Hello all,

I know, first post on this board and I am asking for help. I did buy a 1 year membership so hope that helps.

I have a 2008 E350 extended passenger van and the brake lights are not working. I have searched and found a lot of helpful information for the previous generation van but mine is not the same, seems to have different color wires and the multifunction switch is not the same.

- Brake light fuse us good, could only find one that would cause the lights not to work, same fuse for the hazard lights, fuse #11.
- Both of the normal brake lights and the third brake light do not work.
- Hazard lights, blinkers, and tail lights all work fine.
- Brake pedal switch tests good with voltage and allows the trans to be shifted from park when depressed.
- I can not find where to test for voltage at the multifunction switch and am having trouble following the wire loom from the brake pedal switch.

My understanding from searching, at least for the previous gen van, is if the normal brake lights are not working but the third brake light works then the problem is likely the multifunction switch.

If all the lights are not working then it is a wiring problem after the pedal switch and before the multifunction switch since the third brake light is not wired through the multifunction switch.

Anybody have the wire location and colors that I should be testing? Is there a connector some place between the pedal switch and the multifunction switch that could have come loose?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Rob,

 

I would pull the right/passenger side tail light housing and check for voltage at the brake light bulb terminal. Since that wiring bundle is the end point for the rear lighting harness it will determine if your brake signal is available through any intermediary switches, connectors.

There are probably no less than 4 connectors or splices in the rear wiring harness between the left side area just behind the E-brake mounting point and the right rear tail light housing.

There might be an online version of your year's schematic---AutoZone has been known to publish free of charge such things---give them a quick search.

On that same note if you'll be doing similar things in the future obtain the printed version of the OEM EVTM---those are massively helpful in such instances.

HTH

 

Thank you JWA,

I have purchased a complete service manula on Ebay and am waiting for it to arrive.

I think (Dont know) that since the hazard lights and blinkers work that it should rule out the wirining harness in the rear of the van.

I feel like it is the multifunction switch that is causing the problems but am confussed as others have stated the third brake light does not route through the switch, it is a $150 part.

I am trying to find out and test the point in the harness where the brake pedal signal pairs off to the multifuntion switch and where ever the signal goes for the third brake light.

I have taken out the multifunction switch and tested for voltage at each harness connector for a signal when the brake pedal is depressed but nothing, so maybe a wire is broke or a connector is apart between the brake pedal and the multifunction switch. Hope I am going in the correct direction, will know more when the manual gets here or I don't figure it out before then.

 

Well, it ended up being just another fuse. Fuse #39, all is better now.