Third brake light?

[Gavin Franke]

Anyone else having third brake light I’ve tried Dorman twice the second one lasted three days then flashing few times then going out with brake still on?

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[Hootbro]

Not uncommon for the first couple model years for them to go out prematurely. Supposedly they have improved them and I would suggest just pony up the cash for a OEM one.

 

[Vtur]

Have some free time and decided to cut it open to see why it failed. As expected, cracked cold solder joints on both positive/negative legs.

 

[Mad Mac]

My dealer wanted nearly $300
to replace my 3rd brake light.
Bought one from Walmart for $30.

Those 12-year old Chinese girls
do good work,
or it may have been Uyghurs
in a concentration camp.

Studied some YT videos
to see how to do it.
Most of them are not helpful
and others are simply wrong.

Like most 15 minute jobs,
it took me hours.
The main reason was because
mine has the factory spray in bed liner.

Jeep sprays the bed liner
with the removable panels removed
making it easy to unscrew the 8 screws
and lift off the panel.
But, Jeep does not block off the opening
and undercoating gets all over
the inside of the tailgate
coating the fasteners, rods and latch.

A couple of tips that might help.
Just pop up the yellow clamps
holding the rods to the latch.
They are designed to pop in and out.

Lift the latch out of the way
after the three fasteners are unscrewed.

Hanging the tailgate halfway open
may help seeing and feeling
the tiny nibs holding the bottom in.

The hinge assembly for the handle
ingeniously secures the upper part and
the whole assembly pivots at the top
and comes right out.

The wiring connector is easier to get to
after the assembly is free.
I needed pliers to squeeze the little tab.

Reassemble in reverse order.
Let there be light!

 

[Stan H]

My dealer wanted nearly $300
to replace my 3rd brake light.
Bought one from Walmart for $30.

Those 12-year old Chinese girls
do good work,
or it may have been Uyghurs
in a concentration camp.

Studied some YT videos
to see how to do it.
Most of them are not helpful
and others are simply wrong.

Like most 15 minute jobs,
it took me hours.
The main reason was because
mine has the factory spray in bed liner.

Jeep sprays the bed liner
with the removable panels removed
making it easy to unscrew the 8 screws
and lift off the panel.
But, Jeep does not block off the opening
and undercoating gets all over
the inside of the tailgate
coating the fasteners, rods and latch.

A couple of tips that might help.
Just pop up the yellow clamps
holding the rods to the latch.
They are designed to pop in and out.

Lift the latch out of the way
after the three fasteners are unscrewed.

Hanging the tailgate halfway open
may help seeing and feeling
the tiny nibs holding the bottom in.

The hinge assembly for the handle
ingeniously secures the upper part and
the whole assembly pivots at the top
and comes right out.

The wiring connector is easier to get to
after the assembly is free.
I needed pliers to squeeze the little tab.

Reassemble in reverse order.
Let there be light!

Can you send link for the 3rd brake light you purchased from Walmart?

 

[Mad Mac]

LED Third Brake Light for Jeep Gladiator 2020-2025 Replaces 68338388AC

Scroll down and there are several
from which to choose.
I forgot that mine was actually $34.

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