used the hazard lites lately ????

If so, turn them on and off a couple of times to clean the contacts inside
the switch

I recently bought a used 2000 Explorer XLS and the one brake light was
not working and the other one was intermittently working. I replaced
both brake lamps and still had the same problem. Upon close inspection
of the lamp sockets, I discovered that they both showed signs of
overheating.  I replaced both brake lamp sockets with an aftermarket
product called Conduct-Tite lamp socket found off the shelf at Auto
Zone (Houston, TX area).  The part number is 84764.  This part number
is for Ford trucks from 1997 and newer. The part is American made by
Motormite, Division of R&B, Inc., Colmar, PA 18915.  The price was
$7.95 for each socket.  This fixed my problem.  The counter man also
recommended that I use a heat transfer silicon type salve smeared on
the base of the replacement brake lamps, which I bought. Very
necessary  and here is why:  My XLS has an automatic transmission, and
when standing in stop and go traffic while in gear, and to keep the
vehicle from crawling forward, you must step on the brakes. This
obviously turns on the brake lights which rapidly become VERY HOT! The
heat from the lamps will soon make the original Ford supplied lamp
sockets get brittle from the baking of the brake lamp high
temperature. Now, the otherwise plasticized lamp retaining tabs that
hold the lamp in positive contact with the socket breaks off and the
lamp moves out of contact due to road vibration.  I previously
mentioned the heat transfer salve above.  This is to help distribute
brake lamp high heat more evenly outward through the socket, instead
of only at the area where the lamp filament wires come in contact with
the actual contact area of the socket.

Although this has been a rambling response, I hope I have helped to
identify a workable solution to this problem.

Regards,

Marshall Dues
Katy, Texas

I recently bought a used 2000 Explorer XLS and the one brake light was
not working and the other one was intermittently working. I replaced
both brake lamps and still had the same problem. Upon close inspection
of the lamp sockets, I discovered that they both showed signs of
overheating.  I replaced both brake lamp sockets with an aftermarket
product called Conduct-Tite lamp socket found off the shelf at Auto
Zone (Houston, TX area).  The part number is 84764.  This part number
is for Ford trucks from 1997 and newer. The part is American made by
Motormite, Division of R&B, Inc., Colmar, PA 18915.  The price was
$7.95 for each socket.  This fixed my problem.  The counter man also
recommended that I use a heat transfer silicon type salve smeared on
the base of the replacement brake lamps, which I bought. Very
necessary  and here is why:  My XLS has an automatic transmission, and
when standing in stop and go traffic while in gear, and to keep the
vehicle from crawling forward, you must step on the brakes. This
obviously turns on the brake lights which rapidly become VERY HOT! The
heat from the lamps will soon make the original Ford supplied lamp
sockets get brittle from the baking of the brake lamp high
temperature. Now, the otherwise plasticized lamp retaining tabs that
hold the lamp in positive contact with the socket breaks off and the
lamp moves out of contact due to road vibration.  I previously
mentioned the heat transfer salve above.  This is to help distribute
brake lamp high heat more evenly outward through the socket, instead
of only at the area where the lamp filament wires come in contact with
the actual contact area of the socket.

Although this has been a rambling response, I hope I have helped to
identify a workable solution to this problem.

Regards,

Marshall Dues
Katy, Texas