I need to replace my hatch cause my car was rearended. I got a hatch for free but it is off a '86. My car is a '85. How do I hook the third brake light up to my car?

Thanks,

Matt

 

im not good with the different years, but if your car has the seperate turn signals, then u can find the wire in the back that is only hot when u press the brake and tap into that, if u have the turn/brake combo, then u can tap it off the brake light switch

 

Thanks. I didnt get a real good chance to look at it but where do the wires from the 3rd brake light run? Or is it embedded in the glass like defroster grid lines?

thanks,

Matt

 

The feed wire runs up the driver side of the glas, next to the defroster line; the ground uses the same line as the defroster on the passenger side. Contact for the power is made on a plate near the hatch latching mechanism on top of the rear plastic panel. If your car doesn't have this plate - it has four seperate sections for contacts - you could run a new wire inside up by the rear speaker panel and across the top and connect it under the large screw which holds the light housing in place.
Power for the light is by a yellow wire in the rear well area on the 86-up cars; I'm not sure if your's will have it or not. You may need to run the wire all the way up to the brake light switch that works off the brake pedal arm; tap into one wire - it'll either be white, or light blue - unless there is a yellow one present running down from the turn signal switch.

Pete

 

Thanks! The plate is there. I already have the interior trim piece in the car. I needed to get it so I had clearance for the hatch solonoid. Thanks alot.!

Matt