How to wire tailgate LED strip
#1
How to wire tailgate LED strip
There have been a few threads with pics installed, but no wiring instructions. I snapped some pics when i installed mine this weekend to hopefully help others. This is for a '15 XLT Sport, no BLIS, non-LED
My LED strip just attached with 3M tape - cleaned the area off well and stuck 'er on. The wiring came out of the strip on the drivers side. I made a nice bundle (tape, wire loom, zip ties) and ran it up behind the drivers side taillight (i am assuming people know how to get their taillight off).
When you look at the back of the taillight there are two plugs. The one on the bottom of the light is for the reverse bulb and the top is for the run/turn.
This pic is of the two wires that go to the reverse bulb - I have a green wire and a black/yellow wire. Tap the green wire for the reverse light. I was able to tell this is the right wire because both plugs had a black/yellow wire going to them, so I assumed that was their ground.
Here is a pic of the wires coming out of the plug for the run/turn - I've already installed my taps. I had a black/yellow, blue, and gray/orange. The black/yellow i tapped for ground, the middle wire (blue) is the run/stop wire, and the gray/orange is the turn. The other way to remember it in case your wire colors are different - the middle is the run/stop. Also with this style of wire tap, the male spade connector just slides onto the end. So if you have a connection wrong you just unplug it and try again.
Then to tap the other turn signal, I soldered on an extension of 14ga wire (16ga should be fine too) and ran it back down under the truck and followed an existing wire bundle that runs up above the bumper. Once I got that wire run into the other taillight - I just applied the same logic to that taillight. I knew black/yellow was ground, the middle was run/stop, so i tapped the other outside wire (which for me was green/orange)
I tested everything out and it all worked! Sorry i didnt get pics of stop/turn/backup - but they all work and look great. Also when putting the taillights back on, i was careful to make sure the wires didnt pull or twist weird. I used a few more zip ties to help keep things in place.
Hopefully this can help someone else out.
My LED strip just attached with 3M tape - cleaned the area off well and stuck 'er on. The wiring came out of the strip on the drivers side. I made a nice bundle (tape, wire loom, zip ties) and ran it up behind the drivers side taillight (i am assuming people know how to get their taillight off).
When you look at the back of the taillight there are two plugs. The one on the bottom of the light is for the reverse bulb and the top is for the run/turn.
This pic is of the two wires that go to the reverse bulb - I have a green wire and a black/yellow wire. Tap the green wire for the reverse light. I was able to tell this is the right wire because both plugs had a black/yellow wire going to them, so I assumed that was their ground.
Here is a pic of the wires coming out of the plug for the run/turn - I've already installed my taps. I had a black/yellow, blue, and gray/orange. The black/yellow i tapped for ground, the middle wire (blue) is the run/stop wire, and the gray/orange is the turn. The other way to remember it in case your wire colors are different - the middle is the run/stop. Also with this style of wire tap, the male spade connector just slides onto the end. So if you have a connection wrong you just unplug it and try again.
Then to tap the other turn signal, I soldered on an extension of 14ga wire (16ga should be fine too) and ran it back down under the truck and followed an existing wire bundle that runs up above the bumper. Once I got that wire run into the other taillight - I just applied the same logic to that taillight. I knew black/yellow was ground, the middle was run/stop, so i tapped the other outside wire (which for me was green/orange)
I tested everything out and it all worked! Sorry i didnt get pics of stop/turn/backup - but they all work and look great. Also when putting the taillights back on, i was careful to make sure the wires didnt pull or twist weird. I used a few more zip ties to help keep things in place.
Hopefully this can help someone else out.
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#2
Senior Member
Awesome tutorial! Thank you!
#3
Had the same issue with my light bar, I disconnected it from the trailer wires and did exactly what you explained and everything works fine with no dings or trailer warning indications. I have the Putco 60" Blade LED light bar and its well worth the money and extremly bright. I got it off of stage3motorsports.com a Ford only site that makes things easy and has some pretty good stuff. Thanks this helped out a lot.
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pohlmeyr (01-03-2018)
#4
Lights on
Brake lights
Cant really tell because of the camera quality, but the blinker is a bright orange that is extremely noticeable.
At night the reverse lights are excellent, they shine back a good 10-15 feet and are extremely bright.
Brake lights
Cant really tell because of the camera quality, but the blinker is a bright orange that is extremely noticeable.
At night the reverse lights are excellent, they shine back a good 10-15 feet and are extremely bright.
#6
I also had problems initially with my putco blade. A custom truck shop installed it incorrectly resulting in trailer messages etc. Actually simple to install this way. STAY AWAY FROM TRAILER WIRES except for power and ground. Pro trailer assist and bliss do not play well with others. Gebo21 explained the install succinctly.. and there are 2 late model ford specific videos on you tube. h
Last edited by HEAVY K; 01-12-2018 at 09:27 AM.
#7
Wiring colors
ok so here’s what I discovered. I have the 2018 F150 with led taillights and BLISS
pins 2,3,4 of each taillight worked for wiring the tailgate light bar.
PIN 2 Drivers side - gray with brown stripe for left turn signal
PIN 2 passenger side - green with brown stripe for right turn signal
PIN 3 either side for running and stop lights
PIN 4 either side for reverse lights
I ran the ground to the chassis but PIN 1 is slotted as ground.
pins 2,3,4 of each taillight worked for wiring the tailgate light bar.
PIN 2 Drivers side - gray with brown stripe for left turn signal
PIN 2 passenger side - green with brown stripe for right turn signal
PIN 3 either side for running and stop lights
PIN 4 either side for reverse lights
I ran the ground to the chassis but PIN 1 is slotted as ground.
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#8
Senior Member
Go to post #8 and open up the pdf file and follow instructions for running a jumper wire. I found mine easily under the dash left of the brake.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ing-issue.html
Then buy one of these. Plug in the 7 pin connections and zip tie it up. Then plug your LED light bar into the flat 4 pin which will leave the 5th pin open. You will have a wire that you would normally run to your tail light from the LED bar, strip it and put a bullet connector on it and plug it into the the 5th pin. Zip tie and viola!
Doing it this way leaves your 7 pin and your 4 pin open and all the wires tucked up under the back end.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ing-issue.html
Then buy one of these. Plug in the 7 pin connections and zip tie it up. Then plug your LED light bar into the flat 4 pin which will leave the 5th pin open. You will have a wire that you would normally run to your tail light from the LED bar, strip it and put a bullet connector on it and plug it into the the 5th pin. Zip tie and viola!
Doing it this way leaves your 7 pin and your 4 pin open and all the wires tucked up under the back end.
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Orlandoscaper (08-04-2019)