Dumb Move On My Part...

[torontoworker]

So I'm putting on a GT3 rear wing on my C2 and all goes well except for the top third brake light up on the chassis isn't working! Seems that cutting the wires to the third brake light on the moving spoiler wasn't a good idea as they must be connected in series. Does anyone know if the fix for this is simply joining the two spoiler wires that I cut - back together to complete the circuit??

Edited March 31, 2010 by torontoworker

[Loren]

Replace the harness.

[torontoworker]

Replace the harness.

I was afraid you were going to say that... :)

I was going to do the pin 2 to pin 5 mod (for dash light) and then figure out which pin I could connect to fool the change over switch for the upper/lower 3rd stop light.

[Loren]

Depending on the year of your car the pin jumping may not work.

[torontoworker]

Depending on the year of your car the pin jumping may not work.

It's a 99 C2 tip.

If I have to get the harrness - is it part # 996 612 070 51 ($128 at Pelican - not in stock)

Thanks for your help.

Here's a picture of the wing...

[Loren]

Yes, that is the part number for a fixed wing spoiler harness.

BTW... Porsche dealer MSRP on that same part is $123.71 -- I'm sure Sunset Imports (Porsche Parts at Dealer Cost) can do better than that.

[torontoworker]

Hi Loren,

well I put the new harness in (part #996 612 070 51) from the dealer and it has solved the issue with the 3rd brake light - it's back working again. But the wing 'down' light is still on the dash as before. Is this a matter of the system 'learning' the new cable is in as I can't get the car on the road until the morning to drive it around or do I fool around with pin settings. The quick and dirty solution is black tape. (Grin) But I would rather solve it the right way if I can.

Edited April 8, 2010 by torontoworker

[Loren]

Hmm... did all the switches etc get removed?

I would put a PIWIS or PST2 on the car and see what it says for spoiler setting.

[torontoworker]

Hmm... did all the switches etc get removed?

I would put a PIWIS or PST2 on the car and see what it says for spoiler setting.

Yes - there are no micro switches in the new harness. I'll plug my cable into the OB2 tomorrow (durametric's software on my laptop) and see what it says. I can't recall but perhaps I can reset it. I'll let you know.

[torontoworker]

Thanks for your support Loren - drove around the block tonight and the ECM must have reset - no wing up/down light! Thanks again.

[Loren]

Yeah, I forgot to tell you - you will always get a spoiler light at start up - but it will go out at 5 MPH (forwards or backwards).

[mangaluzC4S]

would this possibly cause none of the brake lights to work (replacing tail to non-moving tail; cutting wires?)

Thanks, Mau

[Loren]

The brake lights do go through the same harness so I would check them closely.

[torontoworker]

No the brakes lights still functioned - just the upper 3rd brake light was out. The harness for the rear wing is a branch off the rear brake light/tail light harness. In fact you can disconnect the wing harness and it does not affect your main brake lights - I had the spouse check this for me before I drove the car around until I could get the right part. The reason why I had no 3rd brake light is because the wiring harness has a two micro switches built into the back of the lid up/down bracket and when the lid goes up it uncovers one switch to turn OFF the upper 3rd brake light and at the same time the 2nd switch is uncovered which turns ON the 3rd brake light that is on the edge of the movable wing which is normally hidden from view when the wing is down. This is so that you don't have a current draw to both 3rd lights if you hit the brakes. I could have played around for days and days jumping wires but in the end it was easier to go to Porsche and just buy the darn harness which solved the problems. The only baffling thing is as Loren pointed out is the light for the wing will still come on until the car begins to move then it does not come on at all from then until you turn the ignition off. I was temped to just put a piece of tape over the light on the dash until I also remembered that this light does double duty and is a warning light for the rear engine bay lid 'open'.

So it was a learning experience to have all the right parts at hand and don't just fly in there and root around. No one died during this experimentation... :)

Edited April 13, 2010 by torontoworker