Has anyone ever seen a car made with no high brake light? Ya know, the third one somewhere around the rear windshield usually.
We failed our state inspection because this car doesn't have one. And yet, to Google images of it, they all do.
There were 2 owners before us, I'm guessing one of them yanked it? But there's no open plug or anything on the wiring harness atop the fuel tank that is connected to the brake lights! So, I'm gonna have to buy a fixture, fashion a pigtail, and connect it in to one of the brake light plugs.
​​​​​​​I'm just baffled. No clue why someone would remove the dummy brake light.. and having no trace of one ever being in the thing???

 

DO NOT jump onto one of the stop lamps in the tail lamp assy.
The tail lamp stop lamps are driven by semiconductors and will likely overload and fail if you attempt to draw more current through them. You will then need to repair/replace the SLCM (Security and Locking Control Module).

The RELAY for that HMSL (High Mounted Stop Lamp) in in the boot mounted fuse/relay box next to the spare wheel and behind the battery.

You will probably need to remove the back seat and parcel shelf trim panel for access to the missing harness wires.
Please obtain an ELECTRICAL GUIDE for your car before you start cutting/splicing wires. Modern cars can end up with damaged modules if care is not taken to understand the electronics.

Page 29 shows the location of the relay.

bob

 

We pulled the rear dash cover and found no wires.
​​​​​​​We had pulled the back seat before and don't recall seeing any wires, but I can check again. You think they are there?

 

Did Jaguar forgot to put a third brake light for your car while they were making it in the factory?! lol.

 

That is almost what it seems like haha
and I never would have even noticed it, except that it failed state inspection because of it.

We have had its car for a little over 2 months now, and it's been quite an adventure already
​... and it doesn't even have a license plate yet!!!

 

LOL welcome to World of Jaguar !!!

I'm going on six months w/temp tag due to not able to get my XJR to finalize it computer after replacing the 02 sensors....of course it is only worked/used on weekends....

 

They also forgot to put a space on the front bumper for a license plate.
​​​​​​​

 

When I pulled the cover off mine, I found all but one bulb had burned out. Check the bulbs.

Any problems with the other brake lights? Do you have cruise control issues? sometimes the brake switch goes bad. But I would bet on the relay. Unless -- you broke a wire when you took out the back seat!

 

Jaguar included a plastic number plinth with the car as originally sold.
Someone discarded it and never mounted it to the front of the car.

Jaguar does not install as some States/Countries do not require front tags.

bob

 

I'm not sure way you're talking about
​​​​​There are no bulbs to check because there is no fixture at all. The entire thing is missing.
​​​​​​And there are no wires behind the back seat or under the rear dash cover.

 

Oh, wow. I misread your problem. Sorry.

 

That is strange.

I had an X300 built just before the third brake light became mandatory in the UK. To fit one, I had to change the glass because the X300 had a black mask in the glass around the third brake light.

X300


However, the harness and connector was already in mine. It was taped up underneath the parcel shelf - the metal base accessible in the luggage compartment, not the covering. After removing the parcel shelf from inside the vehicle, then working from inside the luggage compartment, the harness was pushed up through a pre drilled hole.

I'd be surprised if the harness on your X308 isn't taped up in the same place.

X308


No problem with the glass. The black mask was dropped on the X308 and a third brake light unit should fit straight onto yours.

Graham

 

lol it is ok, I hope I didn't sound snarky in my response!
​​​​​​​I do appreciate your input.

 

So, if the wiring is there; go online and buy a replacement (most of those are terribly broken up, especially the covers). Maybe a junkyard.