Third brake light not working

[maguinness]

i have a 95 x and i had to replace the ballast from the junkyard and it work.

 

[96_sport_ct]

can somebody please get a picture of this connector. i cant find any other one than the one to the license plate lights

 

[Joe Dirt]

This is my old '95, it has the trailer harness plugged in, but that's where it is...

 

[Scurrygirl]

I am so happy I'm dancing in the street!!!
I read on someones post,(i will find out who, and give them credit) to find the trailer plug under the drivers side rear bumper. Disconnect it and clean it real good. I did find it, unplugged it, cleaned it, but did not put back together. What do you know? IT WORKED!!!
The high mount light works fine, man it's bright as all hell!! I am afraid to plug it back up yet, gotta make it through inspections. I did rewire the trailer plug it was a little messed up. After inspections I will try it, cause I need to pull my things to and from the lake!

Hi,
Thank you sooo much for this posting!!!!! I have a 96' Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer. The third LED brake light went out about a year ago. Inspection said I would not pass till it was fixed. Read this post, cleaned the trailer connecter with Electronic contact cleaner and IT WORKED!!!!!! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for posting this tip!!!!!!!!

 

[NJMike]

You're more than welcome... I originally posted the info about the trailer lights connector some time ago after I got it from a retired Ford mechanic. I'm just happy that it seems to have worked for a lot of folks as it did for me! Many thanks to Joe Dirt for posting the photo!

Let me tell you, this site and the people on it have saved me a lot of money, time and what little sanity I still have!

Mike

 

[duke16]

My third brake light also isn't working. As noted in the image attached, there is 12v going into this box thing, but nothing coming out. Does this indicate this thing is broken?

 

[gmanpaint]

That is the Ballast for the Neon 3rd light. Be careful with that, it creates a lot of power and will knock you flat on your backside if you get jolted.

They can go bad, but rarely. I would get one from a JY instead of spending the crazy big bucks they charge at the dealer. Swap it out since you already have it removed and see what happens.

 

[drdoom]

Yeah, be careful with that, IIRC, neon runs on about 22,000V. I fixed (LED conversion) mine for about 16 bucks. Also, I have the old ballast.

 

[2TimingTom]

So if you do the LED conversion, you remove the ballast?

I tried cleaning my bumper/trailer wiring plug- no luck.

 

[drdoom]

So if you do the LED conversion, you remove the ballast?

I tried cleaning my bumper/trailer wiring plug- no luck.

Yes. There are a couple of good threads here on the conversion.
When I removed my neon, it was clearly burned out on one end.
Also, as far as I know, a standard continuity test will not work on the neon bulb, due to the lack of a filament.

 

[Knightfall79]

Thanks to all for this helpful tip, I had given up on fixing this problem due to the replacement costs and the lack of information on how to proceed with the repairs. I'm a new member to this site, hopefully I will be able to share something that can help others out in the future.
Thanks again, you guy are the most!

 

[2TimingTom]

I just got done with my LED conversion- check out my registry for pics.

 

[Oranguice]

Hi Everyone,

Great thread & tips BTW.
I've had my confused little monkey brain trying to repair this rear gate 3rd brake light and have tried the "spray & go" trick without any luck. Tried that even though my testing shows 12v to the ballast up in the gate. I've purchased a ballast and light from a bone yard yet, before removing the lamp assy., I've tried the ballast and the ballast to the replacement lamp, also with no light.
I see that it's a very high voltage to drive this light but, with my meter on DC at it's highes setting, I've gone from ground to the white wire with the brake engaged and nothing reads. I should get something showing even if for a blip before reading "overload" correct??
I also noticed upon 1st disassembly that the output of the ballast wires, one white, one light blue, were connected to the opposite colors to the light, lt. blue to white & vis-versa. Thought that was odd but it propts me to look for a schematic. Any schematics for this out there that any of y'all know of??

Thanks again for such detailed info!

 

[bobflood]

Hi Everyone,

Great thread & tips BTW. Any schematics for this out there that any of y'all know of??

Thanks again for such detailed info!

Great source for wiring diagrams:
Auto - Online Repair Info
http://search.ebscohost.com/
ID: rrcc
PW: rebsco
Select: Auto Repair Reference Center
Fill in: Find Your Vehicle
Follow prompts down to Wiring Diagrams.

 

[budwich]

You can't test your ballast output with a meter at least not a "normal one".... plus the ballast has to hooked to known good lamp for you to see "something".

 

[Banjoes]

My 3rd brake light is out on my 95 Explorer XLT I don't think I have a trailer plug (can't find it, looked at rear driver side bumper) so is it more than likely my ballast or lights are out?

 

[NJMike]

Banjoes;

On my '97, the trailer light socket is tucked into the rear bumper on the passenger side...

Mike

 

[Banjoes]

I am not sure where the trailer plug is, I have some pictures here if would help some people to help me find out where it is at.

left to right, bumper assembly, driver side tail light sockets (the split wires) and then up the passenger side tail light. The last image is the driver side up the tail light.

 

[NJMike]

Banjoes;

I took a quick snapshot of the connector (red cap removed) while walking the dog this morning. the view is under the truck facing the rear bumper. In one of the photos you can see part of the spare tire. The connector is up in the bumper toward the passenger side of center. That being said, it was sometimes placed on the driver side of center. I've also heard of some Gen II Explorers/Mounties having them on BOTH sides.... But this does show what it looks like and the general area to find it.

Mike

 

[gwire]

More Questions

Banjoes;

I took a quick snapshot of the connector (red cap removed) while walking the dog this morning. the view is under the truck facing the rear bumper. In one of the photos you can see part of the spare tire. The connector is up in the bumper toward the passenger side of center. That being said, it was sometimes placed on the driver side of center. I've also heard of some Gen II Explorers/Mounties having them on BOTH sides.... But this does show what it looks like and the general area to find it.

Mike

http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.php?quickkey=vr5unnymet5f9q2

http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.php?quickkey=vr5unnymet5f9q2

I have cleaned the trailer connector and Behold! third light worked. I put the cover back on the connector came back 10 minutes later and does not work. Recleaned several times no luck. WTF. Obviously if it worked even for a minute the ballast and bulb is still good. Is ther a way to jump out the connector? I did notice some condensation when it was on.