to be easily undone. Hope this helps.

#1 http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u328/ricco750/100_0447-1.jpg
#2 http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u328/ricco750/100_0446.jpg
#3 http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u328/ricco750/100_0445.jpg

This is an addendum. I just went out to look at my truck again, opened the liftgate...under the area of pic #1, I was able to pull the headliner down about an inch, could see that those two connectors are bolted through the chassis, I could see threaded screws and nuts underneath. To get to them the plastic trim from the left side of the rear opening needs to be loosened, and then the headliner should be free to move down. Don't know if your sis is up to this or not, your call.