3rd brake light 88 targa

[alexhay]

My light is mounted on the lower rear window. I replaced the bulb but still doesn't work. where does the wire connect to?

[zbph10]

If you haven't already checked the connector with a voltmeter I'd suggest doing so before you go chasing wires.

If its like my 87 you should clean up the metal connection on the light housing and the fitting in the car. You can use very fine emory cloth/sandpaper or even a pencil eraser to clean up both sides where they mate together.

Any chance the new bulb is bad, wouldn't be the first time a new bulb doesn't work.

Use a 9 volt battery and jumpers to test the light, should work.

Good luck

[alexhay]

Thanks for your quick reply. I just purchased the car and I know it's had some body work on the rear so i was figuring maybe the light wasn't reconnected

[toolman]

The connection should be on the left side of the engine compartment. It is a round plug, under and in back of the coil somewhere.

[alexhay]

I'll take a look around the ignition coil. thank again

[alexhay]

No luck on finding the round plug? The bulb is good. I don't see a connection to either rear brake light with the 2 black wires that run from the 3rd brake light. any help would be greatly appreciated.

[steve911]

Can you trace the wires as they exit into the engine compartment? They should be coming in to the engine bay via a small hole in the bottom corner of the rear window (driver's side). Should be 2 wires - one for power, the other a ground.

[alexhay]

behind the engine insolation?

[masraum]

That seems weird, my third brake light was in the top of the window on my'88 targa.

[alexhay]

I know, I just replaced my 84 with this one. I bought it from an original owner with 91K and though everything is pretty straight ahead there are a few minor hiccups that I'm trying to get back on track. side mirrors go up and down not side to side, no AC etc..

[toolman]

Mine has a plug that looks just like the O2 sensor connector.

[Argo]

I had the same situation. I found the brake light wiring was disconnected inside the engine compartment by the drivers' side taillight (a plastic plug in connector had been pulled apart).

Argo
88 Targa

[alexhay]

I'll try and trace the wire and see what I find on the other end

[steve911]

Originally posted by alexhay
behind the engine insolation?

Looking into the engine bay from the rear of the car, the hole with the wires running into it should be at the lower edge of the glass (closest to you) on the left side, somewhere near the engine lid hinges.

Once you find the wires, do your trace; could be a simple fix like Argo's.

[Argo]

Trace it like steve911 says. The wires were tucked under the gasket/trim piece along the edge of the glass. They ran along the edge of the window and down on the drivers side then through a hole in the sheet metal by the bottom of the glass, drivers' side (you have to take the rear shelf and/or the side piece off to see them - its been a while so I can't remember exactly. Either way both pieces come off easily). Then you trace them inside the engine compartment back towards the drivers side taillight. That's where I found the disconnected connector to get mine working again.

Argo
88 Targa

[rzepko6194]

My 87 Targa's 3rd brake light was out a few weeks ago and it turned out that the contacts between the light fixture and wiring contacts was the cause. Make sure they are clean and making good contact. The connector is located on the left side of the engine compartment under the relay board. Good Luck!

[alexhay]

I found a few wires that come out just above the fuel filter but they are all different from the two thin black wires that come out of the brake light unit? I took a tester to the two terminals with the light removed and when I pressed on the brake it didn't light up. i have a feeling these wires aren't even connected??

[rzepko6194]

i found these wires by the fuel filter too. They have nothing to do with the 3rd brake light. The plug for the 3rd brake light is located under the relay board on the left side of the engine compartment. You probably have to remove the black plastic cover, held on with the two thumb screws, to see it. This plug connects the 3rd light to the other brake lights.

[Eric Coffey]

Originally posted by alexhay
....i have a feeling these wires aren't even connected??

You are probably right. As Steve mentioned, the `88 Targas had the 3rd brake light at the top of the rear window. So, if the car has had rear body work, the rear window could have been replaced as well. They probably found a used rear window from an ealier car and installed it without hooking up the brake light. I would check to see if your rear defrost works as well.

[alexhay]

I noticed that the fuse for the rear defogger was missing so one would guess that it's been worked on in the past. I will check it out later to see if it works or will i just blow out a fuse