Tail Light Wiring: How to Wire Tail Lights

FACTS CHECKED BY  Jose George​

A vehicle’s lighting system includes lights and signal devices. These devices are at a motor vehicle’s front, rear, or sides. While illuminating the path and increasing the visibility, a vehicle light allows other drivers to understand the vehicle’s size, direction, shape, and position. Each morning has its purpose; today, we will read the tail light wiring system in detail. 

Table of Contents

What are tail lights?

You can find tail lights at the rear or back side of the vehicle. There is a reflective material in some tail lights that help them to amplify their brightness and size. In countries like America, tail lights have to be red. Tail lights turn on when headlights are also on. If your car is moving, the tail light will appear dimmer, while tail lights become brighter when you stop your vehicle.  

How do tail lights work?

A relay helps in the functioning of tail lights. When you turn on your car’s headlights, tail lights also turn on as tail lights and headlights wiring takes them to the same switch. Further, tail lights are also wired to the battery.

Types of tail lights

There are three types of taillights.

  • LED lights are popular tail lights as they use less energy and last longer than standard tail lights.
  • Halogen lights are also widespread tail lights, and you will find them on most vehicles.
  • Xenon lights are bright, robust, high-intensity tail lights that use an electrical arc instead of a filament.

Safety aspects of tail lights

Tail lights are essential for the safety aspects of a vehicle. 

Firstly, they highlight the rear edge of any vehicle so that drivers behind can know the size and shape of the cars in front of them. 

Secondly, it’s because of the tail lights that drivers on other vehicles can notice your car in rain or snow. 

Suppose your tail light stops working; repair or replace them immediately. It is dangerous to compromise with safety guards.

What’s the Difference Between Tail Lights and Brake Lights?

Though brake and tail lights are on the rear side of the vehicle and have the same external covering, they are not the same. Let’s find out the difference between them:

  • First, tail lights turn on when you turn on your headlights. On the other hand, brake lights turn on only when you press your brake pedal.
  • Secondly, though both emit red light, brake lights are more luminous and intense than tail lights.

Are my tail lights and brake lights using the same bulb?

Many vehicles use the same brake lights and tail lights. In these vehicles, there are two filaments inside the bulb; one is for the tail light, while the other is for the brake light. In some other vehicles, there are separate bulbs for each circuit.

If you want to know whether your vehicle’s brake light and tail light share the identical bulb, press the brake pedal and notice which bulb lights up in the tail light assembly.

Tail Light Wiring: Are tail lights the same as rear lights?

No, tail lights are not the same as rear lights; instead, they are part of the vehicle’s rear light system.

The vehicle’s rear lighting system includes:

You use turn signals, brakes, and tail lights most frequently. Reverse lights turn on when you move your vehicle backward. And rear fog lights turn on when the visibility comes down to 50 meters or below in case of rainfall or snowfall and work as safety gear.

Car rear indicators or rear tail lights

Car rear indicators or rear tail lights

Conclusion

Tail lights work as safety gear for not only the vehicle driver himself but other drivers too. Thus, it would help if you made perfect connections to this system. Also, choosing a high-quality tail light wiring harness is essential. Superior quality wire harness ensures that you enjoy long-lasting functioning without any hurdles. Cloom has a vast collection of durable, high quality and reliable cable assemblies and wiring harnesses for all types of automotive requirements. Please get in touch with us if you find it challenging to get a high-quality wiring harness for your vehicle’s lighting system.