2003 Ford Sport Trac

[GUEST]

Purchased a 2003 Ford Sport Trac, low miles but it sat undriven for a year. Brake lights were out, changed the bulbs and they worked again, then went out the next day. Fuse is not blown so we change the brake light switch. They were working and then this morning they stopped working again. Another weird thing that may or may not be related, the blinkers seem to not work in the mornings, like, no click or anything at all and I heard a bit of an electrical short sound one morning when I was trying to turn them on. Only things I've found are possibly a ground wire(where?!) And something about a bad blinker switch can cause brake lights to act up? I don't know, someone help?

[carriedi]

It's possible that you may have more than just one problem. I don't think it is a ground problem with the brake light bulb end unless your tail lights are having the same problem because they share the same ground at the tail light end.

when the brake lights are not working, does the four way flasher work? If the flasher works normally is the turn signal working normally too?

the brake switch power comes from fuse 13 (a 10A) left side dash fuse box. It uses a light green wire that goes to the brake light switch and then to the multi-function switch. It's easy enough to check if the switch is powering up normally by using a test light on the light green wires at the brake light switch. One should be hot all the time and the other should be hot only when you press on the brake pedal. If that is normal then look at the multi-function switch. Using the same test light check the light green and orange wire or the orange and light blue wire coming out of the multi-function switch for the power to the brake lights.

If the turn signal flasher doesn't sound like it clicking normally you may need a new one.

the next thing is that corrosion could be at any connection along the way. If you supply a good power to the brake light circuit anywhere along the way you should see it goes all the way to a bright brake light bulb.

let me know what you find out