# mk4 Jetta tail lights.. REWIRING.. Help needed!



## EuroNeed (Dec 2, 2009)

Question!

2000 mkIV Jetta 2.Slow with euro bora tails (not tinted)

Is it possible to re wire the rear tails so when ON, the top part (brake section) stays ON with the same brightness as the center?

Meaning, the brake light section stays ON with the center park with the same brightness BUT when the brakes are applied, the brake part section lights up brighter.

Not my car but heres a pic









As you can see above, the center part of the tails is always ON while headlights are ON. So the goal is to have the brake section (top part of the tails) be ON with the center part BUT with the same brightness. When brakes are applied, the top part (brake section) will simply light up brighter than the center.

Any ideas? ohhhh and i did search but did not find any info about this.

Thanks in advance :beer:


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## EPaterline (Mar 2, 1999)

*Jetta Tails*

Not sure how to rewire the brake lights to make them stay on but you could Euro switch your lights and gain the ability to have rear fog lights, which might give you some of what you are looking for.

I know the look you are trying for. My BMWz4 had rear tail lights that actually added light as you stepped on the brakes harder so people behind could tell you were not just tapping the brakes.

The Euro switch has different pins in the harness to gain different effects. I am guessing the wiring harness for the brakes will have the same sort of set up.


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## dennisgli (May 17, 2003)

Why do you want to do this? Seems like it would just make the brake lights less noticeable.

It amazes me that people buy a "German" car and then want to change it so it works like a Buick!

There is no provision in the brake light wiring harness to "gain different effects".

All that said it wouldn't be too hard to replace the brake bulb sockets with ones for dual filament bulbs - eg. P21/5W or 1157 .


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## EuroNeed (Dec 2, 2009)

dennisgli said:


> Why do you want to do this? Seems like it would just make the brake lights less noticeable.
> 
> It amazes me that people buy a "German" car and then want to change it so it works like a Buick!
> 
> ...


ohh boyy.. really? Buick?

how about my mk6 gti tail lights work just as i wish my mk4 ones did.. so thats why i was wondering if it was possible :wave:


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## dennisgli (May 17, 2003)

Sorry - no offense intended - just an observation. Next VW will be putting in red turn signals! I guess we can just mark it up to "globalization"  .

But it shouldn't be too hard to do what I suggested if you want your MkIV to look like the MkVIs.


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## BsickPassat (May 10, 2010)

dennisgli said:


> Why do you want to do this? Seems like it would just make the brake lights less noticeable.
> 
> It amazes me that people buy a "German" car and then want to change it so it works like a Buick!
> 
> ...


Ever seen a C-class sedan rear lights operate?









It's more difficult to make the changes, because you have to modify the rear tray on:
1) Accepting a dual filament bulb
2) How it is wired up.


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## zackdawley (Oct 4, 2011)

I'm looking at doing this, it's a huge project though. You'll basically have to totally hack apart a set of tail trays. I'd recommend buying a set to work on. 

The OEM trays don't use wires so you've got a lot of work that you'll have to do.


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