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3rd Brake light Fix.......... I Dont Get It........

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Old Jan 22, 2010 | 06:36 PM
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Default 3rd Brake light Fix.......... I Dont Get It........

I looked it over on P-car time and time again. I can find no broken conducter on my car from the inside or from the outside. Is this something broken I should see? or Not?
Checked the 3rd brake light and it works. When I pulled the rubber seal off around the rear windshield exterior I saw the 2 wires are wet from water that got in there, Is it possible it just blew a fuse? I did check the ones I thought it would be and they look good. What number fuse/relay is for the 3rd barke light?

Help will be appreciated, Thanks.
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Old Jan 22, 2010 | 07:59 PM
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944/951guy:

Not quite sure I understand your question, but here goes...

My 3rd brake light didn't work when I bought my car. I tested the wires and the light- both worked but there was no voltage going through the brass plate that sits under the window trim. I pulled the rubber trim out of the way and poked 2 wires through- hooked them up on each end and it worked fine.

Hope this helps-

Paul.
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Old Jan 22, 2010 | 08:02 PM
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I just see anything thats Broken. so im confused if it is the conducters or not.

Do you cut the original plugs on the outside off and then poke those wires through and connect the straight to the other wires on the inside?

Of the two that are inside that run the length of the glass which is Ground and which is positive?
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Old Jan 22, 2010 | 08:18 PM
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There are two brass tabs that carry the current from inside the car to outside. These tabs wear through due to slight movement of the rubber seal on the back window. Then the 3rd brake light quits working. There isn't anything to see because it happens out of sight. The fix is fiddle but not complicated- poke a red wire through the seal & hook it up to the red that goes to the 3rd brake light and the red coming from the car, then repeat with the black wire.

First though, you need to get a tester and have someone else push the brake pedal to make sure the juice is reaching the back window. You already tested the light, correct?
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Old Jan 23, 2010 | 03:23 PM
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Yes I tested the light. Where do I check if it is working on the wires? On the inside of the car?
I think I only saw 2 black wires running along the roof.
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Old Jan 23, 2010 | 05:13 PM
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Hook an electrical tester to those two black wires while someone is pushing the brake.

If you're getting juice that far, do the fix I described above. I'd help you with it but it's a long drive!
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Old Jan 24, 2010 | 01:54 PM
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No problem, Thanks for the info. Do you know which of the two is a positive and which is a negative?

So from my understanding.
1. Cut the wires from the outside off.
2. Poke holes from the outside and push those wires in.
3. Cut the black wires inside.
4. Connect the wires.
5. Fill holes.

Am I right?
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Old Jan 24, 2010 | 02:08 PM
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I can't quite understand your question. 3rd brake light totally dead? Intermittent? Other brake lights work?

Either way, get out your VOM and check voltages everywhere or take it to your shop.
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Old Jan 24, 2010 | 02:28 PM
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Originally Posted by 944/951guy
No problem, Thanks for the info. Do you know which of the two is a positive and which is a negative?

So from my understanding.
1. Cut the wires from the outside off.
2. Poke holes from the outside and push those wires in.
3. Cut the black wires inside.
4. Connect the wires.
5. Fill holes.

Am I right?
Is this the correct order to fix the dead 3rd brake light.

Everything else works.
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Old Jan 24, 2010 | 02:41 PM
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I worked the new wires through from the inside. I had a heck of a time making holes in the rubber- but used some black silicone to seal them when I was done.

If you can wait until the 1st week of Feb I'll be in Portland for training. I'll help you with it then if you like?
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Old Jan 24, 2010 | 02:46 PM
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I appreciate the will to Help, Thank you.
I will try and see if I can tackle this if it doesent work out for me I will let you know.
Thank you for all the help and info.

Last Question..... I hope.......
Did you have to solder the connecters to the new wires on the outside of the car?
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Old Jan 24, 2010 | 02:56 PM
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I just put new connectors on each end.
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Old Jan 24, 2010 | 04:11 PM
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Originally Posted by 944/951guy
Is this the correct order to fix the dead 3rd brake light.

Everything else works.
Are you sure you have 12V at the connectors at the top of the window? People can have loose connections elsewhere; it happened to me.
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Old Jan 24, 2010 | 04:27 PM
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I had the same problem---had to have mine rewired.
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Old Jan 24, 2010 | 11:41 PM
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WOW
i recommend that you take some photo's of what you are seeing and post them to get a bit more advice before you start cutting / drilling.
i just soldered some new bulbs in last week and i can't make sense of what you are asking??????
a picture will be worth a few thousand posts for this somewhat dense guy, (me).

craig
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