break lights not working question 2002 ST

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Tim OLeary

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The brake lights on the back are not working, but the one on the back of the cab still does.

What are possible causes?



Also I see references to gen1 and gen2 in the forum. What does this mean?
 
In 2007 Ford introduced a newly redesigned Sport Trac and that started Gen-2 (second Generation) Sport Tracs made prior to the 2007 model year were refered to as Gen-1 (first Generation). You have a 2002 which makes it a Gen-1.



Early Gen-1's are known to have problems with the wiring harness in the steering column with the Tilt Wheel. If the harness does not have enough slack it can pull on the wires when the wheel is tilted up or down. Tilting the wheel can cause wires to break or pull out of an inline, multi-circuit connector. This can cause a lot of strange, erratic behavior in electrical components that have wires in the steering column. That includes the Horn, Turn Signals, Lights, wipers, cruise control, ignition, starter, etc. Oddly enough, the tail lights and brake lights go through the steering column wiring.



Sometimes moving the wheel up or down will restore the connection and things will work fine until the wheel ist tilted to a new position.



The cure is to check out the wiring harness under the steering column and see if there are any broken wires or wires pulled out of the inline connector. If so, they need to be repaired or replaced. Then you need to insure that there is enough slack in the wiring harness to allow the wheel to tilt through the full up and down range without causing any stress on the wiring harness. This is done by pulling up a bit more slack in the wiring harness.



All this assumes that you have check the tail light/brake light bulbs and know that they are good. They are two element bulbs...one element bulbs...one for the tail lights and the other for the brake lights.



Good luck.



...Rich
 
Or if a trailer towing wiring harness has been installed, investigate that. Some more wire wiggling to do. Use a steering wheel club or long ice scraper between the seat and the brake pedal to keep the brake light circuit on. :supercool:
 
99.9% of the time that the 3rd brake light functions but the normal brake lights do not work the turn signal/multifunction switch is defective. The normal brake light circuit runs through the turn signal switch so the brake lights can function properly, when the turn signals are on the 3rd brake light circuit bypasses the turn signal switch.
 
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Thanks for the great responses.

It only by chance I realized the lights were not working. There were no other indications.



If I say ST 2002 gen-1, it is redundant, but cool to include?

I do believe I have an early 2002.



So the switch is one assembly and the connector is another?



Is it necessary to remove the steering wheel to see/ service the harness and switch?



My ST had a 4 pin trailer jack when I bought it (used), and I drag a carry-on trailer around often.

I think the jack is factory as it is securely installed on a metal bracket and the way the harness is routed.



I do not play with the tilt wheel, but may use it every six months or so for a little variety, so it has been moved around. and i suppose pot holes might jar it too.



I got a shop manual CD on eBay a few years ago very inexpensive,

but lost it and I do not see it offered any longer.



Thanks again
 
Not necessary to remove steering wheel to access the connector, but you do have to remove the shroud that surrounds it.

Because there are so many different circuits that pass through that connector and which ever one opens first causes the different symptoms. It seems the most common is the brake light.



Once you get in there, you may find broken wires, or it may only be the connector has pulled apart or the wires have pulled out of the connector.



I have never had trouble with the actual turn signal switch itself, so can't comment on it's location or ease of access.
 
try your turn signal switch being replaced. I had one a few years ago same year and that's what caused it. I see some one else already advised this only other option is to check the connector under the left rear corner under the bed
 
Do your rear turn signals work? If they do then you can eliminate a wiring issue at the multifunction switch because the wire for the turn signals and the brake lights are one in the same.



To replace the multifunction switch the shroud around the steering column has to be removed and in order to do that you have to remove the ignition lock cylinder and also untwist teh stalk for the tilt steering. The lock cylinder is easy to remove but can be a bit daunting if you have never removed one before.
 
All the feedback was accurate, helpful and appreciated.



I got to figure that the turn signal is one of the most used parts on the vehicle,

They isolated the problem to the multi-switch.

and if they had it all apart they might as well replace it and avoid a callback.

It may just have been the connector or a damaged wire,

but this shop rebuilt my '92 Trooper transmission and diagnosed its flaky computer when no one else could. (A deer totaled that ride.) and I got the ST.



and ever since they have been my go to shop whenever I have an issue that intimidates me which is pretty often.



I was charged

$100 for a multi-switch

$30 for a connector

$72 labor

Case closed.

and the rest of the truck was safety checked.











 
tim0,

Glad you got it fixed and glad we could help, and it's good to know there are some shops out there that know how to diagnose problems instead of just replacing unneeded parts.



I also agree with your decision to have a professional make the repairs. While it is something that many DIY'rs here have done their own repairs, I always believe that if you don't feel confident doing the repair yourself don't try it.



Any work I did on any car for the first time, I did with someone who had a lot of experience along side of me to show me what to look for and to guide me through the whole process...That avoids costly mistakes and that's what gives you the confidence to do it on your own.



...Rich

 

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