What is the deal with my brake lights?

[blinky08]

My brake lights seem to have a mind of their own. Neither the left nor the right side will come on when I press on the brake pedal unless I manually active the spoiler. Generally, if I am pressing on the brake pedal and manually activate the rear deck spoiler, both brake lights will come on. If I release the pedal and press on it again, nothing...unless I press the spoiler button again. The 3rd brake light works just great all the time.

From reading the other threads for similar issues it must be some type of grounding or connector issue. But I am puzzled why the spoiler/button makes them work (temporarily)? What is the connection between the two? Does anyone have the wiring schematics for the 997 cabriolet brake lights?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Quicksilver]

Sounds like a bad ground. Check the wires from the rear lights at the grounding point.

Also, as cars age the ability to get a good ground through the unibody can go south. For example: There used to be a list as long as your arm of odd, seemingly random things on 70s and 80s era Audis that were fixed by running a rear grounding wire.

[blinky08]

Thanks. I will have a look.