Hello everybody! I recently discovered my third brake light harness clip / plug thing was snipped by the previous owner of my 94' Ranger, assuming he was trying to wire it to the bed cap but I guess he never got around to it. Their was nothing to plug into the third brake light for it to get power, so I ordered a new wiring harness and wired it in today. When I tested the light, I simply touched the 3 wires together from the brake light to their matching wires coming from the cab. The wires were not covered by anything and may have been touching each other. During this "testing", the third brake light came on with the taillights and got brighter when the brake was pressed. After I properly wired everything in, covered the wires and all, the third brake light now only illuminates when the brakes are pressed and is no longer on with the taillights.
Question #1: How should the third brake light act? On all the time, or only on when the brakes are pressed? I believe the way I have it wired in now (only comes on when the brakes are pressed) is correct, but please correct me if I'm wrong and let me know what wires need to go together.
Also, the brake light that came with my truck has the two white lenses on the sides and the big red lens in the middle for the brake light. No matter what though, I cannot get the white lights to come on.
Question #2: Are they supposed to come on and if so, when?
Just in case this information helps, when I wired the brake light to the truck their was three wires coming out of the brake light harness and four coming out of the cab of the truck. Their was a green, a black, and two black/pink ones (may have been purple instead of pink, idrk) coming from the cab. From the brake light, their was a green, a black, and a black/pink wire. Could the fourth wire that never got connected to anything fix the problems I'm having, if their is any problems?
Also, I realize while typing this that the brake light had three bulbs, inferring that yes, the white lights should come on. But, when? Any help is appreciated, you guys on this forum seem to always know what's up.

 

In 1994(1993-1998) there are separate brake lights so a canopy 3rd brake light can be wired to either brake light wire in the rear
1999 and up needs a wire to the brake pedal, as brake/turn share same bulb in tail lights

3rd brake light on cab or canopy should only come on when brakes are applied


Cargo lights on cab are activated same as Dome Light, 1994, turn dimmer(headlight ****) all the way clockwise you will feel it "click", dome light AND cargo lights(white lights) should come on
3rd brake light, between them, should stay off until brakes are pressed

 

Awesome, so the brake light is wired in and functioning correctly, thank you. However, cargo lights do not activate with the dome light, even when the dimmer is clicked into max. Does this have anything to do with the other black/pink wire coming out of the cab that didn't get wired into anything? If so, where does this wire go? Do I just sneak it in with the other black/pink wires and see where it goes?

 

Black/pink stripe wire does run from main light switch to cargo lights, see diagram


Cargo light gets 12v from main light dimmer, the courtesy lamp DIODE also allows that 12v to flow TO the Dome light from the Black/pink wire, to the Black/light blue wire

So dome light shouldn't work using the Main Light switch dimmer if black/pink wire is disconnected, but can work using Door Open 12volt, the Black/light blue wire, different switch

The Diode prevents Door Open 12v from going to Cargo Lights, so door open dome light comes on but not Cargo lights


A Diode is a one way valve for electricity, symbol for a diode is >|
Positive voltage can only flow in the direction of the arrow

 

Ahh, ok, I see now. Thank you for your help, I appreciate it Ron.