'97 328iC tail light question

[Marcus Aurelius]

On investigating a "tail light failure" display, I find that the outboard one of two taillamps on the driver's side does not light. I put in a good bulb, and still nothing. I checked for voltage with a voltmeter with the lights on. No voltage at that socket.

Upon pulling the plug off the socket, I find that the harness plug has 7 wires. The socket on the tail lamp assembly has only 6 pins.

This lamp assembly was replaced by the PO. I suspect that the problem has been present since then, since I recently acquired the car and don't drive it often at night. Is it possible that this is the wrong part?

My question to someone at Pelican would be: Can you tell me how many pins are on the connector for the left (driver's side) tail lamp assembly on a '97 328iC?

[Manolito]

I have two '97s and I know for a fact that the red one has the original tail lights. The outboard brake lights do not light on either of my '97s, and it is because there is no power feed through the plug to that trace in the tail light assembly. It seems odd to me that they would install a dual filament bulb and socket, and then not put a connection on that trace.

However, I have followed other e36s and seen both the inboard and outboard brake lights light up. Either those cars have been modified, or different years had differently wired tail lights.

It would be good if they all lit, because the brake lights on e36s are not all that impressive, and my daughter got a fix-it ticket the other night because the right side inboard bulb failed to light (though it lit fine when she got home). We replaced the bulb socket.

I have considered adding a jumper to the inboard light trace to see if I can light them without triggering a brake light failure warning.