HELP! - Tail light problem in UK

[Arturo Camillacci]

Hello everybody, I own a '05 Sport Trac imported in Scotland, and have troubles about its tail lights, which are not "street legal" here because the turn light and the tail light are both red, while I need to have tail lights with a separate yellow (amber) turn signal.



I have looked all over the internet, but so far couldn't find any supplier that sells tail lights which will conform to european standards. Is there anybody who has the same problem?



Thanks in advance,

Arturo

 

[Yardsale]

I do not have that problem, but a suggestion.



Replace the back-up bulb with an amber bulb and re-wire the taillight so that the turn signal wiring now goes to the back-up bulb (now amber) socket. It is a clear lens, so this should be legal (verify first). Verify the required wattage of the bulb. Verify the running and brake lights work properly (you'll still need the dual filament bulb and brake light wiring). Now, you need back-up lights.



Add a couple LEDs to the bumper cover (or wherever you want) and re-wire the back-up light wring to the LED location. There are some small, low power and bright LEDs out there.



Food for thought.

 

[Richard L]

Yardsale,

I don't think your solution will work because the Turn Signal bulbs circuit is also used for the Brake lights. I had thought of doing just that on my 2001 and 2003 Sport Tracs, but could not determine exactly how to make it work. The problem is that the Brake/Turn signals are split by the circuitry in the Lighting Module and the module determines which bulbs to light solid, and which one should blink



There is a circuit that might work to split out the brake Light signal from the turn signals. These are the little circuit boxes that come with high mount brake light kits for older cars with combination brake/turn signal lights. That may not even work, since the circuit only separates the brake signal from the turn signal to active at the high mounted brake light, but leaves the brake light, turn signal wiring in place, so it does not appear to actually separate two separate signals...you get a brake/turn signal and a brake only...not a turn signal separate from a brake signal.



I think it would require a custom programmed circuit to separate the turn signal from the brake light...attempts to simply wire the brake and turn signal different will not work.



...Rich

 

[user 66791]

This would work by running wires to the front turn signals easily. I know on my 2008 Adrenalin model (Gen2 2008 model) I have an LED brake light LED bar under my tailgate and I use a trailer plug that resides under the tow hook that comes with the Adrenalin. You could easily tie in there as well. My email is heywardjr at mac.com if you want pictures or questions answered.

 

[Richard L]

heywardjr,

That's a great idea, and it would probably work well here in the USA. The only problem might be the parking lights? :supercool:



Of course the rear red turn signals would still blink with the amber turn signals (after converting the backup lights to amber turn signals) and that still might be a problem in the UK. European countries are a lot pickier on safety, emissions and lighting than we are here in the USA.



It might be possible to run a wire from the center High mounted Brake light and wire the brakes lights with only the Brake light signal from the high mounted brake light? I think those are the best possible solution to Arturo's problem...



:banana:



...Rich

 

[user 66791]

RichardL - yes - agree. It's pretty easy to run the wires to do what you want. I added an LED Fire and Ice bar under the rear hatch which also adds parking lights and turn signal but it is all red. It also has white backup LED's too. Not sure if any of that is legal in the UK. Not a problem here for sure.



I think just wiring up to the front light wiring would work fine. The center brake light can also be a source by removing the headliner and wiring from there.

 

[Richard L]

heywardjr,

Actually, you do not even have to touch the headliner. all the wires run through a channel under the rear door sills. I don't know if the center brake light is under the right or left door sill, but I suspect the right door sill since that's where most of the wiring is. I wiring diagram would identify the wire color and which side it's on for easier identification.



That still might leave the problem of the front parking lights interfering with the front blinker signal? I think the front blinkers have a double filament bulb and can probably be separated...but I am just not sure.



I lived in Europe for over 8 years and most European countries are very picky about lighting issues. If you have an aftermarket fog or driving light mounted, it must be functional and operate only when the low beams are on regardless if the light is not standard equipment...if it's on the vehicle, it must work or you must remove it to pass inspection. They are also as picky about the brake and signal lights. If they require amber signal lights in the rear, they probably will reject a vehicle with blinking amber and red lights. :banghead:



....Rich

 

[Mark K 2]

Years ago, I was offered a job in England and was going to bring the ST with me. I converted the tail lights and rear turn signals to be UK compliant. I installed a 3156A bulb in place of the backup lights and rewired them to be turn signals. I ran a new dedicated brake-only wire from the brake light switch to the brake lights. I already had a Waag rear bumper guard and installed a rear fog light on the left side and a backup light on the right side. I also added amber "repeater lights" to the sides of the front fenders (also a UK requirement). The only thing I didn't do is convert the headlights. Apparently, you are allowed to install a special blocking film to the American headlights to prevent stray light from blinding oncoming drivers (the French do that all the time).



Since front amber parking lights are not allowed in the UK, I was planning to install a DRL kit and cut the front parking light wires or change the bulbs to 3156A.



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[Richard L]

Mark,

That's good insight to what is acceptable for converting an American vehicle to be legal in England. On the front parking lights, did you change to a clear bulb or clear-corners? Also, do they allow white/clear bulbs for turn signals on the front, since the parking lights and front turn signals share the same bulb?



I was always under the assumption that Left drive vehicles had to change headlights? So there is some conversion kit that redirects the beam away from oncoming traffic on the right?



...Rich

 

[Mark K 2]

I never got to the front parking light conversion. I was going to add a daytime running light kit so the high beams would be on reduced brightness. That's what Saab and Volvo used to do on some of their cars. Another option was to install a marker light socket in each headlight housing or turn signal housing and install a 3 to 6 watt bulb wired to the parking light wire. Volvo did that in the 1980's. In either case, I'd have to cut the parking light wire at each Ford park/turn socket or simply change the bulb from a 3157A to a 3156A. The 3156A is like the 3157A, except it lacks the parking light filament.



Front turn signals in the UK must be amber only.



Here's an example of the blocking film to prevent American headlights from blinding oncoming British drivers:

 

[Mark K 2]

Now, you can buy LED lamps that simply plug into the existing parking/turn socket. The park circuit activates white LEDs and the turn circuit activates the amber LEDs.

 

[Richard L]

Mark,

That's cool. It appears that the converter from Left to Right drive headlights is a stick-on prism that bends or shifts the light towards the left....very similar to the old sealed-beam headlights we used years ago. :supercool:



Also, the LED replacement bulb for the parking lights would be the ideal solution to the problem about having white parking lights and amber turn signals in one bulb, however the reviews indicate that they don't work that way. One guy says he wanted them to have white running lights and amber turn-signals but they don't do that....It appears they just alternately change from white to yellow and back to white??? Several reviewers reported that the lights have a reddish-pink tint to them? Maybe some of the bulbs are defective? :sad:



I'm sure someone can make an LED bulb that would work as white running lights and amber turn-signals...



,,,Rich