How to: Make all Taillights illuminate when Braking

[04Mach1Blurr]

Was looking for a solution on how to wire in the most inner bulbs that do not illuminate unless the parking lights are on. With this $15 mod, yes ~$15... when you apply the brakes, all 6 (7 including your 3rd brake light) will illuminate. This is not the sequential tail light wiring kit which is awful on our SN95 cars, but simply a splice in How To.

I researched and found the most direct, simple way of installing 12 parts total. Research taken from Tail Light Mod - The Mustang Source - Ford Mustang Forums Thanks to User :HotLap

Parts list:
- (2) brake lamp sockets #85885 (yes they are Chrysler, but they fit and are low profile) Dorman/Brake Lamp Socket (85885) | AutoZone.com
- (6) crimps to connect the wires together.

How To:
- Remove trunk liner to access bolts that hold on the brake lights.
- Remove the 4 nuts on each lamp and pull the brake lights out.
- Remove the most inner bulb sockets (the ones closest to the license plate, they have 2 wires) and cut them off leaving some wire on in case you decide to sell or reuse them for later.
- Tap into the Major wire from the center lights socket in preparation to splicing and adding a wire to the inner socket (closest to the taillight).
- Splice in the Ground (-) wire, Minor wire, and Major wire in to the new inner socket (closest to the taillight).
- TEST the lights to see that they work normally and also when brakes are applied.
- If all is good, use some electrical tape to secure the splices, re-install the sockets into the lamp, and re-install the lamp into the car. Tighten all nuts, and re-install trunk liner.

probably will take 30 mins.
Enjoy:CHEERS:

 

[04Mach1Blurr]

updated with pictures

 

[Darko]

Great write up! Ill have to do this

 

[UncleSAm]

Great write up! Ill have to do this

I told you too! And showed it on my old BAB

 

[04Mach1Blurr]

Glad it's a help! Simple write up ftw

 

[nextime]

I can wire a stereo system up, install GPS tracking systems in 18 Wheelers with Cellphone modems and GPS antennas so I am good at wiring things up but your wiring directions are a little confusing.

So the two wires you cut off the original outer socket where do they go? You just terminate them and tape them up or what? You didn't mention what to do with them.

And this "Tap into the Major wire from the center lights socket in preparation to splicing and adding a wire to the inner socket." The inner socket is wired already from the factory in your pictures.

"Splice in the Ground (-) wire, Minor wire, and Major wire in to the new inner socket." Again the inner socket is wired already from the factory in your pictures.

Your pictures show a stock inner socket and what looks like a new outer socket, this is the confusing part to your directions.

What I am guessing you meant to say is.....

Cut the two outer wires and tape them off cause they are not needed.

Splice the new socket for the outer light as shown, minor to minor (purple to brown), major to major (teal to red/orange) and ground to ground (black to black)

Am I correct?

 

[04Mach1Blurr]

So the two wires you cut off the original outer socket where do they go? You just terminate them and tape them up or what? You didn't mention what to do with them.
Are you talking about the socket? The old socket is trashed. The two wires that you cut from the center socket needs to be tapped in order to power the new socket which also has the 3 wires that the center and most outer socket have.

And this "Tap into the Major wire from the center lights socket in preparation to splicing and adding a wire to the inner socket." The inner socket is wired already from the factory in your pictures. Yes showing the stock 2 wire wiring compared to the new socket with 3 wires

"Splice in the Ground (-) wire, Minor wire, and Major wire in to the new inner socket." Again the inner socket is wired already from the factory in your pictures. It is not a factory inner socket (the inner socket is not the center of the taillight, rather the inner socket closest to the license plate)

Your pictures show a stock inner socket and what looks like a new outer socket, this is the confusing part to your directions. You have this backwards. The lighter colored socket is the new socket.

What I am guessing you meant to say is.....

Cut the two outer wires and tape them off cause they are not needed.
no
Splice the new socket for the outer light as shown, minor to minor (purple to brown), major to major (teal to red/orange) and ground to ground (black to black) to the middle socket. yes

let me know if that helps?

 

[nextime]

When you kept saying "inner socket" I was looking at the 3 sockets in the picture, not thinking of the distance between both lights and calling them inner sockets.

What color wires were on the socket you cut off?

My question is why cant you just splice the new socket into the Middle socket wires (I am taking about your top picture, the socket to the right of the new socket) on the tail light and tape the old wires you cut off? It shouldn't blow the fuse in the system and it should act like the other 2 original lights.

 

[04Mach1Blurr]

When you kept saying "inner socket" I was looking at the 3 sockets in the picture, not thinking of the distance between both lights and calling them inner sockets. Sorry will revise that to make it clearer.

What color wires were on the socket you cut off?
They were the same ones as the minor and the ground on the other two 3 wire sockets.

My question is why cant you just splice the new socket into the Middle socket wires (I am taking about your top picture, the socket to the right of the new socket) on the tail light and tape the old wires you cut off? It shouldn't blow the fuse in the system and it should act like the other 2 original lights.

You can splice them in if you strip a section of the wires, I chose to use crimps. The old taillight socket is removed completely in order to use the new 3 wire socket. Without the MAJOR, MINOR, and GROUND wired in, there is no wire for the actuation of the brake or turn signal lighting up on the OEM 2 wire socket. It would probably blow the fuse from constantly illuminating. Am I answering your question or no haha?

 

[nextime]

OK this is what I am saying.....

The two wire socket cut it off and tape the wires up and forget about the wires cause they wont be used anymore. Dont even think about these 2 wires anymore.

Take the new socket and splice it into the middle socket on the lens. By doing this the new socket should act just like the middle socket in the lens. No fuses should be blown.

Understand what I am getting at? Wouldnt this be easier?

 

[04Mach1Blurr]

OK this is what I am saying.....

The two wire socket cut it off and tape the wires up and forget about the wires cause they wont be used anymore. Dont even think about these 2 wires anymore.

Take the new socket and splice it into the middle socket on the lens. By doing this the new socket should act just like the middle socket in the lens. No fuses should be blown.

Understand what I am getting at? Wouldnt this be easier?

Okay i get you now, yes it can work fine, as long as you have enough wire for it.

 

[nextime]

Yeah I was thinking this would work.

Anyway thanks for posting the info and I will be planning on doing this mod soon.

 

[04Mach1Blurr]

Yeah I was thinking this would work.

Anyway thanks for posting the info and I will be planning on doing this mod soon.

No problem, glad to help

 

[shurur]

nice..I just made a 3 wire socket (those sockets twist apart..really) for the inner lights and chained the wires..I also put in some parallel low R/high watts ceramic Resistors in series to protect the fuse/relay..but I have the 99-01 cobra 4-wire system...with separate turn signal..different thing really..