Where do I plug these connectors for the License Plate lights?

[Noel]

Hey guys,

While I had my car on jackstands, I thought I would try to get my license plate lights to work. When the car was painted back in the mid 90s they were never plugged re-connected. The only problem is that I can't figure out where these connectors plug. Can someone look at their car for me and let me know?

Many thanks.

BTW, here is a photo of the connectors. The other side of this wire is the side that plugs into the bulb socket in the rubber bumper guard.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

I think there might be a set of wires n there that goes to the optional rear fog light, which was not installed on US cars..

[Nine9six]

Noel,
Assuming you have the OEM bumperetts. Unscrew your license plate light mount screws. Pull out the light assy. Attach wire connectors. Turn on car lights to check lights. Reinstall licnese plate light assy.
The wires get fished through the bumper pads and connect to your license plate lights as described above.
Done

[tycharle964]

i agree with the optional rear fog lights that just get tied up and hand under the bumper for 20 years


if you indeed do not have licenseplate lights, then they get fished like stated before behind your bumper pads, which may or may not be rusted on at the bolts...many times the wired are pinched between the bumper and the pad....the wire should then run to the tailight assembly if I am correct

[Nine9six]

tycharle964,
The poster stated that these were his license plate lightsl Not fog lights.
"While I had my car on jackstands, I thought I would try to get my license plate lights to work."
I dont believe the original poster said anything about being confused as to what lighting system the wires were for...
But I could be wrong, since two replys want to talk about fog lights...

[tycharle964]

well if he didn't want our help, then how hard could it be to plug the wires back into the the lights and why would he post?


my point was simply if you have a tailight assembly it has wires coming out of it for the license plate lights, maybe the optional fog lights, and maybe a wire to go to the frame for ground and maybe a wire to be run the the oil tank for the passneger light assembly only, which was the case on some late 70's early 80's cars that I have come across.

most newer replacement assemblies from Bosch don't come with all the wires on it that the earlier cars had, so you either need to make it up as you go, and check with a tester which wire gets power from which source, and make sure your ground works


but apparently you know everything there is to know about the wiring, so I will leave the advice to you

I don't think the other poster and I were trying to imply a dumb question, just pointing out that it is common for many cars of that vintage to have wires hanging down which are easily confused

sorry Noel to have given you bad advice

[Noel]

OK Guys. Didn't mean to start a fight here. The connectors shown in the photo are the other ends of the wires that plug into the bulb socket (The one in the big rubber bumpers). The connectors on the other end that plug into the bulb socket are actually much larger. I think the small connectors were unplugged when the bumpers were removed for the repaint and never re-attached. If someone can peek under their bumper and let me know if you can tell where the wires run, that would get me in the ballpark.

Thanks again.

[Nine9six]

tycharle964,
No one implied or even suggested to know, "everything there is to know about the wiring" I believe you're being a might overly sensitive here; so take a few deep breaths.

Noel,
I will try to take some photos for you tomorrow, but I think tycharle964 is correct about the routing of the wires. Through the bumper pads, and onto the tail light assy.
Regards.

[tycharle964]

the wire for the license plate light should poke through a hole in your metal bumper inside the bumperette. I have not found a way to run the wire from the tailight assembly to the license plate bulb assembly without un-bolting the bumperettes to get some room to work.

If your car was recently repainted hopefully the bumperettes will unbolt easily.

if not try loosening them up as much as you can and you can see the small hole, about 1/2 in diameter where the wire comes through from the factory

your exhaust may get in the way making it hard to get tools in there to unbolt the bumperettes

a coat hanger works well for seeing where to access the hole both from the tailight assembly side and the to fish the wire back out to the bumperette

I have tried fishing the wires through before with the bumpettes on, but it is usually too tight

probably why they were never reconnnected, as it is somewhat of a pain if the bumperettes are already put back on

i can go look on monday at some cars in the shop and see, if you still haven't found the correct location, it should be pretty straight forward though

[Noel]

Thanks guys. The wires on the bumperette side of the harness are intact and already run into and through the bumper where they are currently tied up with zip ties. The photo I posted shows the other side of the wires (Not the ends that plug into the license plate bulbs. It is this side I am inquireing about. I don't know where these should be plugged in. Any photos whould be apperciated.

Although, I guess I can check out some cars at Hershey next weekend and hopefully find out there.

tycharle964, are you saying that the other end of the wire plugs into the rear tail light assembly? If so, I can't find where it should be plugged in.

[tycharle964]

oh yeah, each side goes to its respective tailight assembly.

So for example drivers side, you have tailight bulb, then assembly, then wire running from assembly through bumperette to tailight assembly


I would suggest unscrewing the tailight assembly and either looking for some bare/unused male spade ends to match the female ends you posted in your pic.


I would imagine they would be on the backside of the whole assmbly requiring complete removal, and not inside the lense as it would be impossible to run wires outside the car and into the lense, well not impossible but wrong

in my earlier post, I mentioned about how the tailight assemblies change over the years, so I don't know the exact answer without looking at yours....your car could have gotten replacements....but my best guess would be to unscrew the whole assembly and look for some exposed blade connectors

[bigchillcar]

now don't anyone yell at me..but please don't forget the wire brush and dielectric grease on the contact points when you're done..
ryan

[Noel]

Thanks guys. I'll check it out tonight and post my results.

[Westy]

And don't yell at me, but in case (and just in case) someone has redone the wiring harness and you no longer have a place to connect, there is nothing wrong with splicing into your running lights wire. Just use silicone or shrink tubing or something of that nature to keep out the moisture. But I repeat, this is a 'just in case'.

[89911]

Noel. Hello! A few things. I'm also going to Hershey so maybe we can have a caravan? You can drive ahead of me at 90 mph and I'll follow back about 1/4 mile with my radar detector. About your wiring questions, were they not functioning? The lights going through the bumperettes are simply licence plate lights. One wire going to each light. A bit redundant in that one wire can easily supply both small voltage lights. Maybe the PO did this and simply didn't use the other one.

[tycharle964]

any luck noel?

[Noel]

I couldn't find any connectors on the back of the tail lights to plug them in. As such, I have a couple plans:

A. Check out a few cars at Hershey this weekend to see where the wires go.
B. Rewire them to the electric line from the old engine bay light.

Thanks for the follow up. I'll post my results.

[tycharle964]

I am going into the shop tomorrow in the morning, there are a few 911's in right now, if you want to call or email I can pull some out and see and then tell you over the phone

[Noel]

Many thanks. I just sent you a PM.

[blackharp]

Originally Posted by Noel

Many thanks. I just sent you a PM.

Did you ever get this resolved? Looking at the same issue.