Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting brake lights and license plates lights out...HELP!

Ok, i got a 1996 Ford Contour GL 144,000 miles. Ok, my mom was following me home the other day, and noticed that my BRAKE lights and license plate lights are out. the brake light located above the back seat works just fine, but for some odd reason, my brake lights don't come on, neither does my license plate lights. I check blubs and fuses and everything looks good. the fuse box, under the hood, I checked all the 20's....30 amp fuses..all looked fine, I didn't check the larger boxes, they are capped over, i don't know what's underneth them..didn't wanna go messing around to much...but..yeah...brake lights don't work...I recently put subs in my trunk, 1200 watts with 1000 watt amp...could that have knocked them out? I doubt it...when I turn on my lights, the front and back ones work...just not the brake lights...anyone..please...help me! Also, the passenger window SOMEHOW got off track, as I was using it..I don't know about that either..please any info POST POST POST! Thank you so much....and/or email me @ sn0okiez@yahoo.com thank you so much!

-Brandon

...please....17 people have looked at this, and ya'll can't think of anything...I need some info..please! I just got home from my mechanic, and he was a lil busy, but managed to look at it for a little while. he couldn't think of anything.

-BranDon

it's an electrical problem... somewhere.

A girl I used to work with had half the electrical components in her car die spontaneously after putting subs in her trunk. The problem turned out to be that her "genious" boyfriend used a couple inches of chain to attach the box to the top of the truck to prevent it from moving, and when she hit a bump the chain grounded the amp's power cable. My point is that there may be something simple but that you're not seeing that is shorting the circuit to brakes and plate bulbs.

Also bulbs can look fine, but be non-functional. Try replacing the bulbs, if they work after replaced, look for reasons they would have blown at the same time. (electrical shorts) If they still don't work after being replaced, you know for sure that the problem is in the wiring.

Search, search, SEARCH! But really, check all your connections. Make sure that everything is plugged in securely, and get a voltmeter, and check that power is being delivered to the wires. If not, trace the wires to the source, or locate them with a wiring diagram under the dash, and once you find out where your power goes from live---> dead, you'll be able to go from there. Chances are something came loose, or you blew a relay/fuse you don't know about.

I'll give the electrical diagram for the exterior lamp for contour 96. But we'll more informations to help you, good luck bud.

Give me your e-mail and i'll send it to you.

Nic.

electrical problem obviously...Maybe cuz the car has a looooottttt of miles????? try to replace the relay to the brake lights, or even easier, check ur bulbs.

thanks for the tips fellas. I'll try that voltometer thingy...
-B

Check the wires running along the left trunk hinge as they make the jump to under the rear deck. Sometimes the zip tie there cuts the wires.

Ok, I found out what it was. First off, let me thank all the people who helped me with this. It was greatly appreciated. I took it to AutoZone and they told me that it was a brakelight switch, located on the brake pedal itself. I then took it to Advanced Auto-Parts, and told them the same story, and they told me that it was the Brakelight switch. They didn't have the part for my car, but I'm leaving here @ noon to buy it, since they ordered it in for me. Thanks Again!

-Brandon

Also...I used some soap+water on my hazey headlights, just to remove some dirt, then used the Mr.Clean autowash thing, THEN used some tough a$$ turtle wax...my lights are now clean! WOW! thanks all!