No Brake Lights

I recently bought a 2001 VS and just discovered that the brake lights do not work. I am by no means a mechanic. Is there an easy way for a novice to repair this, or should I take it to a mechanic?

Check your fuses first. If one is blown then replace it but you must also find out why it is blown.

I've found that the bulb sockets get rusty or filled with crud and this either causes the lights not to work or helps to blow the fuses. Use a phillips screw driver to remove the rear light bezel and then remove the lens. Take out the bulbs (keep track of which one goes where) and then clean out the bulb socket and the bulb. I used a wire brush that plumbers use to clean copper pipes...a 3/4 inch or 1/2 inch size should work and you should be able to pick up at Home Depot for a few bucks.

If these don't help then you may have wiring or switch problem which may be best left to someone more knowledgable.

Many times with these cars its a ground problem. Hook up a ground wire from the light assembly to a clean part of the subframe, make sure its a good connection and see it that works.
ed

If it isn't the bulbs or bulb holder, and isn't just a simple grounding problem, you can still fix it yourself pretty easily. The brake light wiring is a separate sub-harness that essentially takes power from the fuse block and passes it back to the brake light bulbs through two pressure switches screwed into the side of the master cylinder. Simple as that.

Check the above suggested gremlins first, if you need additional help it's easy to talk you through it.

Crawl under the front drivers side (car on blocks please) and look at the brake light switch. It is a $5.00 part and more than likely a wire has popped off one of the 2 or 3 terminals (depends on your car).

My brake lights died shortly after delivery from JPS. Traced it to a bad terminal on the sender on the master brake cylinder. Am told that the corrosion in master cylinder is bad for pressure switches. Found out there were two types of pressure senders, two terminal and three terminal. Lucikily mine was a three termnal. I was only using two of the three terminals. I just switched one of the leads and everything was good to go again. Probably on borrowed time, but it's been a few years now.

Another suggestion; after you clean up the sockets put some dielectric (tune-up) grease in them before reinstalling the bulbs.

Thanks alot to everyone that replied. I will try the easy ones first and go from there.

I wired in a 1984 S 10 switch right behind the petal i didnt want to reblead the brakes.when the switch went out.

So I moved it to a dry place in the car. Now even if the brakes fail at least the lights still works even when you ligtly brake.

I'm with Barry. I had three pressure switch failures before finally having a mechanical switch behind the brake pedal installed. This has been working great.

I had to monify it to get it shorter. I just used what I had laying around.
I think Larrys off road buggys offers a better water proof switch. I know ,I have seen a small water proof brake switch somewhere! If not at Larrys maybe a jeep 4 wheeling supplier.

The 914s had brake switches mounted in front of the pedal. When the pedal was depressed the switch pin extended outwards and completed the circuit to the brake lights. If you wanna keep it all Porsche, you can grab the switch and bracket out of a junk yard 914 and be all set. Just stuff them into your pocket and leave. If you get caught, tell 'em that I said it was OK.

As a side note, you won't have to bleed the brakes when you change out the pressure switch. Just have someone pouring brake fluid into the res. above while you're removing and installing below. No air will enter the system this way.

Luck,

TC

I will check that out at pelican parts web site. they should have 914 brake switched in their catalog..