High Mount Third Brake Light
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From: Carolina Coast
High Mount Third Brake Light
Seems my third brake light has stopped working. At one time I could hit the lense with my fist and it would work for awhile. I am getting power to the ballast. Is there any way to determine wether the ballast or the neon element is the culprit?
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High Mount Third Brake Light
I have a Ford repair manual and the manual's method to test the ballast and neon light bar is to use new ones. First replace the ballast with a new one. If the light still doesn't work then replace the light with a new one. No meters, nothing. Aftermarket manuals, Chiltons and and Haynes, aren't any better. Sorry this isn't much help. You can test the wires going to the ballast to make sure you have 12 volt with the pedal depressed. It appears like the ballast usually goes first. It's also the cheaper of the two parts and much easier to remove and replace.
Mason
Mason
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Joined: Dec 2002
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From: missouri
High Mount Third Brake Light
parts list to check the light
get a buddy or wife/girlfreind
a tester (the one with a light in it) it has a sharp needle like end on it can find them at auto zone walmart ect.
unplug the light from the ballast ground the tester have your freind step on the brakes put the needle point in the end of the ballast wires if it lights up the ballast is good light is bad if it don't light up then you have to unplug the ballast from the wires comming from the front check them wires the same way if they ligth up then the ballast is bad if they don't then you have a bigger problem
here is something to check also make sure the ballast and light are grounded good a bad ground can cause some muchooo problems
it took the dealer a month to figure out the ballast was bad if I wasn't watching the mechanic he would never of figured it out he didn't know how to test the unit.
p.s you forgot to mention the year mine is a 97 explorer control trac
get a buddy or wife/girlfreind
a tester (the one with a light in it) it has a sharp needle like end on it can find them at auto zone walmart ect.
unplug the light from the ballast ground the tester have your freind step on the brakes put the needle point in the end of the ballast wires if it lights up the ballast is good light is bad if it don't light up then you have to unplug the ballast from the wires comming from the front check them wires the same way if they ligth up then the ballast is bad if they don't then you have a bigger problem
here is something to check also make sure the ballast and light are grounded good a bad ground can cause some muchooo problems
it took the dealer a month to figure out the ballast was bad if I wasn't watching the mechanic he would never of figured it out he didn't know how to test the unit.
p.s you forgot to mention the year mine is a 97 explorer control trac
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lkscherer
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Sep 11, 2005 07:21 PM
