Third Light Flash
 

I'm new to subaru, and love the look of the twins, I just recently bought a 2016 WRB BRZ, The dealer installed a flashing light module for the third light, I bought the car in Kentucky, but I live in Ohio, does Kentucky have a law for this? Or is the dealer just being proactive in safety? First time I have ever seen this. Does anyone else have this installed from dealer?
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LOjHfldlZ0"]Brz Flashing third light from dealer. - YouTube[/ame]

I would be really irritated if I am behind you at the stop and go traffic. That's weird dealer installed it, did you have to pay for it v

Neil Huffman in Louisville sold me the car, They did not tell me about it, My wife followed me home (two hours) and told me about it when I got home, I found the module spliced into the factory harness in the trunk, The car had 10 miles on it when I test drove it.

I installed a module like this on my old car. If anything, it keeps people who text and drive as well as tail gaters alert, and from rear ending you.

The one I installed did not blink the third brake light every time you hit the brakes. You would have to be off the brakes for 8 seconds for the module to blink the third brake light again.

I see your car also has the wall-holding anti-gravity option too. That is not the 3rd brake light. Is that an aftermarket unit? Maybe a Valenti? That area on a stock car is the back up light only, with no brake lights in it. 3rd brake light is in the back window, and I installed the module in mine so the back window high mounted stop light flashes. Hard to believe that a dealer would install an aftermarket backup/brake light unit........I'd be doing some more investigating on that car..........unless it's on the dealer option sticker.

Did you buy it used or brand new?

That's clearly the third brake light...on the back deck interior. Do you not see it through the rear window in the video?

It's the 3rd tail light at the bottom of the rear window, I just made the mistake of turning my phone while recording, and don't know how to fix recording.
Its not on the dealers option sticker, And I bought the car brand new.

Tomorrow I will call the dealer and see why it was installed, I kinda like it. But then again I hope I'm not breaking any law.

There are several cars that come with this from the factory. It's legal so long as it stays on the entire time (alternates between dim and bright but never fully goes out while braking).

It's a good reminder for people that are more concerned with everything but driving to pay attention.

I remember seeing these on Saturn Ions from the mid 2000s.

I work at our dealership and it's a module we sell to put on cars. It's actually very important when it comes to getting a bad drivers attention to get him to stop. It just adds more saftey to the vehicle and yourself. And it actually will always give you an advantage when it comes to insurance purposes if you ever get rear ended with it on. I personally have one on my car but not on my third brake light. I connected it to my reverse lights

Here's the website http://www.pulseprotects.com

And they are completely legal to have on by the way

Hello!

Do you know if the Pulse module work as described in Si_Chris' post below? (Doesn't blink until off brakes for 8 seconds).

The pulse module we use blinks every time you use the brakes. It doesn't stay blinking. It only does it 5 times then stops. I haven't heard of one that you have to wait 8 seconds or so for it to blink again when pressing the brake. It could just possibly be a bad module but from what we use at work, it goes off every time

This morning on the way to work, I pushed the brake and it would flash then go solid, If I hit the brakes right away after letting off them it would not flash, just stayed solid. If I waited a little longer it would flash again. I will have to time it to see how long before flashing again. I can also get some pictures of the module if people would like. It had some writing on it. Its only three wire hookup. Looks to be in series with the positive, and grounded to the negative. Looks to be a simple charge-discharge timer circuit.

Kahtec http://www.kahtec.com/smart_stop.htm

I installed one of these on our BRZ and our Outback. On the Outback, the 3rd brake light blinks 5 times each time you apply the brakes. If you stay on the brake the light remains solid.

On the BRZ, the 3rd brake light blinks 5 times, remains solid, but will only blink again if 8 seconds elapse between brake application.

Because the BRZ is so low, I felt I needed something to alert distracted drivers. I also installed an Intec high mount 3rd brake light.

Kahtec offers several types of flashing modules. Installs in minutes and can easily be uninstalled.

Which one did you get?:http://www.kahtec.com/US_Order_Form.htm

I'm very interested in buying one, I've been getting alot of people that ride right up onto the tailgate under light braking to a stop or won't see the car. I'm guessing you got the Blinking Smart Stop Delay?

Multiple cars are now coming with them form the factory. There is a bunch of peer reviewed academic literature on their effectiveness in reducing the number of rear end collisions. They are expected to be mandatory, just as daytime running lights are now mandatory, on all new vehicles. They need to pulse, not flash to be legal. So on/brighter/on, not on/off/on.

The original intent was to have them flash at a rate that was based off how hard you were braking (I think F1 cars have this)


I have it in my Valenti 4th brake light. Haven't had many people come even close to hitting me because of it though.

Those are about as annoying as Harley rider's flashing headlights.

Installed a similar setup but with a cheap $50 mustang high mount light yesterday. [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QdpBxfboEk"]kahtec standard + mustang high mount brake light - YouTube[/ame]

I got the annoying one with no delay (so it always flashes six times then solid). Figured I coast most of my way in a low gear that I barely brake but I've seen too mnay people run up close to me a few times that this brake light was installed just for them ;)

I need one of these. Maybe I can annoy those people who tailgate me. But I think I'll need the one that doesn't turn off.

On our BRZ we have the Blinking Smart Stop Delay.

On our Outback we have the Blinking Smart Stop Standard.

Thank you! The one that you have for the BRZ is what exactly I'm looking for. :)

I've been noticing a worrying trend of people riding right up on my rear end when I'm stopping. I've been employing my own version of this...I just push and release the brake pedal a few times when I see someone obviously not slowing down. This might be a better solution.

Do you do any cutting of the wire harness?

+1 Hows the install? Do you have to splice into the third brake light harness with like t tap connectors?

Yes, although I wouldn't call it a harness. :) You must clip a single wire. Take a look at this link http://www.kahtec.com/install_smart_stop.htm . You'll find the instructions here.

I did not have to clip the OEM wires. Since I removed the OEM 3rd brake light, I just took the connector off that, and soldered the Kahtec module to that connector.

You just cut one wire and T-tap three other ones. Very easy install.

After I turned my laptop I saw that the bottom of the car was to the left side of the video, not the right, that's why I thought the flashing part was under the tag. :thumbsup:

Huh. My 2015 does that, too. Figured all of 'em did.


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