Brake light fuse pops every time you tap the brakes

[gadget73]

yeah, the MF switch is bad anyway if it won't hold the turn signal in or cancel when you turn the wheel. Thats a mechanical bit of the switch, basically just a plastic tab that catches the lever and releases it when pushed on by a block attatched to the steering shaft itself. If you pull it off, you'll see how it works. Removal is simple, pull the 4 screws out of the bottom of the shroud, and remove the shrouds from the column. The MF switch mounts with I think 2 T20 torx screws. I'd probably put a new one in. Any from the junkyard are likely to be pushing 30 years old and have the same brittle plastic. The earlier ones had metal latch ears, but they had the horn on the stalk. You can use the early switch, but you lose the flash to pass feature. I have one from an '84 in my car. Not for any special reason, but its what I found when I needed one and its been in there almost 10 years now.

[porschpow]

Can you buy these switches at a friendly auto parts store?

[sly]

possibly. they may have to order it.

AZ: http://www.autozone.com/autozone/par...mString=search
Oreilly: http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...+signal+switch
Napa: http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/Ca...1SB_0471819180
Rock Auto: http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/x,ca...,parttype,4832

Rock Auto has the best deal and you can use the discount code in the vendor section to get an additional 5% off of that.

[porschpow]

Yeah, I LOVE rockauto!

[gadget73]

Unfriendly ones likely also have the switch, but those guys are assholes.

[86VickyLX]

I have one laying around somewhere. I know it works because it came out of my car lol.

[porschpow]

Nice, I'll take it! Is it from a junkyard car, John?

[porschpow]

Oh, you mean NAPA, LOL

Unfriendly ones likely also have the switch, but those guys are assholes.

[porschpow]

well, i changed the brake light switch, put in a 15 amp fuse hit the brakes...baam, pops again,

So i guess the next step is the multi function switch? right?

[Mainemantom]

Start simple - remove and inspect all the brake light bulbs/sockets first, see if it pops with all of them removed. The contacts on the bottoms of 115X type bulbs can melt and spooge out of place, corrosion in the sockets can make them fall apart and short out. Also replacement sockets like to fall apart for no reason.
Had your brother done anything to the car recently before this happened?

X2 Start simple. It happened to me with a China bulb.

[porschpow]

no my brother just drives cars to the ground

[porschpow]

i will inspect the bulbs, thank you!

[porschpow]

UPDATE<<<<>>>

I had look at all the bulbs pertaining to brake lights in the rear.

Only thing I found was the third brake light in the deck lid, one of the bulbs was out, so I replaced it with a comparable one, put a new fuse...no dice still does it. I guess the next course of action is the multi-function switch. I took off the plastic steering column and would like to know where its at

[GoodSamaritan]

Instead of popping fuses, install a small 12 volt lamp in the fuse socket. It will light up when you have a short. You can also use a 12 volt buzzer. Then dink around and pull connectors etc. until the short goes away.

I was going to say the same thing, but You'll want to use something a bit bigger than just a small lamp. A single small bulb, will still light up with just the load of the brake lights themselves. I used a big spotlight the last time I did it. Another option would be a couple of 55w driving lights, or something similar.

Remove the fuse, and connect the power wires from the lamps to one of the fuse terminal, and the ground to the other. Set the lamps out of the way where they can still be seen easily. Have someone hold the brake pedal and then start messing around with tail lights, any trailer light harnesses, flip the multi function switch, hazard switch etc.
When the lamps dim, you've found your problem.

[sly]

UPDATE<<<<>>>

I had look at all the bulbs pertaining to brake lights in the rear.

Only thing I found was the third brake light in the deck lid, one of the bulbs was out, so I replaced it with a comparable one, put a new fuse...no dice still does it. I guess the next course of action is the multi-function switch. I took off the plastic steering column and would like to know where its at

it's the turn signal switch.