Stuck in park, no brake lights

[derbywitch]

So, last week I brought my Fiesta into the shop to have the heater blower fan and the resistor replaced (just in time for winter) and while the mechanic was fixing it, the brake light switch broke and they needed to replace that as well. Anyways, everything got fixed (or so I thought) until yesterday, when I tried to leave my driveway and my Fiesta is stuck in park. Also, I have no brake lights. The powertrain malfunction light is on (little yellow wrench) and there is a message on my screen saying "Engine Malfunction Service Now". I am hoping that this isn't a transmission issue and I find it a little fishy that this happened a week after the brake light switch was messed with. I hoping someone can shed some light on this for me before I bring it back to the mechanic and try to use my warranty with them. Frankly, I don't trust them not to tell me it's something costly like the transmission and I want to go in there with some knowledge of what it could be so I don't get ripped off. My google searches suggest it could be the brake light switch is faulty but is there some way of ruling out the transmission? Thanks in advance, any help is appreciated.

 

[Handy Andy]

Break out the owner's manual and start fishing around for the Fuses - because this seems to be related to the switch and if it blew a fuse - no brake lights.

Right now, the No brake lights - means that the switch either popped out of the socket it was in and so the Brake lights came on, and the system performed a battery monitor and shut it off. OR the work they performed has blown the fuses for the Body control Module and this affects the Brakes lights so the system can't even start the car and for you to be able to pull it out of Park.

So you may want to have some tools ready, for the quickest thing to do is to pull the NEGATIVE battery cable off the battery for a few minutes, then put it back on - and see if the brake lights come on and stay on, if this was the case you might be able to start it and get it running - no guarantees.


Why this procedure? The system can monitor the brakes as well as any device that takes power from the battery and if it's left on too long tries to shut it down. This is where the Body Control Modules comes in. IT acts as the source of power for and the power return of, these monitored systems so it can maintain and at least check on the Health of the systems it can "see" - the Transmission also works thru the BCM - but is not "controlled" by it - so if it (BCM) has a blown fuse - it can play dumb.

There is also a SECOND switch in this that runs off the brake pedal - so if that fell out of its socket this might cause this condition too - but to clear it - you do the same thing - get under the dash, check the switches to see if they are in their position right next to a set of "paddles" they work with when you press the brake.

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IF they are seated - then the Battery cable remove to reset - is the only other method I know of unless the Fuses are checked and replaced if blown. There is a 20A "Yellow" fuse that is in the main engine compartment fuse block that powers the BCM - and the Horn - if no Horn then this fuse is blown. Another controls the Lights (Turn signals) as a 15A "Blue" so no turn signals - this fuse is also blown

Two switches, one blue one black - these are shown SEATED and the Brakes
are NOT applied - this is how it looks when the system is at rest.​

You are looking UNDER the Dash, by the Brake pedal - straight up from it right next to and under the steering wheel.