Third Brake Light on a 85 Laser

[mrchuck]

I have a 85 laser but i had to change the back hatch.I have one from a 86 that has the third brake light, well to cut this story short i took it in for a PA inspection and he told me it will not pass unless the third light works, so does anyone have a pinout of the wiring for a 85 & 86 laser or know where the extra wires get connected too ?

[4 l-bodies]

Chuck,
Typically the third brake light is independently wired and on separate fuse that your other brake/taillights. This is done is case primary wiring /fuse fails you still have a brake light. Many people just tie into one of the brake lights when mounting a third brake light.

[mrchuck]

I did try to tap into afew wires but the third light was on constantly or blinked with the turn signal .

[bigbarneycars]

I did try to tap into afew wires but the third light was on constantly or blinked with the turn signal .

If you're adding the 3rd brake lite you need to determine which wire is hot and which is ground from the donor 3rd lite. The hot wire from you pigtail goes straight to your fuse block and is hot all the time. The ground wire goes straight to your brake lite switch and you need to either solder it in to the group of wires or splice it in and you're done done. Elizabeth Dole didn't get that 3rd brake lite law passed 'til '86 or '88. Think I didn't have fun frenching a 3rd brake lite into the tail gate on my '83 Plymouth GT Scamp? So I know what works and how and what won't. And listen to what 4 l-Bodys too, lol. Jer

[bigbarneycars]

mrchuck. Your ground wire is grey. Your hot wire is white with a tan tracer and if you do not have both ends of the black plug plus a piece of wire beyond both those halves I'd suggest you go back to the wrecking yard and retrieve it-them. post hast. The schematic shows both sides of wire that come directly out of the light itself as both being 18wt. (wt=white) They do not change color 'til they come out of the 2nd half of the black plug so you will not know which is hot or ground unless you have both ends of that plug. Happy Hunting ... BTW, that wiring Schematic comes out of my '87 Service Manual which covers your Lancer as well as my LeBaron and I doubt Mother changed those wires enough between '86 + '87 to screw you up. '87+'88+'89 Service Manuals are all the same , Jer

[mrchuck]

mrchuck. Your ground wire is grey. Your hot wire is white with a tan tracer and if you do not have both ends of the black plug plus a piece of wire beyond both those halves I'd suggest you go back to the wrecking yard and retrieve it-them. post hast. The schematic shows both sides of wire that come directly out of the light itself as both being 18wt. (wt=white) They do not change color 'til they come out of the 2nd half of the black plug so you will not know which is hot or ground unless you have both ends of that plug. Happy Hunting ... BTW, that wiring Schematic comes out of my '87 Service Manual which covers your Lancer as well as my LeBaron and I doubt Mother changed those wires enough between '86 + '87 to screw you up. '87+'88+'89 Service Manuals are all the same , Jer

Thank you , I got the pigtail when i got the hatch i figured i would need it. If i remember i think it`s a white wire with a red stripe & a fat black wire.