Hello all!!!

It is great to be back driving my baby again. But I do have a few problems. I was gone a year and therefore I had to renew my state inspection. Well my brake lights will not come on. I searched the forum for various resolutions(checked bulbs, fuses, and stop light switch). None of these have worked. I really want to get my truck "legal" again so I won't get a ticket.

Along with the non-working brake lights (rear and 3rd light), my cruise control doesn't work, and my ABS light is flashing (16 flashes). Other than these 3 items, everything else is working great!

Okay I guess I need to give you all some info about the truck:
'97 F150 V6 4.2L Standard transmission.

If I have posted this in the wrong forum I'm sorry, all this does appear to be an electrical system issue, if not, I guess I can cross post this to the brake forum.

Thanks for any assistance.

SFC David Jessup

 

Welcome home! And I'm glad you are safe!

Brake switch, maybe; I doubt if all three bulbs went bad at the same time but could be. Check the circuit for voltage and replace bulbs if there's voltage.

Cruise doesn't work? Could be related to the brake switch; tapping the brake disengages the cruise control. It may be time to take it to the Ford house for a check up.

Man, I'm glad you came home safely! Well done, Soldier!! Hoowah!!

Respectfully,
Curt
Waco, TX

 

Thank you for your service to our country.

A check of the wire drawings shows the brake position switch is common to the lights and the cruise operation.
Take a look at it for some fault. Out of adjustment or a connector off.

Good luck.

 

Okay this is what I have done:

I have checked all the bulbs-Good
Checked all the fuses-Good
Replaced the Stop Light Switch on the brake pedal-replaced

Still no brake lights, and of course no cruise control. The horn does work. Would the flashing ABS give a clue? Again, the ABS flashes 16 times.

Thanks again for any assistance.
97 F150 V6 4.2L Standard. FlareSide with RABS.


SFC David Jessup

 

I have no answer to your light problems, but I want to say Thank You for your service to your country.

Red White & Blue

Love it or leave it!

 

Sarge,

Specifically check Fuse F13 in the under dash fusebox.

You may need to obtain and use either a test lamp or a multimeter to further troubleshoot the circuit if that fuse is good.

Once you have the test device, check for battery power at the LT GRN/BLU wire at the BRAKE ON OFF (BOO) switch. Its should be always hot. If not, go back to F13, pull it, and check for batt voltage at one of the two slots that it came out of. One should the the always hot feed to the fuse, the other should be a direct connection to the above wire at the BOO switch.

See what you have with that. If that doesn't get it, let us know what the results of each specifc test are and we''l figure out more tesats to isolate the problem.

Steve

Spent a year or so working at Ft Hood back in the mid-80s. Texas would have been a great place to live, except for all those Texans...

 

Steve,

Thanks for the assistance. Well I checked the fuse again, saw that it was blown (it was good before). I replaced the fuse, and actually saw it "blow" as I seated it. I got another and it blew too. So now what should I be looking for, since box 13 appears to be the issue now?

Also, the BOO, is that located in front of the Master Cylinder, or below it? If it is the one in front, I unplugged it and it appears to be nice and dirty.

Oh, also of note, I used my multimeter on the 13 fuse, I'm getting 12.7 DC into it.

Here are two pictures:



Hope this helps.

 

Yeah!! I think I have narrowed it down. Now that I have my erminology correct

Okay, if I'm right the above pictures are of the Brake Pressure Switch. I kept that switch disconnected, I replaced the fuse in 13, and then I checked the BOO (I know where that is now, on the brake pedal shaft, I replaced that switch a few days ago). I got 12 V to it.

I then checked my brake lights.... YES they worked. Well I though, well I want to reconnect everything, so I reconnected the wire to the Brake Pressure Switch, and WOW!!!! I thought I was going to have to call the fire department. There was alot of smoke and I quickly disconnected the wire.

I checked the 13 fuse and it was blown again.

So I guess I need to replace the Brake Pressure Switch. Can this switch just be replaced, or do I need to totally replace the whole Master Cylinder Assembly?

 

That brake pressure switch (BPS) on certain models is the subject of a recent recall. Look over the discussions regarding the cruise controll recall. Your truck is an example of a failure that was not included in the range of vehicles recalled. Suggest you go to www.nhtsa.gov and file a report. Perhaps it will help open the investigation into additional model years.

Yep, you'll need a new BPS, that one is TOAST. Just leave it disconnected (tape up the wire harness connector to keep it clean and dry) until the BPS is replaced. You will have no cruise control in the meantime. The switch is replaced by itself.

Good troubleshooting job!

Steve

 

Well...

I'm all good now!!! The BPS fixed me up. $15.10 at the local Ford dealership, and a quick twist off and twist back on, and my brake lights, and CC are working, and the flashing ABS light now isn't

Going to my local mechanic tomorrow to get the code for my check engine light, see if I can trouble shoot that (he initially told me that he though I would been a new ABS module for the flashing ABS light/no brake light/etc).

Thanks for your responses everyone.