New11/5/2006
I'm actually surprised that this hasn't come up before. I've seen
it a bunch locally.
The brake light circuits and tail light circuits all go thru the
Mulit-function (MF) switch. It's got a very complex set of contacts
that have to line up exactly right or something just won't work. The
button for the Hazard flashers is on the top of the steering shaft
cowling. Any dirt, coffee, Diet Coke, dust from the powdered donuts or
anything else that might get loose inside the car always seems to get
funneled right down this open switch port and right into the contacts
of the MF switch and screws everything up.
The easiest thing to do is to shower the Hazard button with WD-40
and work the button in and out as many times as you can stand (50-60
cycles usually does the trick). This gets the WD-40 into the MF switch
and cleans the contacts of the switch. This usually gets everything
working again.
I've seen it all. Lights that stay on, lights that don't work, one
brake light on and the other doesn't work...any combination of
wild-ass light function is usually caused by dirty contact in the MF
switch. That's why I abbreviate the name as it has so many other
appropriate connotations.
Doug Lewis
FPS
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See also:
MultifunctionSwitchReplacement