1998 ranger xlt brake light problems
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1998 ranger xlt brake light problems
I've got no brake lights or high mount brake light working. I checked the fuses and checked the bulbs in the high mount brake light to see if all looked well...and it did. After jiggling the brake light in the high mount case a couple times, the brake lights began to work. However, shortly thereafter the whole deal went bad again and resulted in no brake lights. Incidentally, I never did get the high mount turn signals to work, although the lower turn signals have given no problem at all.
Nevertheless, I've jiggled and squeezed and fidgetted and coaxed the high mount brake lights again and no matter what I do, the brake lights will just not come back on. Is there a trick? Is this common ( I just bought the truck)? Do I need to replace the whole high mount wiring harness & assmebly? Bulbs?
Thanks,
M
Nevertheless, I've jiggled and squeezed and fidgetted and coaxed the high mount brake lights again and no matter what I do, the brake lights will just not come back on. Is there a trick? Is this common ( I just bought the truck)? Do I need to replace the whole high mount wiring harness & assmebly? Bulbs?
Thanks,
M
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there are no high mount turn signals the white lenses on either side of the brake lite are the bed lights and should go on when you tun on your interior lite. i think you should check your grounds on the rear lites and also check the brake lite switch which if im not mistaken, should be on the brake pedal linkage inside the cab...
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Thanks for the info about the bed lights. Another question, if I detach these high lights altogether and unclip the entire assembly, should the regular brake lights work or is the whole system interdependent and either everything works or nothin' does?
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well if you unclip the hi level one and the rest work that would lead me to believe its some kind of a ground issue up there but i dont recall ever having an issue where a ground would wipe out all three lites. Im betting its prolly the switch. I dont believe there is any relay for the brake lites under the hood . I know at one time my hi level on my 99 would get water into it and it would burn out the hi level lite but ive since siliconed the back of it to the cab in addition to the screws and that alleviated the problem.You can see if theres a scheatic on here for the rear lites but i think the left and right have their own grounds. Id check the clips to the bed harness down by the trailer lites and make sure that that is ok too no salt rot in it...get a test lite and a buddy and it should be easy to troubleshoot
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Hey Bob...thanks for taking the time to lend assistance. My wife picked up a brake light switch and new bulbs for the high mount while in town yesterday. We tried the new bulbs first, but still no brake lights. It was a fiddle to swap out the switch (big guy, small space) but finally got it all put back together. All three brake lights now work! It doesn't seem like the two other bulbs (under the white panels) on either side of the middle bulb in the high mount "do anything" (come on), but I've got brake lights, and that's the important thing.
We've been avid fans of this forum since 1999 and have been given lots of help keeping our '88 F250 on the road. Now that we've added the 98 Ranger to the household, I'm sure we'll be back.
Mike
We've been avid fans of this forum since 1999 and have been given lots of help keeping our '88 F250 on the road. Now that we've added the 98 Ranger to the household, I'm sure we'll be back.
Mike
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From: SW Va
Welcome to the Ranger forum Mike.
Be sure to check out the "Tech Info" thread, located atop this forums thread listing page, lots of useful info there.
The "bed" illumination lights are the clear part of the high mount brake light as has been noted.
To turn them on, rotate the thumb wheel instrument panel dimmer control upwards, until you feel it click past the detent.
This turns the bed lights on, along with the interior overhead cab light.
Be sure to check out the "Tech Info" thread, located atop this forums thread listing page, lots of useful info there.
The "bed" illumination lights are the clear part of the high mount brake light as has been noted.
To turn them on, rotate the thumb wheel instrument panel dimmer control upwards, until you feel it click past the detent.
This turns the bed lights on, along with the interior overhead cab light.
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frdracfan
1987 - 1996 F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks
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Oct 7, 2008 08:28 PM
