Flashing Third Brake Light Installed

Posted on by Ian C.

As mentioned recently, I read about an Automatic Brakes Initiated Annunciator kit and ordered it. It came quickly and included good install instructions. The module is installed behind the third brake light and wired so that when you press the brake pedal, the light flashes a few times. The module is designed so that the light does not flash every time you brake, but only after some time with the brakes not pressed.

So I removed the third brake light (easy – three torx screws at the top of the boot lid) and wired the module (quite easy, but there is not much space to fit the module behind the third brake light):


I tested the module and wiring before refitting, then had a friend press, release and press the brake pedal while I video’ed: for the not terribly exciting (and silent) video result:

 

I am not sure if this is really a good mod – I have not been behind my MINI while driving it to know if the flashing has much effect, or if it is annoying. I can hear the clicking of the module when I brake, if the stereo is not too loud (not annoying, but noticeable). But at $15, I cannot argue with the price – if I made my own module it would be a similar cost!

UPDATE (September 29, 2004): This mod is no longer in GBMINI – the click-click-click every time I braked was driving me crazy; the claims about it not re-flashing if you brake again in a short time is also not true for me.

8 thoughts on “Flashing Third Brake Light Installed”

  1. It blinks for too long for my tastes. Question is how easily it can be modified to blink for say only a half second. Can’t beat the price of course.

  2. Can’t see you being able to modify it Josh – the whole thing is like a hockey puck, very solid.
    Maybe you could ask the manufacturer for a specially low-flash one …

  3. Josh, i’ve enjoyed your website since i found it. i’m still interested in this mod, i have big commute everyday, and would like to alert those behind me. i tried to get turnermotorsports to install the one i bought, but they attempted in their garage, and stopped, fearing they were going to crack the paint when they removed the lamp. i believe the mechanic was trying to remove the spoiler to get at it. Can you fill me in? Max

  4. This is Ian (owner of GBMINI & this web site).
    No need to remove the spoiler; you can remove the third brake light quite easily – the only tight bit is squeezing the flasher module in behind it.
    Easy to fit. If you & I are in the same place one day, I could do it …

  5. Update: Max has just emailed me to point out that he has a Cooper (not an S) – the non-S has a lower spoiler and there is not enough clearance to access the third brake light!

  6. You stated that you did not want the flasher because of the clicking noise and that you would send it for the cost of shipping. I am interested in it if you still have it. Who makes the thing anyway/ Web site?
    Thanks
    Dale

  7. Sorry Dale, I sent it off to someone long ago – and it seems the website link to the manufacturer no longer works; does that mean they don’t make it any more?
    If you click on the top picture you can get a bigger version clear enough to read – but if it is not made any more, I don’t suppose it will help much.

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