Z28/ZR1

Trying to find some information about wires and their corresponding colors. Specifically the brake light. Under the driver side sill cover, there's a bundle of wires going to the rear of the car. I presume one is for the brake light. I need to tap into the right one. Wondering if anyone here knew which is the correct color for the brake lights?

OrangeBird

iTrader: (1)

There will actually be two wires going to the back for brake lights . The regular brake lights are powered from the light blue wire , and the "3rd" brake light is powered from the yellow wire .

Z28/ZR1

Going off memory, but I think I saw a LT-blue stripe brown wire in the bundle. Is the yellow wire solid yellow? Would the 3rd brake light wire be in the bundle going to the rear along the driver side?

Thanks,

OrangeBird

iTrader: (1)

Hi , I checked the wiring diagram again just to make sure , and it only lists the regular brake lights as being a light blue wire . It made no other mention of a secondary (tracer) color on either the light blue or the yellow (3rd brake light) .

And I believe all the wires that run to the back of the car are in that one bundle . I've seen a couple of 3rd gen firebirds taken apart over the years and i honestly don't remember any other harness going to the back other than the one that runs down the left side kickpanel , through a plastic channel under the carpet , and then on into the trunk and fuel tank wiring .

Z28/ZR1

Thanks for the info. I figured that it has to be in that bundle. I'm actually trying to locate the 3rd light wire, so if I see a yellow wire, I'll test it first. My confusion comes from reading somewhere, that the 3rd brake light wire went across the roof to the hatch. I did notice a yellow and brown wire, but that one I believe goes to one side of the rear speakers.

OrangeBird

iTrader: (1)

Since I suck at posting links , let me try this ;

I made a copy of the wiring diagram for your car that I got the colors from . If your better at searching than I am at posting links , the diagrams in their entirety are hosted at a site called austinthirdgen.org

Hopefully my picture works for you . I know it looks like Hell at a first glance but it you click on it it becomes better to view ...

Z28/ZR1

Thanks, that diagram will be very helpful.

Stauf

iTrader: (2)

I belive the third brake light wire I thought ran across the roof if it was a "high mount" light. If it was a spolier light, it probably ran a different way. I had my headliner out in my 91 Camaro, and I would assume its the same for Firebirds/TA also. I do not remember what the wire colors were. The headliner is back up, and I am not going to pull it again.

OrangeBird

iTrader: (1)

I think your right that the high mounted light had a wire like that , but that was the early third gen models and by 91 (the original poster's car) it was in the spoiler . If the OP doesn't find the colors indicated in the schematic in his actual harness , another idea will be to look at the brake light switch itself and verify the colors . One will certainly be orange , that is the +12V from the "stop Hazzard" fuse . The other two will be the regular , and the 3rd brake light . In earlier models (before 89) some of the colors were different , but 89 , 90 , 91 , and 92 all show the same Light blue for regular lites and yellow for 3rd light .....

To Z28ZR1 , will be curious to hear what ya find when you get into it next ....

Z28/ZR1

Had a littler time to remove the inside rear quarter panel on the driver side, and was able to trace a solid yellow wire coming from the fuse box which is routed towards the rear of the car. Haven't had a chance to test it, but I'm hoping it's the right one.

OrangeBird

iTrader: (1)

Something important to keep in mind ,

Just because the 3rd brake light uses a solid yellow wire , does not mean that any solid yellow wire you find automatically has to be the right one ! They reuse colors with not much rhyme or reason , if you look closely at the page I posted yesterday you will find along with our solid yellow for the 3rd light , there is also a solid yellow wire associated with the coil circuit of the fog light relay and switch , a solid yellow powering the left hand rear turn signal light , and at least two other instances of a solid yellow wire in a circuit other than our brake lights . I would not expect a wire coming from the brake light switch to be passing through the fusebox as it has no need of being in there .

Yep , multiple uses in different circuits of the same colored wires ..... Great