No Brake Lights / Shift Interlock Issue

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Necrosan

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Hi,

The other day when I stopped to drop a movie off at a redbox I left the 98 Mark VIII running and when I got back in I couldn't shift out of park.

Eventually figured if I turn the key to a spot between positions, I can shift without the interlock stopping me from pressing the button.

Get home and do a bit of googling and figure it's likely the brake on/off switch, so I grab the old one I saved (which wasn't bad - changed it out thinking it was for my cruise control issue a long time ago) and switch it out in the sun. (I also check fuse 32 (stop light), it's not blown.)

No dice - still no working interlock or brake lights.

I didn't see any obvious issues (tears/cuts) with the wires going to the brake on/off switch.

I am at a loss for where/what to check next. Any clues, guys?

Thanks.
 
Did you check the wires on the plug going to the brake light switch? Could be as simple as a bad plug. Check the wires with a meter.
 
Is your neon working? Unplug the ballast in the trunk and replace the fuse. Most likely, the neon shorted blowing the fuse for the brake lights. It was a safety feature if the brake lights didn't work, the car wouldn't shift out of park. Good Luck!!
 
My Great 8 said:
Is your neon working? Unplug the ballast in the trunk and replace the fuse. Most likely, the neon shorted blowing the fuse for the brake lights. It was a safety feature if the brake lights didn't work, the car wouldn't shift out of park. Good Luck!!
Click to expand...

Neon ballast has been replaced with a Glitch one a long time ago and has been working fine, so don't think it's this unfortunately. :/
 
All,

A Glitch inverter ( ballast ) that I installed went bad ( out of warranty ) and blew two fuses !

Good Luck,
Sonny
 
It was a safety feature if the brake lights didn't work, the car wouldn't shift out of park. Good Luck!!
Click to expand...

Gee, thanks Ford. Make my whole car not work if a light is out. Genius. :)
 
Sonny Day Out said:
All,

A Glitch inverter ( ballast ) that I installed went bad ( out of warranty ) and blew two fuses !

Good Luck,
Sonny
Click to expand...

You hit the nail on the head - I was checking the wrong two fuses. Unplugged the harness under the trunk carpet and the fuses no longer blow.

I've had this thing for about a year, and it died on a 100% dry day so water damage is not the issue.

Any idea if his wife is handling warranty stuff? (I recall he passed away sometime last year :/)

Feeling burned right now.
 
this just happened to me it was the ballast blowing my fuse ...unplugged it and went on with my day...
 
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