Rewiring Taillights ?
Thread Starter
Senior Member
SL Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,658
From: Chi-town
Rewiring Taillights ?
I want to rewire my turn signals in tail lights from corners into the brake light, so that the red part of brake light flashes when i turn on the turn signal....any suggestions on how to do it? and which wires to play with?
Senior Member
SL Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 473
From: Sumter County, Florida
I wish people always asked questions this simple.
You do not need to mess with or cut or add relays to anything, all you do is take out the turn signal connection and switch it with the brake light connection, they are the same exact thing, just take a closer look at them.
You do not need to mess with or cut or add relays to anything, all you do is take out the turn signal connection and switch it with the brake light connection, they are the same exact thing, just take a closer look at them.
Senior Member
Team Hamster
SL Member
Team ScioNRG
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 898
From: Burlington, MA
Sorry I didn't chime in earlier.
You need to buy a trailer light converter that converts the independent signals from the turn and brake into one signal for both. It's inexpensive and can be bought for under $20 here: Acar Late-model Trailer Light Converter.
After looking in the electrical manuals for all models, the following is how the wires breakdown:
- Left turn (+) yellow wire
- Right turn (+) green wire
- Brake light (+) blue wire
- All grounds (-) white with black line wire (fyi: no need to touch these wires but mentioned to prevent confusion)
First I would determine which side of the trunk you want to place the converter box. For this sake, let's say you decide to mount it (using double-sided tape) near the left taillight. You'll need to run two wires (I would suggest two different colors to prevent confusion) from the right taillight across the bottom of the trunk over to the converter box.
- From left taillight: connect the yellow wire from the LEFT TURN signal to the yellow wire of the "To Car" side of the converter box
- From left taillight: connect the blue wire from the BRAKE LIGHT to the red wire of the "To Car" side of the converter box
- To left taillight: connect the yellow wire of the "To Trailer" side of the converter box to the rear left bulb you intend to have do both purposes
- From right taillight: connect the green wire from the RIGHT TURN signal and run it across the trunk to connect to the green wire of the "To Car" side of the converter box
- To right taillight: connect the green wire of the "To Trailer" side of the converter box and run it across the trunk to connect to the rear right bulb you intend to have do both purposes
*note* You only need to connect 1 brake signal to converter box and this is why you'll only need to run wires from the right turn signal and not from the right brake signal as well. No need!
I quickly drew a simple diagram to show what I mean (not drawn to scale and without 2 different colors for right taillight as described above):
Once you get the converter box in hand, strip the panels of the trunk (DIY for that found here: https://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=60981), find the wires by color mentioned above, make sure car is off and key is NOT in ignition, then cut and run the wires as specified above. Should not be difficult at all.
Hopefully this all makes sense, definitely ask questions if you have them. Good luck!
You need to buy a trailer light converter that converts the independent signals from the turn and brake into one signal for both. It's inexpensive and can be bought for under $20 here: Acar Late-model Trailer Light Converter.
After looking in the electrical manuals for all models, the following is how the wires breakdown:
- Left turn (+) yellow wire
- Right turn (+) green wire
- Brake light (+) blue wire
- All grounds (-) white with black line wire (fyi: no need to touch these wires but mentioned to prevent confusion)
First I would determine which side of the trunk you want to place the converter box. For this sake, let's say you decide to mount it (using double-sided tape) near the left taillight. You'll need to run two wires (I would suggest two different colors to prevent confusion) from the right taillight across the bottom of the trunk over to the converter box.
- From left taillight: connect the yellow wire from the LEFT TURN signal to the yellow wire of the "To Car" side of the converter box
- From left taillight: connect the blue wire from the BRAKE LIGHT to the red wire of the "To Car" side of the converter box
- To left taillight: connect the yellow wire of the "To Trailer" side of the converter box to the rear left bulb you intend to have do both purposes
- From right taillight: connect the green wire from the RIGHT TURN signal and run it across the trunk to connect to the green wire of the "To Car" side of the converter box
- To right taillight: connect the green wire of the "To Trailer" side of the converter box and run it across the trunk to connect to the rear right bulb you intend to have do both purposes
*note* You only need to connect 1 brake signal to converter box and this is why you'll only need to run wires from the right turn signal and not from the right brake signal as well. No need!
I quickly drew a simple diagram to show what I mean (not drawn to scale and without 2 different colors for right taillight as described above):
Once you get the converter box in hand, strip the panels of the trunk (DIY for that found here: https://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=60981), find the wires by color mentioned above, make sure car is off and key is NOT in ignition, then cut and run the wires as specified above. Should not be difficult at all.
Hopefully this all makes sense, definitely ask questions if you have them. Good luck!
Senior Member
Team Hamster
SL Member
Team ScioNRG
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 898
From: Burlington, MA
I just made a couple edits of my post above as I made the mistake of thinking the brake wire was brown when in fact it's blue.
Also, I just realized that it's not as simple as I explained above because the bulb in our taillights that is currently used to brake is also used when the headlights are on (dimly) regardless if the brake pedal is depressed. Sooooo what that means is there are 2 positives wires going into that bulb. I'll need to figure out which wire is the one you'll need to atler. Look for an update later tonight/tomorrow.
Also, I just realized that it's not as simple as I explained above because the bulb in our taillights that is currently used to brake is also used when the headlights are on (dimly) regardless if the brake pedal is depressed. Sooooo what that means is there are 2 positives wires going into that bulb. I'll need to figure out which wire is the one you'll need to atler. Look for an update later tonight/tomorrow.
Senior Member
Team Hamster
SL Member
Team ScioNRG
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 898
From: Burlington, MA
Yes for sure. I was thinking of doing it to my car tonight (handy I already have the trailer light converter, huh? 
) and possibly writing it up as an official DIY. Regardless, I will be figuring it all out tonight because my car is going into the shop for at least a week so I wouldn't be able to test it out until I get it back. Not only do I want to let you guys know, but I'm curious how it'll look. :D
If you can find a similar trailer light converter local then that will help. Otherwise you'll have to wait until you get the shipment in the mail. Not sure what your timeline is.
Update will be up by noon tomorrow.
) and possibly writing it up as an official DIY. Regardless, I will be figuring it all out tonight because my car is going into the shop for at least a week so I wouldn't be able to test it out until I get it back. Not only do I want to let you guys know, but I'm curious how it'll look. :DIf you can find a similar trailer light converter local then that will help. Otherwise you'll have to wait until you get the shipment in the mail. Not sure what your timeline is.
Update will be up by noon tomorrow.