Your high mount brake light is a neon lamp and uses a high voltage
ballast. Not a common tungsten lamp. These were used on 95-97
Explorers.

On Tue, 15 Mar 2005 22:45:00 GMT, Ratbert
> wrote:

>Thanks for the tip. On fordpartsnetwork, they list a bulb under "High
>mounted stop lamp" for $1.31. What's that?
>By the way, fordpartsonline.com lists the High mount lamp for "only"
>$182. That's still about $170 more than I'd like to pay to fix this.
>
>Just_Steve wrote:
>> Search Google Groups for "Third Brake Light on 97 Explorer questions". The
>> '96 uses the same type of system. Looks like you can get it for about $204
>> at www.fordpartsnetwork.com I've only ordered from them once myself, but
>> the order came quickly and as promised - no muss, no fuss, much better price
>> than the local dealers who all charge full list.
>>
>> Steve
>>
>> "Ratbert" > wrote in message
>> news:iarZd.129313$tl3.13839@attbi_s02...
>>
>>>The center brake light is burned out on my 96 Explorer. I went to a
>>>parts store and asked for a bulb. They looked in a book (it wasn't on
>>>their computer) and sold me one that seemed way too small for $1.60.
>>>When I got home, and tried to change it, I realized that I couldn't get
>>>to the bulb without cutting some rivets. At the same time, I determined
>>>that the bulb I got is probably not the right one. I called the parts
>>>counter at the local Ford dealer, and they told me that the light is
>>>sold only as a unit, and it is about $250 for the part. Has anyone here
>>>replaced or repaired the light any cheaper than that? Is there
>>>something else I should check before shelling out big bucks for a new
>>
>> light?
>>
>>