high level brake light fitment

ahmed-abrar · #1 08-30-2006, 08:17 PM

hi, can someone tell me that the slot which is indicated on the rear boot lid suitable for a light, if so how can i obtain one and is it easy to fit & connect ?

thanks

ensteele · #2 08-30-2006, 09:38 PM

There should be a light in the wide narrow slot in the boot lid. Maybe we are not talking about the same place. Take a picture and post which slot you are talking about.

b3lha · #3 08-31-2006, 05:01 AM

JDM (and USA) cars have a brake light in this slot, UK cars do not. The reason is that the cable into the boot lid only has four cores. On a JDM car these are Ground, Lights, Brakes and Reverse. On a UK car the "Brakes" wire is used for rear fogs, so there is no "Brakes" wire to power the high level brake light, so they omitted it. The blanking piece in the slot is actually a red lens that has been painted over. I remember reading that somebody managed to remove the paint from it and put a strip of bulbs behind.

It should be easy to obtain and fit a light, but you will have to run an extra wire into the bootlid to power it. On my cars I replaced the 4-core cable. I couldn't get 5-core so I used 7-core trailer cable. You just have to chop the connectors off the existing cable. Then you slide the rubber grommets off, lubricate them with soap, and slide them onto the new cable. Then you solder the connectors onto the new cable. There are some plastic cable guides which need to be warmed up and stretched a little to accomodate the fatter cable.

svxistentialist · #4 08-31-2006, 06:30 AM

It was Arthur [ArthurUK] who used the existing strip and fitted LEDs to the empty light fitment.

You will probably be able to buy a second hand one by watching eBay on the US side, they often come up there for 10 to 20 dollars.

Arthur's solution was simple and elegant. Take out the panel from the bootlid. It looks like a replacement, but is actually the light fitment painted over. Use paint remover to remove the paint from the plastic, and polish it up.

Arthur then bought second hand LEDs from a Renault Clio in a scrap yard. These fit and worked.

Remembering Phil's advice above about the four wires, you will need an extra wire to power it on. Connect this wire to one of the Stop light feeds, then run the wire up the trunk lid to the LED.

You have a high level brake light for maybe a tenner.

Joe

ahmed-abrar · #5 08-31-2006, 08:56 PM

thanks for that info, i will prob look to fitone by the end of the year.

on a seperate note, does anyone know who own's P33 SVX in silver, i sold it 3years previously to a couple in south london. how's it doing?

Arthur-UK · #6 09-01-2006, 04:33 PM

Joe is correct, just take out the blanking unit and remove the paint. I used fine sandpaper and wet&dry to polish it all off, it looks like new. Fitting the LED's is easy enough, I did use Renault Clio units, but any would do the job.
A couple of hours work.

Arthur

blueji · #7 09-14-2006, 03:01 PM

I fitted one from the states, bought it from smallcar performance who are often putting them on ebay, cost me about £30. Took no time to fit it as its only held in with about 5 nuts, I trimed of the multi-plug connection and with a bit of neat soldering earthed one wire to the light cluster in the boot lid and the other extended it through the rubber gromits to the rear offside brake light positive feed.
Not only makes the svx look right and up to date, but helps warn the ever growing numbers of 'tail-gaters' on our pathetic motorway's that your gona brake!

John

ahmed-abrar · #8 09-17-2006, 06:37 PM

will prob try to obtain one from the us via a cousin out there

svxistentialist · #9 09-18-2006, 01:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahmed-abrar

will prob try to obtain one from the us via a cousin out there

That should work OK.

You might try a call to these guys:
http://www.greensofskipton.co.uk/

They had an import SVX breaking, I got some parts off it last year. If it is not crushed since, they may have the high level boot light, it was JDM.

Joe

Nobody · #10 09-18-2006, 11:22 AM

Hmm, it is strange, my spare car had it and I easily moved it to my regular car with no extra wires... Spare care is Euro model and it was equipped with another brake light behind the rear glass...
Sounds there were more types of SVXs on the old continent:-)
Petr

svxistentialist · #11 09-18-2006, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nobody

Hmm, it is strange, my spare car had it and I easily moved it to my regular car with no extra wires... Spare care is Euro model and it was equipped with another brake light behind the rear glass...
Sounds there were more types of SVXs on the old continent:-)
Petr

It depends on the regulations Petr. As Phil explained above, English import regulations insisted on cars coming equipped with a rear fog light for UK roads. The cars do not have these where they are assembled in Japan. The Japanese are happy enough to go with two red lights [tail and brake] on each side to supply enough light for fog, while English regulations have long had switchable mandatory "high intensity" rear fog lights fitted.

In order to make the cars legal for England without changing the wiring loom, the makers merely "robbed" the power line for the hi-level brake light to power the UK centre panel fog lights.
You gain rear fog lamps, you lose rear hi-level brake light.

In Europe on the cars you mention that have the hi-level brake light, I am willing to bet they are in countries where a rear fog light is not mandatory by law.

Joe

Phil Hill · #12 09-21-2006, 01:46 AM

I fitted the high level brake light into Angie's '96 UK car with no additional wiring required. I got one from a member from the US on here who was breaking a car.

The wiring harness for the high level light was in place, although the original 'T' shaped connector had been removed by person or persons unknown and replaced with plain spades.

Phil.

blownb310 · #13 05-11-2007, 01:13 PM

My US spec SVX third brake lights don't work at all. Can anyone tell me if there are replacement bulbs for these or does the entire unit have to be replaced?

ensteele · #14 05-11-2007, 03:59 PM

I believe they are LEDs and can be replaced, however I have never done it before.

I think it would be easier to just replace it with another one. They aren't too much when you find them.

Hocrest · #15 05-11-2007, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blownb310

My US spec SVX third brake lights don't work at all. Can anyone tell me if there are replacement bulbs for these or does the entire unit have to be replaced?

I doubt that all of the LED's burnt out????

Pull the interior panels off of the trunk lid and check the wiring harness, use a test light or DVM to check for voltage where it attaches to the light strip when you have an assistant work the brake pedal.

If you don't have voltage out at the end, you may want to check for a broken wire, where it goes through the rubber tube and flexes with the hinge.

If you need a harness or a light bar, send me a PM.