Brake lights gone

Charging, starting, lighting, gauges, HVAC

Moderators: FORDification, Thunderfoot

kid

Post by kid »

Fix the fuse wire to the Hazard flasher connector. Then lets see. The best way to trouble shoot is to go to the middle and check then one end or the other so you can see which half is bad. From that you split the bad end down in half again and so on once you get there it will seem so easy that you will wonder why it stumped you,

Strip that stub bare and then with the new wire or the old one in the harness slip a piece of heat shrink over the long wire. Then solder the ends together and slide the heat shrink down over the solder joint and shrink it.
jokqs
New Member
New Member
Posts: 74
Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 12:03 am
Location: Alaska, Anchorage
Contact:

Post by jokqs »

I think I have that same problem? My right rear brake light doesnt come on, but the turn signals and haz lights work. Imma have to take the advice on this thread. Thanx 2 all :thup:
User avatar
cjs_72f250
New Member
New Member
Posts: 90
Joined: Thu May 19, 2005 1:33 am
Location: California, San Jose

re: Brake lights gone

Post by cjs_72f250 »

thanks for the additional info, kid. and i'm glad the thread is helping others besides me. i didn't mean to hijack the original thread. i definitely will try to find the bad section of the wire according to your tips and then try to solder and heat shrink the new wire to the fuse end.

do you happen to have any diagrams that i could see? one thing i'm trying to figure out is the snipped wire from the hazard/brake fuse is red with a white stripe (or faint blue) stripe, but you said:
From the fuse on a Y/blk stripe wire to the Hazard Flasher
also, i've noticed some other wiring changes that i'm assuming the previous owner did b/c i certainly didn't do it.
'72 F250 Explorer Camper Special
kid

Post by kid »

The color did change on some years.

http://fordification.com/images/schemat ... ghts01.jpg

That is the closest drawing to your truck.
User avatar
cjs_72f250
New Member
New Member
Posts: 90
Joined: Thu May 19, 2005 1:33 am
Location: California, San Jose

re: Brake lights gone

Post by cjs_72f250 »

thanks, kid. this is a HUGE help. now that i'm actually looking at the diagram, i think i might have some ideas. i might get up first thing in the morning and check some things out. i'll keep you all posted.
'72 F250 Explorer Camper Special
User avatar
cjs_72f250
New Member
New Member
Posts: 90
Joined: Thu May 19, 2005 1:33 am
Location: California, San Jose

re: Brake lights gone

Post by cjs_72f250 »

quick update b/c i have to go coach my basketball team now...more details later:


checking for power and continuity in all the wires and fuses leads to all fuses supplying power. even that fuse that is cut in the picture...the PO spliced in some other wires that continued to give everything power.

i kept tracing and tracing...found out that more wires going to the turn signal do have power when i put the hazard switch on. there are still two wires giving me a hassle, yellow-black stripe and green. they both go to the rear tail lights. I went back and got under the truck near the tail lights. green and yellow wires running from driver side tails light over to the passenger side tail light. i keep tracing it to find that the green and yellow wires are looped around the bumper mounting bracket and not connected to anything! i found there's power in one but not the other...can't remember which ones now because i'm in a hurry.

more details coming soon...might have to pull out the floodlight tonight and keep investigating even though it's raining. i'm anxious now!
'72 F250 Explorer Camper Special
kid

Post by kid »

Green is right side brake and yellow Black stripe is left side brake.

The go to connector P and R location.

http://fordification.com/images/schemat ... ghts02.jpg

Which is close to the left hand bumper bracket.
User avatar
FormerMarine1981
Blue Oval Fanatic
Blue Oval Fanatic
Posts: 793
Joined: Sun Jan 21, 2007 10:28 pm
Location: Texas , Austin
Contact:

re: Brake lights gone

Post by FormerMarine1981 »

The lights whent out on my truck when my dad owned it. He just bolted trailer lights to the bumper. Wasn't attractive but it got the job done. I have that fixed now but the person that fixed it for me also gave me front and rear brake lights. Even the signal lights in the instrument panel come on. I don't know much about wiring either but I will fix it or have it done one day.
kid

Post by kid »

He wired the tail light circuit to the brake and turn signal circuit.

Tell us about your truck and we can help What year and model for wiring and body parts? Engine and tranny for those areas and so on.
fordman
100% FORDified!
100% FORDified!
Posts: 22329
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2005 8:17 pm
Location: Kansas, Ottawa
Contact:

Post by fordman »

if your driving in reverse that could be a good option for front brake lights.
User avatar
FormerMarine1981
Blue Oval Fanatic
Blue Oval Fanatic
Posts: 793
Joined: Sun Jan 21, 2007 10:28 pm
Location: Texas , Austin
Contact:

re: Brake lights gone

Post by FormerMarine1981 »

Truck is 5 hours away so I can't inspect it. As soon as I get exhaust and a drive line for it I'll drive it down here so I can work on it. I'll keep it posted thought thanks.
User avatar
blue68
New Member
New Member
Posts: 203
Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2006 11:04 am
Location: North Carolina
Contact:

Post by blue68 »

Update on Blue68's truck: Cleaned out all terminals in the fuse box, didn't make any difference. Then, Bought a new turn signal switch from NPD ( it was like $57.00 ) and put it in and wired everything up. That fixed it somehow, but there was visibly nothing wrong with the old switch. It was a real Pain to get the wires out through the column and the new ones back in... I just took the whole column out and layed it all down on the workbench. It made everything MUCH easier, because I went ahead and put new bushings and bearings in my column. Thanks for the help!!
User avatar
cjs_72f250
New Member
New Member
Posts: 90
Joined: Thu May 19, 2005 1:33 am
Location: California, San Jose

re: Brake lights gone

Post by cjs_72f250 »

hey guys, sorry for the delayed update. i haven't been able to get back to working on my truck in a while. hopefully i can have some updates after this weekend.
'72 F250 Explorer Camper Special
User avatar
cjs_72f250
New Member
New Member
Posts: 90
Joined: Thu May 19, 2005 1:33 am
Location: California, San Jose

re: Brake lights gone

Post by cjs_72f250 »

alright guys, here's a more meaningful update. to temporarily solve the brake light problem, i simply ran a wire from the brake switch back to the brake lights. there's so much previous tampering with the wires especially since the PO tried hooking up trailer wires that i just decided it's most important to get the brake lights working so i can drive the truck w/out getting a ticket.

then i realized something once i got the brakes working. i think the problem with the turn signal does have to do with the new cam i put on. i inspected it more carefully, and i noticed that the four points of metal (narrow strips, if you will) are not contacting the buttons from the turn signal switch. i took the cam off and touched the turn signal wires directly to the turn signal switch buttons and bingo! turn signals activated.

has anyone ever replaced their cam with the typical Help! brand cam? i know i have the right part number, but for some reason, these four contact points/terminals (whatever you want to call them) are not touching the turn signal contact points/buttons. i tried bending the wires on the cam so they would curve toward the buttons but it's so annoying trying to get them to line up perfectly with the buttons.

i'm assuming i should just be able to pull the new cam out of the package and stick it right on, right?? and of course, i think i threw away the old cam so i don't know what those contact points should look like from the stock cam.

any thoughts guys? thanks
'72 F250 Explorer Camper Special
kid

Post by kid »

The cam uses 2 buttons to loop the brake lights back to the lights when the turn signal is not flashing. There are two contacts on each side. One for brake lights only and one for interrupted brake/turn.

I by passed the turn signal and ran a wire to another set of combo Brake and rear Marker lights that are up under the edge of the bed.

You can see the extra ones on my F350 album rear shots. My normal switched brake and turn signals go to the lower lights.
Post Reply