WHat would it take to make inner segment of taillights functional??

**Mustang5L5**

I know Ford sticks a 3157 bulb in there from the factory, but that section only lights with the parking lights.

I want to modify it so that all 3 sections light up when i hit the brakes and all 3 blink.

I know sequential taillights kits make this happen but I don't want to go that route.

Is it nothing more than buying a 3157 socket from Autozone and tapping into the wire for the brake/turn signal??

Now, won't this also make the turn signal blink slower? How do you get around this??

**5.0's 4 ever** · 01-24-06, 06:42 PM

Funny you mentioned this because I did this modification about two months ago to my cobra because it just didn't look right.
I bought two motorcraft three wire tail lamp pigtails, spliced the now "extra" power wire into the wire that the other two bulbs use for turn/stop/hazard power. On my 96 it was O/LB right side and LG/O for left side.

It doesn't make the turn signal blink any slower either, works perfectly fine and looks great. I can take a pic of it if you want but it will be from my camera phone though.

**Mustang5L5** · 01-24-06, 06:47 PM

No that's ok. I have a pretty good idea what it will look like. I just wanted to make sure i wouldn't make the blink rate slow down.

Where did you get the harnesses from?

I agree that it doesn't look the way it is

**5.0's 4 ever** · 01-24-06, 07:00 PM

I bought mine from the lincoln mercury dealership I work at.

**Mustang5L5** · 02-02-06, 08:38 PM

Do you have the part number for the sockets? I want to go pick up a pair this weekend and get this done

**5.0's 4 ever** · 02-03-06, 07:17 PM

For some reason I do not have my receipt from when I bought them. I could find out the part number tomorrow though when go back to work.

**Mustang5L5** · 02-03-06, 07:24 PM

If you could that would be great thanks! My local Ford parts department can be "difficult" with parts like these if i don't have a number

n0v8or · 02-04-06, 07:15 AM

If the Ford Dealer's price is too high consider a wrecking yard. I bought a complete Mustang tail light assembly with a broken lens for $3, then removed the two sockets. As a bonus, all of the bulbs were good. Note that a tail light assembly from another Ford car would probably work too, as long as it has 2 "donor" dual filament sockets.

**5.0's 4 ever** · 02-04-06, 10:16 AM

Motorcraft reference number: WPT120
Ford full part number: 1U2Z-14S411-VA

**Mustang5L5** · 02-04-06, 11:59 AM

Awesome, you wouldn't happen to remember the price would you?

**Mustang5L5** · 02-04-06, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5.0's 4 ever

Motorcraft reference number: WPT120
Ford full part number: 1U2Z-14S411-VA

Holy crap!! $25 each!!!

**5.0's 4 ever** · 02-04-06, 02:44 PM

Yeah they are kind of expensive, I was expecting like $15 total. I got them for list price and I still had to pay close to $35.

**Mustang5L5** · 02-04-06, 03:33 PM

I think i'll be checking out the local parts stores first and then the boneyard. Thanks for your help though, but $50 (my price) for sockets is a little extreme

mity2 · 02-04-06, 03:41 PM

u can buy the socket from Advanced auto for like 4 bucks. Just ask them part number they list for replacement socket for mid bulb socket.

**Mustang5L5** · 02-04-06, 03:58 PM

I was about to take a ride to advanced just now, but since it's pouring out i'll just wait til tomorrow thanks though!

lightblade · 05:09 PM

all you need is some wire and a couple wire splices, all three of mine blink and turn on when i brake and for the blinker, the inside bulb is already dual filament, it runs on 2 voltages one for tail and the second for the brighter light( brake, blinker), tap into the power for the middle bulb high, and tap that into the wire running to the inside bulb, its real simple, this makes the high voltage signal thats running to that middle bulb go to the inside bulb as well making it light up, you dont have to buy any of that other crap. if u need details on how to do it let me know

AmBo · 02-04-06, 05:25 PM

Care to do a write up? I'm VERY interested in this. I NEVER noticed that only 2 light up until TODAY driving behind a 96-98 cobra. I was like "... ... ew... ..."

**Mustang5L5** · 02-04-06, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lightblade

tap into the power for the middle bulb high, and tap that into the wire running to the inside bulb,

But there isn't a wire. All there is for the inside bulb is a ground and a single wire for the parking lights. That's why i was saying i needed to get the 3-wire sockets.

Or did you do this with the factory 2-wire socket somehow???

lightblade · 02-04-06, 06:22 PM

yes i did with the 2 wires, theres a pos and neg for the inside bulb, it is a low voltage(tail light) and ground, splice into the high from the middle bulb(the third wire is high volt. for blinker and turn signal) and splice this into the one input wire of the 2 for the inside bulb, now it will act as a low voltage as normal but when the brake or blinker is on it will send over the higher voltage and light up with the brake/blinker.

lightblade · 06:35 PM

seems like alot of people are interested in this heres a picture i made, hope this helps!!!

just run one wire and two wire taps, as shown in the picture, i dont remember the exact colors but you have a 50/50 chance of getting the high volt wire and running it to the inside bulb, also i know my inside bulb was a dual filament, if yours is not you will have to buy one, u can get all this stuff at autozone or advanced autos