taurus trans/brake light issue

[CrawlinTBSS]

friends cars... heres the issue

2000 taurus dohc v6. car starts in P but the shift lock will not unlock to let me shift to gear. but if i start the car in the KEY OFF position and move the shifter to neutral i can then start and drive( fords emergency thing to be able to start cars).

so brake lights do not work as well. sockets have power, brand new bulbs, running lights and turn signals work. brand new brake switch installed and tested. has power at switch and up further in the wiring as far as i could test under the dash. but at the rear sockets there is no voltage to the wire that sends the brake signal.

any ideas? only real last thing is teh shift solenoid/park neutral switch.

all fuses where checked/tested for power and are working.

Click to read more...

 

[Mike K]

I suck at reading. Get a book and trace that brake switch.

The first thing I'd do is get a meter and check to make sure the circuit is being closed when the brake switch is applied.

 

[Angus]

My buddies old taurus had a similar problem. The switch for the brake lights behind the brake pedal broke/came off.

Check there.

 

[machausta]

Neutral safety switch. Same thing happened to my 97 Taurus.

Well, my radio didn't work in "D" either...

 

[Mike K]

Neutral safety switch. Same thing happened to my 97 Taurus.

Well, my radio didn't work in "D" either...

A neutral safety switch would only be found on a manual transmission Taurus so what you're referring to is the brake switch which he already noted replacing.

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

Wouldn't an auto have one too so you can't start the car in gear?

I had to bypass the one in my Buick temporarily because it was messed up and I could start it in gear

 

[CrawlinTBSS]

Yes the car has a neutral/park switch ont of the trans.

As I wrote in first post. Circuit was tested opens and closes at the brake switch that was already replaced. So somewhere after the switch is the problem. First post explains whatt I've tested. I hate electrical issues, suck at them

 

[bikrboy128]

ive run into this a few times on taurus', and i've found a wire is broken near the switch itself. start tracing wires from the switch on back.

 

[CrawlinTBSS]

damn sounds fun!

ive traced up to the firewall and found nothing and pin probed into the wire and tested further up.

theres some kind of solenoid or something mounted to the top of the brake pedal arm and has electrical connector but cant figure out what it is.

 

[bikrboy128]

is it a column shift or floor shift?

 

[bikrboy128]

the brake shift interlock is under the left side of the dash. that might be the solenoid you're seeing

 

[Mike K]

Have you run a continuity test on the sensor to make sure it's completing the circuit?

As far as the "solenoid at the top of the brake pedal" that sounds like the brake switch which makes me wonder what you replaced.

Whatever the problem, the car doesn't think the brake pedal is being pressed so it should be pretty simple to pinpoint with a couple multimeter probes.

 

[CrawlinTBSS]

the brake switch, which i know where it is, after reading multiple times online and seeing pictures after ive doen it. its on the lower backside of the brake pedal. tested teh circuit has power coming in and no power going out with brake pedal off. with brake pedal depressed circuit closes and has voltage through to the other side and up the lead.


biker... its a column shift.

 

[CrawlinTBSS]

everywhere online points to the brake switch or i guess the park/neutral switch. all fuses everywhere are good and tested for power on both sides.

 

[machausta]

A neutral safety switch would only be found on a manual transmission Taurus so what you're referring to is the brake switch which he already noted replacing.

http://www.taurusclub.com/forum/98-...w-articles/85083-brake-lights-not-coming.html <-- this is the brake light switch

http://www.taurusclub.com/forum/117...-3rd-gen-taurus-has-gone-absolutely-nuts.html <-- bad ground

Most other weirdo electical issues in a Taurus are the shift interlock going bad...it causes lights not to work, the radio to quit, and assorted other weird issues.

http://www.taurusclub.com/forum/82-maintenance-repair/108974-electrical-problem-need-help-asap.html

 

[Zenriddles]

BOO switch. It's the BOO switch dammit.

B rake
O n
O ff

switch.

It sits right on the brake pedal.

 

[CrawlinTBSS]

if you can read.... thats already been TESTED multiple times. and the switch was replaced.

 

[CrawlinTBSS]

thanks for hte links 95tbird ill look into them.

 

[machausta]

topic finder on taurusclub.com is awesome btw but if you still need help post up on taurusowners.com

 

[machausta]

if you can read.... thats already been TESTED multiple times. and the switch was replaced.

Eric knows Gen 3 Taurus cars better than any Ford engineer does lol -- he's an invaluable resource.

You may have a fuse or fusable link that is burned out somewhere in the rats nest of wiring in a Gen 4 car.