996 ABS Warning + Dead Brake Lights: Switch Issue?

I had a similar issue with my 2005 Porsche Cayman S last summer. The symptoms were exactly the same, ABS light and brake lights not working. Turned out you're right about the brake light switch. In my case, the switch had completely failed. Took it to my trusted mechanic and they diagnosed it pretty quickly. The brake light switch is actually a common failure point on these cars. They had to replace the switch and reset the ABS system. It wasn't a serious repair, more of an annoying electrical issue. The whole thing took about an hour to fix. Just make sure whoever works on it knows Porsches. I'd check with your local Porsche club for mechanic recommendations, that's how I found my current guy. They'll usually know who's good with the older models.

Thanks for sharing your experience! That's really helpful to know it was the same issue. Did you happen to remember roughly how much the repair ended up costing you? And has everything been working fine since the switch was replaced? I'm hoping it'll be a similarly straightforward fix for my 996.

Hey there! Following up on your questions about the repair cost, actually, here's a funny twist: After taking it to my mechanic, we discovered it was just a simple personal error! The brake light switch was indeed faulty, but it turned out to be just stuck. The mechanic showed me how to unstick it, and voilà, no cost at all! Since that quick fix last summer, my Cayman S has been running perfectly fine, no more ABS light issues and the brake lights are working great. It's such a relief when these things turn out to be simple fixes rather than expensive repairs. Just goes to show that sometimes what seems like a serious problem can have a really simple solution. Hope your 996 issue turns out to be equally straightforward! Let us know how it goes.

Thanks so much for the detailed follow-up! You won't believe it, but I took your advice and found a Porsche specialist through the local club. Just got back from the shop, and guess what? It was exactly the same situation as yours! The mechanic showed me that the brake light switch was just stuck, and he fixed it right there on the spot. He even took the time to explain how to handle it if it happens again, just a simple trick of wiggling the switch a bit. Saved me a bunch of money and worry! The ABS light is off now, and all the brake lights are working perfectly. Such a relief it wasn't anything serious. Really appreciate everyone's help here. Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best ones. Time to enjoy driving my 996 again without that annoying ABS light staring at me!