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frigging brake light switch, stuffed again! Bad design!!! 

 

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Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 5:30 pm 
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Could someone please tell me how to change a brake switch on an ef fairmont , the dealers are giving me the runaround.
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 Post subject: Re: frigging brake light switch, stuffed again! Bad design!!!
Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 11:04 am 
Oompa Loompa
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i go thru one every 4 months or so it seems. last one i fitted myself. i thought i bodged it up when they came on again so i got one fitted for me. now they are on again. so off to bursons we go. its a f..king c..t of a job too - not looking forward to it.

looking at the design of it, its a s**t designed setup. do the EAs use a different assy?
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 Post subject: Re: frigging brake light switch, stuffed again! Bad design!!!
Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 11:13 am 
Getting Side Ways
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the XD-XF Series had a MUCH better design brake switch, and I bet you could make one fit an E Series withouth too much mucking about.

Gab
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 Post subject: Re: frigging brake light switch, stuffed again! Bad design!!!
Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 4:53 pm 
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Try looking at fitting the brake light switch for any '67 XR - '70 XW Falcon.They are practically identical to the switches in question.Could even be the same as early Mustangs as well.I've replaced 6 flamin plastic crappy brakelight switches in my XG in 15 years!Typical taiwanese crap.Go to the local ford dealer,and you get the same switch,just 4X the price as Supercheap or Autopro.
Going to fit an XH brake pedal into my XG ute,and fit the early Falcon/Mustang switch.If anyone's interested,I'll put the part no. up as a post.Or,if anyone wants a picture of the early switch,drop me an email at:

wizardsmith278@exemail.com.au

and I'll send you a pic.

Cheers,
Kevin.
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 Post subject: Re: frigging brake light switch, stuffed again! Bad design!!!
Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2010 7:10 pm 
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The part no. for the early Ford brake light switch is as follows:

C5AZ - 13480A - 1,D

The part no. for the XH,ED,EF,EL & Au brake switch is,as stamped on the switch:

E73B - 13480 -AA

Cheers,
Kevin.
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 Post subject: Re: frigging brake light switch, stuffed again! Bad design!!!
Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2010 7:27 pm 
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the ea,eb and ed switch is completely different to ef,el and au...
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 Post subject: Re: frigging brake light switch, stuffed again! Bad design!!!
Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2010 11:36 pm 
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Yeh I know,a piece of s**t plastic.That's why I'm going to modify mine to take the early Falcon/Mustang switch. :roll:
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 Post subject: Re: frigging brake light switch, stuffed again! Bad design!!!
Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 12:00 am 
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I had only one issue with my switch...when my fuse didn't blow and shorted itself causing a bit of a smoke in the fuse box killing the switch at the same time.

Bought a new switch from Bursons for $16 odd and it's been working for the last 6 months or so.

Took roughly 5 mins to remove and install in parking lot...wtf are you lot doing wrong?

 

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 Post subject: Re:
Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 1:23 am 
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snap0964 wrote:
EF/EL brake light switch: Been a few posts in the past recommending petitions, etc. Best way is to improvise.
4 diodes, 1 relay, 1 LED and resistor + an afternoon can make a warning circuit with backup brakelighting using the cruise control master cylinder switch - i.e. if the switch fails, you get a warning light, and brake lights still operate as per normal. After 18 months of operation, it works well on both my cars - I've had a few switch fails - at least I still have brakelights in peak hour traffic. I can then replace the brake light switch at my next opportunity. You can even add a 'press to test' switch to test the circuit.
snap0964 wrote:
I think it's pot luck as far as switch longetivity goes. I've had 2 failing on my ute and 3 failing on my wagon.
A while back I fitted warning circuits to both my cars - easy to do (4 diodes and a relay will do it, along with a press to test switch) - if the switch has failed a warning caption will come on when the brake pedal is pressed. The brake lights will still operate though via the cruise control brake master cylinder pressure switch.
My main concern was that sure the switches are easy to change, just you can't tell when they've failed, and they'll fail in the worst possible situation, e.g. traffic. You just replace the switch when you can.I just like to have brake lights all the time :shock:.
Well 4 yrs on these warning ccts are working fine - as above, saved my a*** on a few occasions.

 

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 Post subject: Re: frigging brake light switch, stuffed again! Bad design!!!
Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 7:15 am 
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lucky for me, in the 10 years of owning ea,eb and ed's ive never had one fail,
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 Post subject: Re: frigging brake light switch, stuffed again! Bad design!!!
Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 11:29 am 
Getting Side Ways
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phongus wrote:

Took roughly 5 mins to remove and install in parking lot...wtf are you lot doing wrong?


mine looked to be a 5 minute job, until it decided for some stupid reason take me 50 attempts to make it sit properly
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 Post subject: Re: frigging brake light switch, stuffed again! Bad design!!!
Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 11:36 am 
Getting Side Ways
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X aeries switches were a good design as are eb Ed ef. The problem that hasn't been addressed is that ford switch the lights directly from the switch meaning they cop some current

Putting a relay I'n for the brake lights takes the current load away and also increases the contact life

Nigel
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 Post subject: Re: frigging brake light switch, stuffed again! Bad design!!!
Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 11:52 am 
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Nigel wrote:
Putting a relay I'n for the brake lights takes the current load away and also increases the contact life


Dunno why you'd want to do that.

I want my brake lights on as quickly as possible when I hit the pedal.
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 Post subject: Re: frigging brake light switch, stuffed again! Bad design!!!
Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 12:21 pm 
Getting Side Ways
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actually a relay will light your brakes harder and faster especially if your switch already has contact issues.
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 Post subject: Re: frigging brake light switch, stuffed again! Bad design!!!
Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 10:02 pm 
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TBH, the switches that have failed on me always seemed to be caused by the spring loading and that metal leaf - I haven't had one that the actual internal switch contacts were at fault.
Current draw at max is at a bit over 5 amps, so this shouldn't be too much a problem, I'd assume the switch is designed to carry over that.

 

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