European Spec Taillight Wiring (for 2000 + 2001 models)
If you have a car built in model year 2002 or afterwards, go and reference these two great How-To's already done by Jetters;
http://forums.focaljet.com/exterior-...no-red-xs.html
http://forums.focaljet.com/exterior-...de-simple.html
You lucky dogs get to do things a bunch easier than those of us with early model years.
If however you, like me, have tried those previous How-To's and found that your car completely lacked some of the junction boxes and wires they speak of, continue reading and enjoy.
Model Year 2000-2001 European Spec Taillight Wiring Guide
*Please note that the colors of wires that I specify here are for a 2001 model year Focus and MAY be different on previous model years. Always use a circuit tester to make sure you have the correct wire before doing anything permanent.*
Also, we will not be tapping into blinker wires for this method; we will be rearranging the wires the car already has and running a single wiring under your center console to reach the trunk area.
Reference:
This is a basic wiring chart of the stock US Spec taillights. The Brake signal and the Turn signals are combined at the Hazard Switch on 2000 + 2001 model year cars. I created this based on the Hanes Repair manual, and what I found when i took apart my dash.
US Taillight Wiring
Also, for later, this is a basic wiring chart for the changes we will be making to create Euro Spec taillights.
Euro Taillight Wiring
Tools You Will Need:
7mm socket and wrench
Philips head screwdriver
Tweezers or small flat-head screwdriver.
Wire cutter/ Wire stripper
Wire butt connectors in assorted sizes (or, if you prefer, a soldering gun)
Some 14 and 18 gauge automotive wire
EU Spec bulb holders/ plug harnesses (can be gotten from www.batinc.net)
EU Spec taillights
Step #1
Take apart the radio section of the dash. You need to get to the hazard switch.
After removing the radio, use the 7mm socket to remove the 4 bolts holding the faceplate in place. Pull the faceplate out just enough to remove the 2 screws on the back on the hazard switch. (It is soooo much easier to test and play with the wires if the hazard switch can be pulled away from the dash a little)
Step #2
Once you have the hazard switch free, unplug the connector from the back of it. If you look at the connector we will be removing the little white clip that holds the wire leads in place. This can be done by using tweezers to depress and push out the piece holding the clip in place. I tried to show it in the photo as it is the white piece underneath the section of the connector that secures to the hazard switch. It might be a little tricky at first, but it should come out in two little pops.
Pic #1
Pic #2
Step #3
Using the tweezers again, you want to get at the little clip holding in the Green w/Red stripe wire. It is in the center row and is the origin point for the brake signal in the rear taillights. Again, this might take a little work, but once it is out, you have separated your brake and turn signals going to the rear of the car.
Pic #1
Pic #2
Pic #3
Replace the little white clip into the connector and plug it back into the hazard swtich. Clip the section with the lead off the end the Green w/Red stripe wire and affix a butt connector to the part still attached to the car.
*I would hold onto the section of brake wire lead you cut off and put it in a safe place in case you ever need to go back to the stock wiring.*
Step #4
You have successfully separated the brake and turn signals in the rear, but as you may notice, there is no longer ANY brake signal (other than the high mount) at the rear of the car. This is where this job can get a little ugly.
You CAN just wrap the brake signal lead you pulled out of the back of the hazard switch in electrical tape and leave it, splicing into the wire for the high mount brake light to get a signal for the other brake lights in the rear. But I’ve blown WAY too many fuses and relays by overloading wires, so I went a safer, albeit more complicated, route.
Remove the center console of your car.
Remove the interior trunk carpeting.
Take a length of the 14 gauge wire long enough to reach from the hazard switch to the rear hatch. Connect this extension to the Green w/Red stripe brake signal wire from Step #3. Run the wire down the dash and under the center console, taking care to tuck it out of the way of any moving shifter and e-brake parts. Then, using a little ingenuity and a long thin rod, feed that wire up and under the carpeting beneath the rear seat before finally tucking it behind the left side panel. This wire is now the origin point for the brake light signal and we will be splicing into it.
*We are now done with our work in the front half of the car but I would recommend that you not put everything back together yet. Leave that area open in case you run into any problems later on. Best to take things apart once, and put them back together once.*
Step #5
Remove the taillights.
I found it useful to remove the bulbs from the taillight housing, but leave them attached to their plugs so that you can see if things are lighting up correctly.
*You can put an Amber 194 bulb in place of your reverse bulb and wire up the US Spec taillights to function as the European ones do. This requires slightly less splicing work as you will only need to switch around some wires inside the trunk area. Whereas if you choose to use EU Spec taillights, you will need to splice in new bulb sockets and pigtail connectors on the outside of the car as well; the EU taillights use different bulb holders than their US counterparts.
I will touch on both methods. I you are using EU Spec taillights, please scroll down a bit.*
*Please refer to the two wiring reference charts at the top of the page for a visual representation of what you will be doing*
Step #6
*If modifying US Spec taillights*
There are three wires going to the top bulb socket; and once you have completed step #4 these will be: Ground(Black), Parking(Orange + Orange w/White stripe), and Turn(Blue + Blue w/Red stripe).
There are two wires going to the lower bulb socket; these are Ground and Reverse(Green w/Black stripe + Green w/Orange stripe).
Using a current tester, double check which wires you will be using by sticking the tip into the leads of the little Grey and Blue junctions boxes on the drivers side trunk wall.
You want to take the brake signal wire that you ran up from the front of the car and splice two wires to the end of it. Then cut the Turn(Blue + Blue w/Red stripe) wires approx 3 inches AFTER the junction box; this will give you enough length to work with when setting up the new turn signals.
Use the butt connectors to secure the two brake signal wires you have to the hanging ends of the Blue + Blue w/Red stripe wires. It doesn’t matter which side you connect each too as the brake lights are not left/ right specific.
When that is done, you will have the wire running from the front of the car connected properly to the top bulb of the taillight as JUST the brake signal.
Put your key in the ignition and turn to the car on.
Turn on the lights to make sure that the rear Parking/ Running lights still function properly.
Have a friend help you out and press on the brake to confirm that the brake signal is still going to the top bulb of the taillight.
Have a friend help you out and turn on your blinkers to confirm that the turn signal is NO LONGER going to the top bulb of the taillight.
You should experience the 'hyper-blink' at this point because there are no rear turn signals connected.
The reverse light signal comes through the Green w/Black stripe wire. If you follow that wire around the trunk just a little you will see that it splits into a Green w/Black stripe + Green w/Orange stripe as it heads to the two taillights.
Cut both wires AFTER this split, so you can have two wires to splice into later for the new reverse lights.
*To continue with the Reverse lights, see the section later on*
Step #7
Take the 18 gauge wire and cut two pieces long enough to reach from the two turn signal wires at the junction box to the remnants of the Green w/Black stripe + Green w/Orange stripe wires going to the lower bulb of the taillights.
Use the butt connectors to secure these wires together.
Left side of the car should be wired like this; Solid Blue (coming out of grey junction box) connected to Green w/Black stripe (leading to left lower bulb plug)
Right side of the car should be wired like this; Blue w/Red stripe (coming out of grey junction box) connected to Green w/Orange stripe (leading to right lower bulb plug)
Step #8
Put your key in the ignition and turn to the car on.
Have a friend help you out and turn on your blinkers to confirm that each turn signal is going to the correct lower bulb of the taillight.
Also, with the blinkers off, turn on your lights and press the brake to confirm that no other signal is lighting the lower bulb of the taillight. This is a problem that I ran into on my initial try at doing the Euro taillights; my blinkers worked, but they also lit up when I hit the brakes. Just a quick check will ensure that you have avoided this.
Step #9
In place of your clear 194 bulb in the lower socket, place an Amber 194.
Step #10
Replace your US Spec taillights.
Double check that everything still works and that you have no loose wire connections.
Clean up the wiring in the trunk with some wire loom and electrical tape as you will most likely have had to cut most of the existing tape wrap off the wires to do the aforementioned work.
Replace your trunk carpeting.
Enjoy your new lights!
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*Please refer to the two wiring reference charts at the top of the page for a visual representation of what you will be doing*
Step #6
*If using EU Spec taillights*
There are three wires going to the top bulb socket; and once you have completed step #4 these will be: Ground(Black), Parking(Orange + Orange/White), and Turn(Blue + Blue/Red Stripe).
There are two wires going to the lower bulb socket; these are Ground and Reverse.
Using a current tester, double check which wires you will be using by sticking the tip into the leads of the little Grey and Blue junctions boxes on the drivers side trunk wall.
You want to take the brake signal wire that you ran up from the from of the car and splice two wires to the end of it. Then cut the Turn(Blue + Blue/Red Stripe) wires approx 3 inches AFTER the junction box; this will give you enough length to work with when setting up the new turn signals.
Use the butt connectors to secure the two brake signal wires you have to the hanging ends of the Blue + Blue/Red Stripe wires. It doesn’t matter which side you connect each too as the brake lights are not left/ right specific.
When that is done, you will have the wire run from the front of the car connected properly to the top bulb of the taillight as JUST the brake signal.
Put your key in the ignition and turn to the car on.
Turn on the lights to make sure that the rear Parking/ Running lights still function properly.
Have a friend help you out and press on the brake to confirm that the brake signal is still going to the top bulb of the taillight.
Have a friend help you out and turn on your blinkers to confirm that the turn signal is NO LONGER going to the top bulb of the taillight.
You should experience the 'hyper-blink' at this point because there are no rear turn signals connected.
The reverse light signal comes through a Green w/Black stripe wire. If you follow that wire around the trunk just a little you will see that it splits into a Green w/Black stripe + Green w/Orange stripe as it heads to the two taillights.
Cut both wires AFTER this split, so you can have two wires to splice into later for the new reverse lights.
*To continue with the Reverse lights, see the section later on*
Step #7
Take the 18 gauge wire and cut two pieces long enough to reach from the two turn signal wires at the junction box to the remnants of the Green w/Black stripe + Green w/Orange stripe wires going to the lower bulb of the taillights. Use the butt connectors to secure these wires together.
Left side of the car should be wired like this; Solid Blue (coming out of grey junction box) connected to Green w/Black stripe (leading to left lower bulb plug)
Right side of the car should be wired like this; Blue w/Red stripe (coming out of grey junction box) connected to Green w/Orange stripe (leading to right lower bulb plug)
Step #8 Put your key in the ignition and turn to the car on.
Have a friend help you out and turn on your blinkers to confirm that the turn signal is going to the lower bulb of the taillight.
Also, with the blinkers off, turn on your lights and press the brake to confirm that no other signal is lighting the lower bulb of the taillight. This is a problem that I ran into on my initial try at doing the Euro taillights; my blinkers worked, but they also lit up when I hit the brakes. Just a quick check will ensure that you have avoided this.
Step #9
Now we switch to the work on the outside of car.
Get your new Euro bulb holders and plug connectors ready.
Mark the three wires currently going into the socket of the top bulb;
Black - ground, Orange w/White stripe(left side) + Solid Orange(right side) - parking, Blue(left side) + Blue w/Red Stripe(right side) – brake
Mark the two wires currently going into the socket of the lower bulb;
Black - ground, Green w/Black stripe(left side) + Green w/Orange stripe(right side) - turn signal
Step #10
Cut the US Spec bulb sockets and plug from their wires, making sure to leave a long enough length of wire still attached to the plug in case you need to reconnect them later.
Use the butt connectors to attach the new EU Spec bulb sockets and plugs to the cars’ existing wires.
You can tell which wires are made to attach where by looking inside the end of the bulb socket that the plug harness connects to. Next to each of the little metal prongs, will be a little three letter designator; GRD, MAJ, MIN (or something similar to that).
The Ground wire obviously needs to connect to the GRD, but you can refer to the order the colors were placed in on the US Spec bulb sockets to correctly attach the other two.
Step #11
Plug the bulb holders into their respective plug harnesses.
Start up the car and do another quick once over on all the rear light functions to make sure you attached the EU Spec bulb sockets in the correct manner.
Step #12
Install your new EU Spec taillights.
Double check that everything still works and that you have no loose wire connections.
Clean up the wiring in the trunk with some wire loom and electrical tape as you will most likely have had to cut most of the existing tape wrap off the wires to do the aforementioned work.
Replace your trunk carpeting.
Enjoy your new lights!
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Reverse/ Rear Fog Lights:
There are a few ways you can wire up the European style bumper lights, all depending on personal preference.
For the die hard Euro fans, you could go for the stock LHD (Left Hand Drive) style with a red Rear Fog light on the left, and a clear Reverse light on the right. You can then connect both of these to your existing reverse light wires so that you will have one red and one clear reverse light. OR you could splice the wire for the Rear Fog light into the wire for your front Fog lights and make it fully functional. This would leave you with only a single light acting as a Reverse, which is legal to do, take a look at the redesigned Scion xB.
For aesthetic purposes, you could also get two clear bumper lights (one LHD and one RHD reverse) and wire them up as reverse lights
To run both as Reverse lights:
The reverse light signal comes through a Green w/Black stripe wire. If you follow that wire around the trunk just a little you will see that it splits into a Green w/Black stripe + Green w/Orange stripe as it heads to the two taillights.
Cut both wires AFTER this split, so you can have two wires to splice into later for the new reverse lights.
Step #1
On the trunk floor, behind the wheel bump, you will see two indented circles on the floor. These are not part of the floor metal and are in fact stiff rubber plugs. The wiring for the Euro bumper Reverse/ Rear Fog lights will run through these.
Using a dremel tool, or even an awl, make a hole in each plug large enough to slip two 18 gauge wires through.
Step #2
Slip one wire through both sides and run them towards the middle of the hatch where they can be connected to the grounding screw located under the trim. Those will be the Ground wires for the new Reverse/ Rear Fog lights.
Step #3
Slip the second wire through both sides and run them/ splice into to the ends of Green w/Black stripe + Green w/Orange stripe Reverse light wires located near the left side of the hatch.
Put your key in the ignition and turn to the Accessories position, then shift into reverse.
Then, using a current tester, double check that power is going to the new Reverse/ Rear Fog lights only when reverse is engaged.
If everything is working properly, use some silicone sealant to completely seal the hole in the rubber floor plugs that you ran the Reverse wires through.
Step #4
Splice the new wires under your car into the ends of the plug for you European Reverse/ Rear Fog lights, plug them into the bulb socket and call it a day.
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