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My daughter has a 1997 Mercury Mystique with brake light problems. Both the left and right brake lights will not work. The brake light in the back window and the one in the spoiler works. The hazard flashers, turn signal and tail lights work fine, just no right or left brake lights. Anyone had this problem?
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Hard-core CEG'er
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Welcome onboard.
Unfortunately it sounds like turn signal(aka combination) switch has a faulty contact. A pricey item which some members have obtained at junkyard.
Due to air bag, disconnecting battery for a few minutes before working on steering column is the usual precaution.
98 Mystique LS v6 atx 163,000km
97 Contour LX v6 atx 163,000km
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Does the brake lights feed through the signal light switch?
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Hard-core CEG'er
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Third and spoiler lights fed directly from BOO(Brake On/Off) switch, rear brake lights fed from BOO through signal switch terminal 2 (O/BK), via contact, out term 3 (left), term 1 (right).
98 Mystique LS v6 atx 163,000km
97 Contour LX v6 atx 163,000km
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Joined: Nov 2003
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Thanks for your reply. I have checked everything I know to check, fuses, bulbs, had the brake light switch out and it would work for the third light and the spoiler brake light. Is this switch hard to change and what kind of price would you think. Also in my Haynes manual it talks about a relay on the signal light switch. Could this have anything to do with the problem? Thanks for your help.
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Joined: Jun 2003
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CEG\'er
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I had the exact problem (since solved, and very inexpensively). Please refer to the following thread -> Weird Brake Light Problems /Eric
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
'96 Mystique GS, ATX
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If you have the Haynes manual refer to page 12-7. I thought switch was about $50 but www.fordpartsonline.com shows it at $100. Perhaps available at auto parts stores for less, I don't know.
Relay you refer to is usually referred to as clicker or flasher unit on this side of Atlantic. Not suspect with your problem, since you reported turn/hazard lights flashing ok. BTW if you are so inclined, after removing switch, it may be possible to dismantle and clean contact. This sometimes works on similar devices, however, high risk you'll end up with a basket of springs, contacts and other bits and pieces.
Note: Haynes manual confusing in places since, regardless of their claims re teardown, etc., it shows many Euoropean features e.g. right hand drive.
Mystic:
Your initial post on the above link does not actually detail what you did to solve problem; did you clean a contact?
Also brake/transmission interlock function is controlled by the gearshift lever unit inside center console, not the combination (turn signal) switch.
98 Mystique LS v6 atx 163,000km
97 Contour LX v6 atx 163,000km
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 103
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Originally posted by horseydug:
If you have the Haynes manual refer to page 12-7. I thought switch was about $50 but www.fordpartsonline.com shows it at $100. Perhaps available at auto parts stores for less, I don't know.
Relay you refer to is usually referred to as clicker or flasher unit on this side of Atlantic. Not suspect with your problem, since you reported turn/hazard lights flashing ok. BTW if you are so inclined, after removing switch, it may be possible to dismantle and clean contact. This sometimes works on similar devices, however, high risk you'll end up with a basket of springs, contacts and other bits and pieces.
Note: Haynes manual confusing in places since, regardless of their claims re teardown, etc., it shows many Euoropean features e.g. right hand drive.
Mystic:
Your initial post on the above link does not actually detail what you did to solve problem; did you clean a contact?
Also brake/transmission interlock function is controlled by the gearshift lever unit inside center console, not the combination (turn signal) switch.
There is a link within the posts to the initial post which detailed the fix to the problem. It involved pressing a contact together which had expanded due to heat as well as cleaning the contact surfaces.
I will have to disagree with you about the brake/shift interlock. The reasons are again detailed in the quoted post. Look for the explanations that I gave to Kremitthefrog.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
'96 Mystique GS, ATX
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Again, beg to differ re shift interlock. You are getting confused with the Haynes' European wiring diagrams.
From your recent thread, link above:
Originally posted by Mystic:
It's in the steering column. If you have a Haynes manual, the electrical diagram is on pages 12-34 to 12-36 in chapter 12 Chassis Electrical System. It is the module labeled "10"
Item 10, pg 12-32 in Haynes is the headlight switch (refer also pge 12-26), item 13 is the turn signal switch.
From Ford Contour/Mystique wiring manual feed for shift interlock comes from BOO switch to gearshift lever unit, which contains the shift lock solenoid, located in the console. Seperate feed from BOO goes to turn signal switch.
Remember that American cars use stop light as both a brake and a turn signal, whereas European/Japanese tend to have separate turn indicator and brake lights (refer pg 12-37, item 11 Haynes). The reason brake light feed on our cars goes through the turn signal switch is so that when brakes and turn signal are both applied then one rear light will flash and one will be steady on.
Regardless of the above, it sounds like you successfully cleaned the internal contact between terminal 2 and terminals 1/3 of the turn signal switch, which is cause of the weird symptoms being experienced by fjones.
98 Mystique LS v6 atx 163,000km
97 Contour LX v6 atx 163,000km
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 103
CEG\'er
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CEG\'er
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Posts: 103 |
Originally posted by horseydug:
Again, beg to differ re shift interlock. You are getting confused with the Haynes' European wiring diagrams.
From your recent thread, link above:
Originally posted by Mystic:
It's in the steering column. If you have a Haynes manual, the electrical diagram is on pages 12-34 to 12-36 in chapter 12 Chassis Electrical System. It is the module labeled "10"
Item 10, pg 12-32 in Haynes is the headlight switch (refer also pge 12-26), item 13 is the turn signal switch.
From Ford Contour/Mystique wiring manual feed for shift interlock comes from BOO switch to gearshift lever unit, which contains the shift lock solenoid, located in the console. Seperate feed from BOO goes to turn signal switch.
Remember that American cars use stop light as both a brake and a turn signal, whereas European/Japanese tend to have separate turn indicator and brake lights (refer pg 12-37, item 11 Haynes). The reason brake light feed on our cars goes through the turn signal switch is so that when brakes and turn signal are both applied then one rear light will flash and one will be steady on.
Regardless of the above, it sounds like you successfully cleaned the internal contact between terminal 2 and terminals 1/3 of the turn signal switch, which is cause of the weird symptoms being experienced by fjones.
Quite right. This is the 1st American car that I have owned so naturally made an incorrect assumption. Thanks for the info.
/Eric
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
'96 Mystique GS, ATX
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