That sounds like a stuck or worn relay. If you can hear where the "click" is coming from, I would start looking for a replaceable relay and see if that fixes your issue. Cheapest fix to start with at least.

 

I don't think the brake light go through the multi-function switch.

The moisture was in the fuse box under the hood near the master cylinder, not the one under the dash. Nothing else is acting weird at all, I was really hoping to hear there is one relay that controls the brake lights and flashers in the tail lights.

I didn't get to test anything today, spent 4 hours replacing the back brakes on the truck. It looked like they had not been changed in tens of thousands of miles, the pads literally turned to dust when I pulled the calipers off, and the rotors where nearly rusted through from the inside out.

I did talk to the owner of the car wash today, and he said he has video of my truck pulling out of his parking lot with the brake lights working. So it seems they quit on me between there and home (about 10 min drive). He was very nice and said he would pay for whatever parts I need to replace, so not a total loss. Now I just need to isolate where the problem is.

I took tomorrow off to get this resolved, so I'll hit it first thing in the morning with the tests robles4242 suggested and go from there.

So if I understand correctly there is another relay under the column kick panel on the right side of the column?

 

That is what my book says but i looked under mine today and coouldnt see any. Right about now i wanna throw my Haynes manual out the effen window!!! I HATE electrical problem. The slightest thing could be a HUGE problem!!

 

This sucks. I'll test for voltage on the circuits you mentioned and report back, but if its not a fuse I don't know what I can even do about it. I'm going to be pissed if I have to take this thing to the dealer after only owning it for 7 days...

 

If it worked when you took it in for a washing and didn't when it came back, i'd be talking to the manager of the place who cleaned it. The fact that the lights come on, but you don't have brakes or 4 ways makes me think multifunction switch since the 4 ways, turn signals, and brake lights all run through that.

 

I already talked to them, they say they have video of my lights working when I drove off their property...

found this on another forum, but I couldn't register because their verification system is a POS, and you need to use the verification to send the forum admin a message about it.

anyone know what flasher he may be talking about? And I'm not sure what he means by switch was stuck out?

same thread was this:
any insight into this?

This thread was for a '03 e350 diesel.

 

I would be requesting a copy of that video and if they deny your request contact a lawyer. Another reason I have prepaid legal

 

Try the switch that you pull out for the emergency flashers. It may be in an inbetween position.

 

Gotta be the flasher i was talking about. I just cant Locate the SOB!

 

I'm going to pull the multi-switch and test it, I'm hoping some of the spray they use to wipe the column down got in there a little and screwed it up.

 

ok, big update. Turns out the detail had nothing to do with the problem, just a coincidence of timing. The problem is the tilt wheel. I found some threads covering this issue last night but didn't pay much attention because I didn't think it was related. When I put my tilt wheel down too far (bottom 3 settings) the signals and brake lights quit working, when I leave the wheel above those bottom settings everything works fine.

The threads I found said something about wire connections in the column that can come loose from the wheel moving up and down over the years, guess this is my problem.

Thanks for all the help from everyone, robless4242 especially!

 

Sweet! Thanks for reporting back!! Now makes me want to go out and pull my steering column apart and check my wiring just for the heck of it, though I think that is a weird place to have the wiring running for the brake lights.

 

Wow im glad you fixed it!! Never would have thought brake lights went through a tilt wheel?!?

I was just in a PSD steering column tonight changing bearings. I NEVER want to see inside another one again!

But again GOOD FIND, GOOD FIX! Im glad you got it taken care of!!

 

me too, thanks guys! I haven't fixed anything yet since it works at a comfortable setting for me, but I will dig into it eventually.

totally unrelated question, what is the little lip under the front bumper called on these trucks? Mine is missing and I need to know what term to search for to find a new one.

 

I believe it is called a vallance.