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3rd Brake light / visor - removal / replacement


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You can buy a Chinese aftermarket (comes from China) on Ebay for $80. (Or OEM for $200.)

 

In the meantime, stop at your local auto parts are us and buy some translucent RED tape to cover the clear LEDs. Its made for this use, to cover broken plastic break lens. (Is @akirby still in the forum? 🙂

 

Usually accepted by the cops as an accepted method of temporary repair. (The third brake light is a DOT requirement in all states and you can get stopped for displaying white instead of red.)

 

Call your local Ford service and get a quote as to how much it will cost for replacement and labor. Then call your insurance agent and see if you can claim on your comprehensive policy (may have to pay the deductible, mine is $100, but I'll bet the cost would be upwards of five or six hundred. Two, two-fifty for the lens plus two fifty or three for labor — I'm being generous, of course its going to be more, what with sales tax and all that.) 

 

 

Edited by enigma-2
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On 3/4/2025 at 5:22 AM, enigma-2 said:

You can buy a Chinese aftermarket (comes from China) on Ebay for $80. (Or OEM for $200.)

 

In the meantime, stop at your local auto parts are us and buy some translucent RED tape to cover the clear LEDs. Its made for this use, to cover broken plastic break lens. (Is @akirby still in the forum? 🙂

 

Usually accepted by the cops as an accepted method of temporary repair. (The third brake light is a DOT requirement in all states and you can get stopped for displaying white instead of red.)

 

Call your local Ford service and get a quote as to how much it will cost for replacement and labor. Then call your insurance agent and see if you can claim on your comprehensive policy (may have to pay the deductible, mine is $100, but I'll bet the cost would be upwards of five or six hundred. Two, two-fifty for the lens plus two fifty or three for labor — I'm being generous, of course its going to be more, what with sales tax and all that.) 

 

 

Thank you. Do you know which one I can try on amazon or eBay? I see so many. Mine the brake light works fine and displays red not white, it's the glass cover that's gone.

Edited by jacobson
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On 3/1/2025 at 7:41 PM, 1004ron said:

Need the complete 3rd brake light - I recommend the Dorman brand.

 

Give the forum search feature a try.

 

 

 

34 minutes ago, jacobson said:

Thank you. Do you know which one I can try on amazon or eBay? I see so many. Mine the brake light works fine and displays red not white, it's the glass cover that's gone.

It's really difficult, isn't it.

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2 hours ago, enigma-2 said:

The lens itself isn't available for your year (only Gen 1 lens available.)

 

If I were you, I'd buy a Dorman off Ebay (make offer for $80), pop off the lens and glue that sucker to your existing light.

I was actually thinking of doing that.  I got the amazon one . I will try to get an auto mechanic to see if they can replace the whole thing. If not I will pull of the lens from the new one and  glue it on the light. Hope it sticks . It's so frustrating. 

 

Dorman 923-133 Center High Mount Stop Light Compatible with Select Ford Models https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BFZR2GGK/ref=ewc_pr_img_2?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

Edited by jacobson
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On 3/30/2025 at 5:15 PM, enigma-2 said:

The lens itself isn't available for your year (only Gen 1 lens available.)

 

If I were you, I'd buy a Dorman off Ebay (make offer for $80), pop off the lens and glue that sucker to your existing light.

 

1 hour ago, enigma-2 said:

Not on your gen. 1st gen lens is easily removed. On 2nd gen i understood it was glued on, near impossible to take off.

 

(Which is why they fall off.) 

<cough>

 

 @jacobson has the same gen as mine, and you suggested he purchase a Dorman off eBay and pop the lens off.

 

I bought and installed the Dorman and that is why I commented: "Having done the replacement myself, your comment makes me think that you haven't tried what you're suggesting."

 

On 5/27/2023 at 3:28 PM, 1004ron said:

The new LED light is higher quality than OEM - the clear lens is attached more securely with a good hard sealing/bonding - the clear lens just popped off the old one and suspect that allowed moisture ingress and failure of 4 out of the 12 LED's.

 

 

Edited by 1004ron
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On 4/2/2025 at 5:58 PM, 1004ron said:

Got to ask, what made you decide against removal of the lens from the new light?

It cost me ~150 for it, I thought why not try to change it. If they couldn't take it out then I will remove the lens last resort. I am not fan of gluing stuff. After a while with humidity the glue may not stick. I ended up  paying 100 to the auto mechanic. They spent some time trying to remove the top but after that it was smooth sailing. Credit goes to this forum

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On 5/27/2023 at 3:28 PM, 1004ron said:

The new LED light is higher quality than OEM - the clear lens is attached more securely with a good hard sealing/bonding - the clear lens just popped off the old one and suspect that allowed moisture ingress and failure of 4 out of the 12 LED's.

 

7 hours ago, jacobson said:

It cost me ~150 for it, I thought why not try to change it. If they couldn't take it out then I will remove the lens last resort. I am not fan of gluing stuff. After a while with humidity the glue may not stick. I ended up  paying 100 to the auto mechanic. They spent some time trying to remove the top but after that it was smooth sailing. Credit goes to this forum

Thanks for the confirmation.

 

The clear lens is actually glued, just a whole lot better than the original.

 

I highly doubt that you would have been able to remove the lens from the new one without destroying it.

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