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Hi folks,
I've had the "Check High-Level Brake Light" warning come on twice in my 2013 C4S on the way to work in the last week. Both times I was over the speed where the spoiler would've deployed, so I parked and did a video recording of the brake lights illuminating when I pressed the brake and also manually deployed the spoiler and checked the lights then. I have been unable to see any issue with any of the brake lights on the back of my car. I've checked the forums, but haven't found anything conclusive for this vehicle and specific warning. Anybody have any recommendations for what else I can check? Thank you in advance for the advice/ guidance.
The warning light refers to the 3rd brake light located in the spoiler (not the one on vent above the engine).
Typical cause of this warning is due to a failing or failed connection in the wires going to the brake light.
The failure typically occurs in the area circled in red. Failure is caused by fatigue (the constant bending of this wire when the spoiler deploys and goes back down).
Steps to diagnose and fix:
1) Turn key to start position (engine can be on or off) and deploy the spoiler by pushing the spoiler button.
2) Once the spoiler is deployed, have another person step on the brakes. From behind the car, look and see if the brake light in the spoiler is lighting up.
3) If the brake light in the spoiler is not lighting up, it could be the wires failing. If it does turn on, it could be a loose connection somewhere.
4) To check if the wire is in good condition, remove the wire from the joint circled in red, and take a blade and carefully cut away the black cloth material protecting the wires.
5) Make a new connection if the wires are barely holding on or in my case completely broken. Your choice of soldering, butt connecting, etc.
Just got back from the dealer. Broken engine cover struts and broken windshield wiper fluid hose between the body and the front hood. So..... I'd recommend looking at the wiring where it crosses into the spoiler and engine cover. Things around various hinges seem to have issues.
I was also getting this for a while on my 2013 C4S after braking at highway speeds with the wing up but now it is gone. Loose connection somewhere maybe?
Keep calm and carry on I've had fake warnings of light failures on other cars. They seem very touchy about the load the light presents to the computer and can trigger a warning at times.
I had the same problem when I got my car that was 4 years old at the time. They told me someone broke the struts when they did maintenance. Luckily they covered it (serviced at a dealer other than where I bought it). Now I'm having problems with the windshield washer, but I can't see how they could be related.
I had the same problem when I got my car that was 4 years old at the time. They told me someone broke the struts when they did maintenance. Luckily they covered it (serviced at a dealer other than where I bought it). Now I'm having problems with the windshield washer, but I can't see how they could be related.
Hmm, I'll have to have a look at mine and see if there's evidence of damage. All of the service to date has been done at Porsche, so I'd certainly hope they didn't break it at some point.
Open up the rear grill/deck lid and down to the right hand side is a small almost triangle panel that covers the connection for the high level brake light.
To be able to remove that smaller almost plastic panel, you will have to remove the fans, or at least pull up the fan assembly from right hand side a little to be able to wiggle the smaller panel out to expose the body harness connection.
Underneath that panel is the main body harness to which the spoiler harness connects and a smaller 2 pin plug that powers the high level brake light.
That 2 pin plug may have come loose thus triggering the yellow warning.
I have also heard of the wire that connects to the brake light in the spoiler, it runs right along side the left hinge ( driver side) of the spoiler and the other end is the 2 pin plug I mentioned, cracking and having a broken wire thus giving you the intermittent warning.
Try investigating those two things...
I just installed a ducktail on my car so am quite intimate with the whole spoiler deployment and wiring harness routing at the rear of my 991.
If you need any pics of what I am talking about PM me and I will email or text you them to you, not sure how to post up.
Good luck.
I had this issue. The dealer replaced two wiring harnesses and the intermittent issue kept occurring. Eventually the dealer replaced the entire light assembly and the issue hasn't returned. My car is a 2013 991. Possibly a bad batch of third brake lights went out?
Hmm, I'll have to have a look at mine and see if there's evidence of damage. All of the service to date has been done at Porsche, so I'd certainly hope they didn't break it at some point.
My local dealer said it looked like it was damaged by the Porsche dealer I bought it from.
The warning light refers to the 3rd brake light located in the spoiler (not the one on vent above the engine).
Typical cause of this warning is due to a failing or failed connection in the wires going to the brake light.
The failure typically occurs in the area circled in red. Failure is caused by fatigue (the constant bending of this wire when the spoiler deploys and goes back down).
Steps to diagnose and fix:
1) Turn key to start position (engine can be on or off) and deploy the spoiler by pushing the spoiler button.
2) Once the spoiler is deployed, have another person step on the brakes. From behind the car, look and see if the brake light in the spoiler is lighting up.
3) If the brake light in the spoiler is not lighting up, it could be the wires failing. If it does turn on, it could be a loose connection somewhere.
4) To check if the wire is in good condition, remove the wire from the joint circled in red, and take a blade and carefully cut away the black cloth material protecting the wires.
5) Make a new connection if the wires are barely holding on or in my case completely broken. Your choice of soldering, butt connecting, etc.
The warning light refers to the 3rd brake light located in the spoiler (not the one on vent above the engine).
Typical cause of this warning is due to a failing or failed connection in the wires going to the brake light.
The failure typically occurs in the area circled in red. Failure is caused by fatigue (the constant bending of this wire when the spoiler deploys and goes back down).
Steps to diagnose and fix:
1) Turn key to start position (engine can be on or off) and deploy the spoiler by pushing the spoiler button.
2) Once the spoiler is deployed, have another person step on the brakes. From behind the car, look and see if the brake light in the spoiler is lighting up.
3) If the brake light in the spoiler is not lighting up, it could be the wires failing. If it does turn on, it could be a loose connection somewhere.
4) To check if the wire is in good condition, remove the wire from the joint circled in red, and take a blade and carefully cut away the black cloth material protecting the wires.
5) Make a new connection if the wires are barely holding on or in my case completely broken. Your choice of soldering, butt connecting, etc.
04-10-2018, 01:45 PM
Warning: Check High-Level Brake Light
I've had fake warnings of light failures on other cars. They seem very touchy about the load the light presents to the computer and can trigger a warning at times.
