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High Mount Brake Light
- Thread starter kjwaskow
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- 1994 XLT
Welcome to the Explorer web page. Hope you find all your answers you are looking for.
As for the light on my 94 there are two screws that you take out, then the whole cover comes off and there is two bulbs in there. It is all done from the outside of the vehicle.
Hope this helps.....
Good luck!
As for the light on my 94 there are two screws that you take out, then the whole cover comes off and there is two bulbs in there. It is all done from the outside of the vehicle.
Hope this helps.....
Good luck!
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Your 3rd brake light uses flourescent bulbs. The Haynes manual says you should let a dealership do it because of the danger of electric shock.
To me, I don't see why you can't do it yourself. I don't have a 95+ model so I can't help on the procedure, but if it has screws holding the light bar in that's a start...
To me, I don't see why you can't do it yourself. I don't have a 95+ model so I can't help on the procedure, but if it has screws holding the light bar in that's a start...
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Sorry kjwaskow
Hate that when they change stuff from year to year. It is hard to keep up on.
Hope you get it figured out.
Maybe you could call the Ford dealer and just ask them, they may tell you.
Good luck.
Hate that when they change stuff from year to year. It is hard to keep up on.
Hope you get it figured out.
Maybe you could call the Ford dealer and just ask them, they may tell you.
Good luck.
Robert
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This was discussed about a year ago on the Explorer newsgroup. The '95-'97 Explorers use a florescent bulb. Usually the ballast goes out, but I don't know where it is located. Quotes to repair are usually around $300. Probably why ford went back to the conventional bulb in '98. I've already decided if my '97 should go out, I'll do without it.
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You can not replace just the blub. The trim that holds the light is one assembly then there is the balest. The trim and light cost about $200.00 from the dealer and the balest runs about $50.00 . The balest is the easier of the two to replace it is mounted under the interior trim held on by two screws.
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Robert, The high mount on the 98+ is actually LED, which is quicker to actuate and lasts much longer than either the florescent tube or the standard bulbs.
Kris, Didnt you retrofit one onto your truck?
Kris, Didnt you retrofit one onto your truck?
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Stephen, Yes I did that is why I know a lot about the 95-97 Third brake light. And yes it was a pain in the A$$.
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Hey Kris you got a picture of the retrofit job? I'd like to see it.
Also let me say I'm very impressed with your do it yourself gumption!
Also let me say I'm very impressed with your do it yourself gumption!
Robert
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I've never looked at the '98 and up close enough. I've just noticed that they look a lot more like the pre-95 style. I'll have to pay more attention to it the next time I am behind one.
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LED by far is the best way to go, and in fact cars are coming out now with the standard tailights LED also (18 Wheelers have had LED lamps for a while). The new Cadillac Deville has full LED rear lamps, they're very bright and very neat looking. The new Benz S, CL, and C classes have LED brake lights also, but the turn signals are still bulbs. Around here a lot of the traffic lights are being replaced with full LED units. They come on much quicker, look much more intense, and last much longer.
Stephen S
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My third brake light just stopped working yesterday. I was hoping that it would be an easy fix, but if it's flourescent with a ballast, it may not be so easy. And $300 for the dealer to do it is not acceptable. Would anything else cause the light not to work, or are the ballast and the bulb the only cause??
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Stephen S,
You can replace the two seperately. If it is the ballest it is easier to replace. The only other thing that can cause the light to go out is damaged wiring. I am Sure you could get a ballest from a salvage yard.
Good Luck
You can replace the two seperately. If it is the ballest it is easier to replace. The only other thing that can cause the light to go out is damaged wiring. I am Sure you could get a ballest from a salvage yard.
Good Luck
The bulb is actually a neon bulb (stupid Ford!!!) I have the 95 FSM on disc, and it looks like a pain in the a**. It talks about removing rivets (I hate when they use rivets) It also has a bunch of trouble shooting stuff for it. All of this for a stupid stop lamp (whatever!!!)
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Well, the neon thing was an experiment on Ford's part. The whole rear lamp system on the Lincoln Mark 8 is neon. It lights up faster than a standard bulb. They decided (smartly) than LED was a better solution.
tac0meat
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ok, this is not good-you guys have gotten the little rusty gears in my head turning. Kris-how did you do the retrofit? is there a way i can retrofit the rest of my tail lights to light up wiht the LED like the cadillacs? that looks so cool, i must have it. where can i get the stuff for it? and Kris, did you do all the lights or just the third brake light?
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What Kris did was retrofit the 95-97 neon tube into his Navajo. You cant just swap LEDs for standard bulbs, at least I dont know of any companies that do that...
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