Need help.....drivers side brake lights not working

[Jthoms1]

I have a 1999 Boxster. I have searched and searched to no avail. Here is the issue. The drivers side brake lights are not working. Passenger and 3rd brake light are working. The turn signal on the drivers side IS working. What gives?

[tommy583]

Is the bulb good? Is the bulb housing good? Sometimes the copper traces on the bulb housings go bad.

[thstone]

+1 ^^^ what tommy said. Most likely bulb or bulb retainer.

This video shows how to remove the entire light assy but you can simply remove the bulb retainer (the component with the traces) from inside the trunk.

This particular video is for a 987 but the 986 is very similar and you'll get the idea of what we're talking about.

Boxster Rear Lamp Replacement

[Jthoms1]

Thanks gents..ill give it a try and report back.

[Timco]

Those tracks for power that fit in just right are easy to screw up.

[Cbonilla]

Not sure if the design of your rear lights is the same as on my 2003, but this is what I encountered. After repeatedly changing the same brake bulb only to have the brake light stop working after a short time, I took a close look at the assembly that holds the bulbs. In my car these are aluminum strips that the bulb makes contact with and hold the bulb in place. My aluminum piece worked its way lose from the housing and it was springing up so the base of the bulb would cease to make contact. Fixed it with a little epoxy and some tape to hold it down while the epoxy set. End of problem

CB

[Jthoms1]

Okay, so this car new to me. I removed the offending rear tail light and learned this is a 2005 tail light. Not the original that came on the 1999. There is power to the tail light and the blinker works. I wonder if just all of the little brake bulbs could be out. There are like 10 of them.

[Jthoms1]

And I figured out they are aftermarket tail lights with led's. I just ordered a new set similar to them rather than trying to trouble shoot them.