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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Electrical => Topic started by: Sodium Duck on November 23, 2011, 10:12:34 pm

Title: License plate light
Post by: Sodium Duck on November 23, 2011, 10:12:34 pm
I need to wire up a license plate light. My truck has an aftermarket bumper. It looks like they just cut whatever wires there were for the plate light and never hooked anything back up. I think the easiest thing to do is just wire up a whole new light. Where's the easiest place to wire in to? I'd like to just splice in somewhere. I'm not familiar with the wiring at all under the dash.

Would it be a terrible idea to splice a line off my headlights?
Title: Re: License plate light
Post by: zieg85 on November 23, 2011, 10:18:29 pm
You should have a black wire in back to hook to, it should be coming out of the loom in the very back of the bed. 
Title: Re: License plate light
Post by: firefighter on November 23, 2011, 10:40:48 pm
If you're wiring up a license plate light, you're all the way at the back of the truck.
Why not just splice it in with the parking lights wire that's already back there?
In all reality, the small wire harness that runs from the cab to the rear of the truck should only have 3 power wires, left turn, right turn and tail/parking lights.
I wouldn't be messing with anything under the dash. Splice it in at the rear of the truck.
Good luck!!
Title: Re: License plate light
Post by: Sodium Duck on November 24, 2011, 05:46:35 am
Roger that!
Title: Re: License plate light
Post by: jnt412 on December 26, 2011, 05:00:29 pm
I'm sure you probably already installed the license plate lights but here are a few comments for other people looking for the same info.   Others are correct, the wiring thats needed is in the rear of the truck.   Under the truck near the bumper there should be a dark brown wire thats coming from the main wires of the backup lights.   This wire is for your license plate light, depending your bumper (step or etc) you may need to splice it for dual lights.   This dark brown wire is positive and the metal of the bumper is ground.

If you register free with autozone.com, they have wiring diagrams for your truck as well...



jnt412..
Title: Re: License plate light
Post by: Sodium Duck on December 27, 2011, 09:55:04 pm
I actually found the correct replacement socket/bulb at a car parts store and wired it up to the dark brown one you're talking about. Works great.