Ken, the switches could be changed to anything over the years on any
van. The 85-91 dash wiring is different to use the 2 prong and the brake
warning light on the dash uses the float switch for the brake fluid
reservoir rather than the pressure difference like the 3 prong wiring
used. I highly doubt that the 3 prong switches you saw in that 87 came
in that 87.

Mark

Ken Wilford wrote:
> Mark, I wish I could say that I have found what you have written to be
> true. I just dealt with this issue with a customer with an 87 Vanagon
> and he had the three prong switches. I would check before I ordered
> because it seems more random than a specific year cut off. It takes
> about 5 mins to remove the instrument cluster and look at the switches.
> Unplug one of them and see if the lights go out. The switch that you
> can unplug and it makes the lights go out is the bad switch. The
> switches are wired in parallel so that one of them is redundant. If you
> were really in a bind you could unplug the one and just travel the rest
> of your trip home with just the one plugged in. I would replace both
> since they are both the same age. I have the switches available if you
> need them
>
> Ken Wilford
> John 3:16
> www.vanagain.com
>
>
> On 10/17/2010 5:05 PM, mark drillock wrote:
>> The 80-84 used 3 pin brake pressure switches
>> The 85-91 used 2 pin pressure switches
>>
>> Mark
>>
>>
>>
>> John Rodgers wrote:
>>> '91 Carat, auto tranny (maybe they all have them) - brake lights won't
>>> go of - stuck "On". pulled the fuse to protect the circuit.
>>>
>>> Question: Does the Carat - particularly the '91 Carat - use a pair of
>>> three connector brake light switches - or 2 connector brake light
>>> switches.
>>>
>>>
>>
>