Just curious?
 

After taking my car to the tyre depot for some new tyres and tracking adjustment. The depot guy drove it onto the ramp to do the tracking, I noticed the high level boot light wasn't working so I made a note to investigate when I got time. When I did investigate I was surprised to find the unit was a blank, just a black piece of plastic in the boot lid where the light should be. Even stranger, there is no plug on the wiring loom to connect one. After looking it up in the workshop manual the light appears on all years and I thought this was a standard fit through all the models. I managed to get a proper lighted one and have replaced the blank with that, although I had to run a wire down to the brake light. So now I have the extra brake light. I wouldn't have known if the guy hadn't driven it. It's a 1993 all black UK model. Just curious why this one wasn't fitted with it originally. Any ideas??

Rad cracked recently too. When I pulled it the oil cooler part had gone as well and was leaking tranny fluid. Again wouldn't have known until I pulled it...local dealer quoted me £500 for a new one...got one from the states at a quarter of the price including shipping. Nice to be back on the road again.

Re: Just curious?
 

That's normal on English cars. They all come with the plastic unit in place but painted over. Inside there are no neon lights to light up.

It is speculated that in Japanese and American cars the extra brake light wire lights up double red lights at the back using a twin or split feed. For the UK cars the SVX had to be wired with a high intensity rear fog for legislative reasons. That possibly used up the double wire for the high fog, but maybe not. The truth is out there.

Two solutions, the one you used and the one Arthur used. Arthur polished off the paint from the plastic unit, used Renault Clio lights as inserts and wired back same as you did.

Nice to have it back on the road.

Joe :)

Re: Just curious?
 

Hi Joe,

I had the same idea regarding the legal issue of the foglights. It makes sense although an extra wire for the brake light surely wasn't beyond the Subaru engineers for which was a very expensive car at that time. I'm glad I managed to find a used unit as it was a simple job which took maybe 10 minutes. The stock brake lights without the hi level one are very poor especially with sidelights on and have seen many close white faces in the mirror which makes me very nervous.

My next job which I have think about in the future is a new exhaust as it is getting a 'thin'. Any suggestions where I can obtain one would be appreciated. I have been quite lucky with my cars, they have been reliable and I see what problems some people suffer and it just starts everyday and runs. No problem. I don't want to drive anything else.

Anyway, best wishes to all and thanks to all for the helpful contributions to keep these beauties running.

K

Re: Just curious?
 

When I fitted the third brake light to our UK '96 model the wiring was tucked up inside the boot lining, so it should be there already, it was a blue two pin connector from memory.

I bought a complete brake light from a guy in the US who was parting out a US spec car. It fitted perfectly.

Hope this helps

Phil.

Re: Just curious?
 

Kuritsa,

mine was exceptionally reliable and trustworthy when I used it as an everyday car. I never had to think for a moment or worry about any length of journey, other than to put petrol and water and oil in it, and service it of course.

The SVX gets a lot of undeserved bad press which is primarily caused by the gearbox reputation and the pretty high cost of fixing it. Sort out that problem and the rear bearings and the car is practically bulletproof. So much so that I'd be happy using one again, and possibly will do again sometime soon.

Phil, I had forgotten the spare connector. I have three UK ones here but I've never stripped out the bootlid to see the wires. To me the idea of calling it a high level brake light when it is all of 1.5" higher than the rear lights is a nonsense. :p That's why I never troubled to light up the bootlid one.

Joe :)

Re: Just curious?
 

This is kind of interesting.

I once wondered if it would be possible to block off the center brake light in the trunk lid, and add one instead inside the top of the rear glass.

Not that there is anything wrong with the existing one, but I have always wondered why it is mounted so close to the regular tail lights...

If a large vehicle behind you can't see your tail lights, they likely won't see the center brake light, either.

Mounting it higher, such as inside the top edge of the rear window, larger vehicles in line just behind you could still see it.

I always liked the cars that have a nice wide LED brake light, at roof height. It is a noticeable look... which is kind of the point. :D

A british black-out plate might come in handy, if I ever actually do that...

Re: Just curious?
 

I had the same delete black thingie before I got an assembly from the US and replaced it.