No brake lights
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 124
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From: Glenwood Springs
No brake lights
I discovered today that I have no brake lights on my '02 Excursion. The center brake light works fine, but the two in the taillights don't come on. Stopped and bought new bulbs on the way home and replaced both, but the ones I pulled out were not blown. Checked the fuse - OK. Taillights and turn signals both work fine. Any ideas?
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 57,014
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From: Virginia
Turnsignals are the same filaments and wires going to the rear as the brake lights. So the wiring to the rear and the bulbs/sockets are good.
The third brakelight comes directly off the brake pedal switch, so the fuse and the switch are good.
This leaves the problem area being the steering column and/or the turnsignal switch. Ford calls the turnsignal switch the "multi-function switch". The multifunction switch takes the brake pedal signal, and the flasher signal, and mixes them together depending on whethere you are going straight or want to turn one direction or the other. It has to mix these signals because they use the same filaments for both functions.
Tilt the column up or down and try it. Sometimes a wiring plug gets loose and tilting the column puts strain on the plug. Other than that, I would bet it's the switch.
The third brakelight comes directly off the brake pedal switch, so the fuse and the switch are good.
This leaves the problem area being the steering column and/or the turnsignal switch. Ford calls the turnsignal switch the "multi-function switch". The multifunction switch takes the brake pedal signal, and the flasher signal, and mixes them together depending on whethere you are going straight or want to turn one direction or the other. It has to mix these signals because they use the same filaments for both functions.
Tilt the column up or down and try it. Sometimes a wiring plug gets loose and tilting the column puts strain on the plug. Other than that, I would bet it's the switch.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 124
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From: Glenwood Springs
Thank you - that was one of the best and most thorough responses I've ever received to a question on here.
Playing with the tilt, I found the brake lights will work with the wheel tilted all the way down, but no where else. At least I won't have people running up my *** before I find time to get it fixed.
Playing with the tilt, I found the brake lights will work with the wheel tilted all the way down, but no where else. At least I won't have people running up my *** before I find time to get it fixed.
Postmaster
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 3,560
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if it isn't a loose plug in there, it may be time to replace that wire harness in the steering column.
does somebody in your vehicle tend to put the wheel all the way up as they get in/out, and move it back down for when they drive? i've seen people that do, and that just kills tilt columns and the wiring they contain.
does somebody in your vehicle tend to put the wheel all the way up as they get in/out, and move it back down for when they drive? i've seen people that do, and that just kills tilt columns and the wiring they contain.
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