What is this?

[Ed S.]

I have a 2004 TJ and these two metal round things are on the passenger rear side right behind the back seat. They seam to be some kind of sensor because a single wire comes out of the back of each of them. What are they???

 

[Overlander06]

The tailgate comes and closes on them. To turn off the cab lights.

 

[Rob5589]

Third brake light.

 

[glwood]

Third brake light.

This. They are for the 3rd brake light. Opening the tailgate on mine does not turn on the dome light. Don't know if it's supposed to...

When the 3rd brake light didn't work on my 03 X, one of the sensors had come unplugged. Plugged back in, voila! Brake light worked.

 

[Overlander06]

Third brake light.

Ya sorry thats actually right I bet.

 

[Chris d]

Ya sorry thats actually right I bet.

Yup definitely 3rd breaklight. I once changed 3 bulbs in my light before I realized the carpet was just shutting in between those contacts on the tub and the tailgate.

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[derekmac]

Yep, they're for the third brake light.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Those are simply a pair of contacts that with a matching pair of contacts on the tailgate make the connections for the 3rd brake light when the tailgate is closed

 

[lrb6805]

Curious as it was brought up, Are the overhead lights supposed to turn on when the tailgate is opened? Because mine do not


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[Jerry Bransford]

Are the overhead lights supposed to turn on when the tailgate is opened? Because mine do not

No.

 

[Russell Balzan]

This. They are for the 3rd brake light. Opening the tailgate on mine does not turn on the dome light. Don't know if it's supposed to...

When the 3rd brake light didn't work on my 03 X, one of the sensors had come unplugged. Plugged back in, voila! Brake light worked.

Where did you find the sensors or how do you know they were unplugged? Mine seem to be spring mounted. 2001 TJ.

 

[glwood]

Where did you find the sensors or how do you know they were unplugged? Mine seem to be spring mounted. 2001 TJ.

Those two metal 'buttons' on the driver's side wheel well just inside the tailgate (photo in post #1) have wires plugged into them on the other side of the sheet metal. Sort of a pain to get to, but I was able to get my hand in there to tell one was unplugged. Plugged it back in, 3rd brake light worked.

 

[KCsTJ]

Open the rear door 1 inch and hit the brake pedal, 3rd brake won't light up till u close the rear door, only took me an hour to figure that 1 out while vacuuming... :/

 

[KCsTJ]

And dont troubleshoot the 3rd brake bulb with the rear door open, it has no juice! 1 hour it took this Sherlock to solve that one. :/

 

[Squatch]

Curious as it was brought up, Are the overhead lights supposed to turn on when the tailgate is opened? Because mine do not


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There's a good write-up in the "TJ How-To Guide". It'll "enlighten" you... (see what I did there?)

Called "Tailgate Dome Light Activation Switch"...