I have a 2009 ranger i am trying to connect a 3rd stop light on a bed cap when i took the driver side tail light assenbly apart i foud three wires to the stop light black with green stripe, violet , and a light brown or grey wire. which one of these is the brake light wire?

 

test light is your friend when you dont have a wiring diagram

 

i dont have a helper at this time i figured if someone knew the answer it would save a lot of time

 

According to the wiring diagram the ground is black/yellow and the brake pedal switch is violet/white. I don't show that the connector has a brown or gray wire. Does the light have cargo lights?

 

You can't use any of the wires at the taillamps for the cap CHMSL. Tap the violet/white from the factory CHMSL instead.

 

Agreed, you have to use the factory CHMSL. I did not even notice you were referring to the wiring on a bed cap.

 

why cant you tap the taillamp wire for a cap 3rd? cause mine has wires off to the left side but i never bothered to hook it up

 

that white/violet wire wouldnt be at the back of the bed would it? where would it go into the cab? through the fire wall or just internallly ran through the cab from the brake pedal switch right? i thought i could just find the brake light wire right at the tail light assembly and didnt have to tap into that light on the top of the cab.

 

According to the 2009 wiring manual, the brake only WH/VT does not go to the back of the frame. It starts from the brake pedal switch, drops down from the dash along the side of the trans tunnel to a connector under the carpet under the driver seat, then back under the carpet and up the driver side rear pillar to the CHMSL.

Each taillight has a reverse light wire, a running light wire and a combination brake/turn wire. If you tap into the violet wire in the left tail, the CHMSL will flash with the left blinker. Similar problem with the yellow in the right tail.

black/yellow = ground
gray = running/parking lights
brown/yellow = reverse lights
violet = LH brake/turn
yellow = RH brake/turn


The situation with your Mazda may be different. Assuming that you have separate turn and brake circuits, and I think you do, then there is a separate brake lamp circuit at the rear of the truck. Going by 99 Ranger color codes, you'd be looking for a light green wire.

 

thanks to all! it was easy enough once i found the right wires i ran a couple of new wires through some 3/8 smurf tube in the frame rail i tapped the wire at the brake switch and installed a 5 amp fuse holder and ran a 20 amp hot feed from the battery with some #12 i installed a cargo light and 2 aux outlets in back for cordless drill chargers. again thanks for the info!