# DIY 5th Brake Light Mod



## MechEngg (Jan 13, 2009)

I thought i would write up a do it yourself, a really simple one for anyone who wants it. It really isn't hard, only takes about 5-6 minutes for someone with limited knowledge or 15 max for someone who has no clue what they are doing.
*What it does and why should you do it:*
Uses the empty socket in your tail lights for an extra brake light. This increases safety for night driving and also looks better. And if it only takes 10 minutes to make your jetta look at least a little bit unique, then its totally worth it.








*What does it look like:*

__
Image uploading. Refresh page to view









*What you will need:*
2 Wires - 26 gauge or thicker (lower gauge number like 22 will work perfect) - 1X1.5" and 1X.5"
Wire Strippers / Exacto-knife / Similar
Soldering Iron (preferrably small)
Solder (silver-tin or similar)
Soldering Flux (to make the solder stick where it should)








**********NOTE: I AM SHOWING THE PROCESS FOR THE PASSENGERS SIDE TAILLIGHT FIRST, SEE BOTTOM FOR THE DRIVERS SIDE TAILLIGHT BECAUSE THE WIRING IS DIFFERENT*************

* STEP 1 *
Open your trunk and remove back of taillight by undoing tabs. This should be what you get:








* STEP 2 *
See in the picture below that there are essentially 6 pins that run to the lights. What they represent (from left to right)
1) + for the lower left bulb
2) Ground for all bulbs
3) + for top light (brake light)
4) + for third light down (DRL)
5) + for second light down (turn signal)
6) + for lower right bulb








* STEP 3 *
So for the passengers side taillight we need to wire in the lower right socket into the brake light. So basically we have to connect the + brake connection to the + lower right bulb connection (connect between pins 3 & 6. 
Bend the 1.5" wire (prestripped about .25" on each end) so that it doesn't directly lie on the other connections. At this point you want to dry fit the wire to make sure it lies nicely on both connections and does not come close to the others. 
Scratch the metal away to make it shiny and good for soldering. Make sure to use flux to keep the solder from running onto other connections and/or melting the plastic. 
Using a steady hand, make sure it is steady or this could get messy, solder one connection in place and then the other.
















http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/MechEngg/DSC02263.jpg[img]
[B] STEP 4 [/B]
Long story short just put in the other bulb and this is what it should now look like:
[IMG]http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/MechEngg/DSC02264.jpg
* STEP 5 *
Follow steps 1 and 2 for the DRIVERS SIDE TAILLIGHT and then instead of using connections 3 and 6, use connections 1 & 3. You will not have alot of room to work so the wire should basically be sticking up like an upside-down U from the connections. Solder it in the same way and this is what you should come up with:








NOTE:
Use caution when doing this mod to 2005 jettas and other taillights that are not all red casing on the back. It is ILLEGAL to drive with white lights facing backwards. If you have taillights that have clear backs in the turn signal and backup light areas, please do everyone a favor and use red bulbs. 



_Modified by MechEngg at 10:00 PM 4/9/2009_


----------



## MechEngg (Jan 13, 2009)

*Re: DIY 5th Brake Light Mod (MechEngg)*

Bump for comments/concerns/anything


----------



## vr6jettagli (Mar 30, 2008)

awesome write up should be stickied to diy wish i had all red taillights , dunno how it would look on clear with red bulbs


----------



## vr6jettagli (Mar 30, 2008)

u think you could do a schematic so i can wire that bulb to the reverse light so my reverse is the whole line , would it be the first and last pin for the passenger tailight?and what about the driver side? 


_Modified by vr6jettagli at 4:46 PM 4-11-2009_


----------



## MechEngg (Jan 13, 2009)

*Re: (vr6jettagli)*

If you wanted the whole bottom to be reverse you would connect the first and last pin for both passenger and drivers sides. This is the only time that it would be the same. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


----------



## vr6jettagli (Mar 30, 2008)

awesome man thanks ill post up some pics as soon as i do it maybe monday


----------



## MechEngg (Jan 13, 2009)

*Re: (vr6jettagli)*

yeah definitely let me know how it goes with the whole red/white backup lights


----------



## whatnxt (Mar 15, 2006)

*Re: DIY 5th Brake Light Mod (MechEngg)*

Nice write-up.
Why didn't you just make jumpers and insert them on the other side? 
I did that and added the red bulbs. Can't even see the bulbs.


----------



## MechEngg (Jan 13, 2009)

*Re: DIY 5th Brake Light Mod (whatnxt)*

I could have done that but i didn't have any pin connectors. So i figured this was probably a pretty good way to go around that for people who dont want to search Home Depot for pin connectors. Its cheap and takes not alot of time. I found i spent most of the time trying to get the lights out of the car, and i have done it maybe 5 or 6 times.


----------



## laxdmiddie (May 11, 2009)

*Re: DIY 5th Brake Light Mod (MechEngg)*

I Just finished this on my jetta today, I used connectors on the other side of the housing and it worked great! It def. adds a lot more to the brake lights. Easy mod, worth the $3 for bulbs and 10 min of work. I'll have to post pictures later.


----------



## laxdmiddie (May 11, 2009)

*Re: DIY 5th Brake Light Mod (laxdmiddie)*









Before








After



_Modified by laxdmiddie at 7:16 PM 5/11/2009_


----------



## Jermi4 (Feb 7, 2009)

My concern is that because you are running the bulbs in parallel, it will increase the current flowing through that circuit. This would result in the potential for wiring to get warmer and blow fuses. Of course these are just risks. Does anybody have experience with the results of this mod?
Also this mod needs to get added to the mk4 DIY pronto.


_Modified by Jermi4 at 1:50 PM 5-25-2009_


----------



## laxdmiddie (May 11, 2009)

*Re: (Jermi4)*

So its been almost two weeks since i did this mod and i haven't had any issues with a blown fuse or the wire getting too hot. As you see on the pictures in my previous post i have an additional LED brake light on the spoiler (the picture isnt that great for that light) but it is wired parallel too. So that means i have a total of 3 extra brake lights and nothing has happened so far. Good luck with the mod, it's extremely easy, let me know if you have any questions


----------



## Jermi4 (Feb 7, 2009)

*Re: (laxdmiddie)*

Thanks for the input. I opted to go for a "solderless" mod just using the blade connectors on the back of the bulb holder and making a short jumper cable. Works great and I agree this may be one of the easiest and quickest mods possible.


----------



## MechEngg (Jan 13, 2009)

*Re: (Jermi4)*

yeah there is almost no difference in heat between the regular lights and the modded lights. I have had it for a while now and nothing is wrong. No melted wires, the only difficulty is that it is slightly harder to remove the back casing to change the bulbs due to the added bulb. But no big deal, only 30 seconds now instead of 20


----------



## vr fix (Aug 7, 2006)

so with this mod done and the euroswitch installed.... when the switch is in the rear fog spot then the left "5th brake light/rear fog light" would be lit and when i press the brakes both will light.. am i correct on this? 

i just ordered a euroswitch and want the rear fog light... and read somewhere i needed to run a wire from the switch pin 9 to the rear fog light?? 

with this soldering mod i could eliminated the need to run a long azz wire ? am i correct on this?


----------



## vr fix (Aug 7, 2006)

vr fix said:


> so with this mod done and the euroswitch installed.... when the switch is in the rear fog spot then the left "5th brake light/rear fog light" would be lit and when i press the brakes both will light.. am i correct on this?
> 
> i just ordered a euroswitch and want the rear fog light... and read somewhere i needed to run a wire from the switch pin 9 to the rear fog light??
> 
> with this soldering mod i could eliminated the need to run a long azz wire ? am i correct on this?



well got the extra brake lights wired up...piece of cake....

im thinking just install the switch when i get it and test the rear fog light with no wire changes see what happens.... im thinking that its going to kick on my driver side brake lamp as well because now they are jumped together...

any ideas vortex?


----------



## cuppie (May 4, 2005)

vr fix, here's what the jumper mod does:
it connects each rear foglamp socket to the brake lamp socket. Simple as that.

What will happen when you put your euro switch in? Absolutely nothing - because there's no wire (and, therefore, no connection) for the rear foglamp (from the switch to the fog lamp.)
Re-read the thread - the alternate jumper method jumps the brakelamp pin to the foglamp pin, rather than putting the jumper on the bulb carrier.
And, what will happen should you run that wire, with the jumper mod in place? Turning on the rear fog lamp won't light up just that one bulb - it'll light _all_ of the brake lamps. Not good. :facepalm:
Even if it "only" also lit the left brake lamp, that still wouldn't be good (not to mention illegal, as you would have no properly-functioning brake lamp on that side.)

You'll need to either permanently undo the jumper mod, or replace the left jumper with a diode.


----------

