Help installing license plate lights

Liz tyler

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Seaford,de
I’m trying to install license plate lights on my 2006 wrangler. I bought the Jeep used and it didn’t have a plate bracket or plate lights. I can not find the original license plate light wires. I’m trying to go with the license plate bolt lights because it seemed like the easiest route. But I have no idea how to wire them!!!!
 
I’m trying to install license plate lights on my 2006 wrangler. I bought the Jeep used and it didn’t have a plate bracket or plate lights. I can not find the original license plate light wires. I’m trying to go with the license plate bolt lights because it seemed like the easiest route. But I have no idea how to wire them!!!!

The original license plate light was part of the tail/brake light assembly for the drivers side. Did someone replace the tail light assemblies?
 
Neither of my TJs ever came with license plate lights, and both have the factory license plate holder. Are they supposed to come with them from the factory?

Wiring license plate light bolts would be easy though. They're going to have a positive and a negative on both lights. You can ground the negative wire to the body (using the same ground as the taillights) and run the positive to the parking light wire on the taillights. That way when you turn on your headlights / parking light your license plate lights will come on, and when you turn them off, they'll go off, just like they should!

Simple as that! Probably one of the easiest things you could wire up. However, if you don't have any wiring experience, I'd suggesting finding someone with a bit of experience. I'm not sure which wire is the parking light wire on the taillights, but all you need for that is a test light to easily figure it out.
 
Neither of my TJs ever came with license plate lights, and both have the factory license plate holder. Are they supposed to come with them from the factory?

All TJ’s came with the drivers side tail light lens clear on the very bottom. This is how light was shined onto the license plate.
 
All TJ’s came with the drivers side tail light lens clear on the very bottom. This is how light was shined onto the license plate.

You're right! It's on the bottom of the taillight on the driver's side, my bad! I did have it this entire time after all.

I had completely forgotten it was a part of the taillight assembly.
 
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The original license plate light was part of the tail/brake light assembly for the drivers side. Did someone replace the tail light assemblies?
The tail light looks stock. But there are no wires there for the tag lights. The only thing I can think to do is to splice into the tail light . But it just seems odd that they would have pulled the tag light out .
 
The tail light looks stock. But there are no wires there for the tag lights. The only thing I can think to do is to splice into the tail light . But it just seems odd that they would have pulled the tag light out .

Post a picture of your tail light.
 
The tail light looks stock. But there are no wires there for the tag lights. The only thing I can think to do is to splice into the tail light . But it just seems odd that they would have pulled the tag light out .


There is no dedicated wire or lamp for the license plate, it is illuminated by the parking light bulb. When you turn on the lights the plate is illuminated.
 
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F1FC641B-ECF1-4181-8215-C2BE8835EF38.jpeg
The tail light looks stock. But there are no wires there for the tag lights. The only thing I can think to do is to splice into the tail light . But it just seems odd that they would have pulled the tag light out .
There is no dedicated wire or lamp for the license plate, it is illuminated by the parking light bulb. When you turn on the lights the plate is illuminated.

I do see that the bottom of the right tail light is clear unlocks the left tail light. So I’m guessing my only option is to splice into these wires.
 
The tail light with the clear bottom should be for the driver side.This will illuminate the license plate when the main light sw is activated.Its possible someone removed both taillights and put them back on the wrong sides.
 
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View attachment 42549


I do see that the bottom of the right tail light is clear unlocks the left tail light. So I’m guessing my only option is to splice into these wires.

The clear on the lens in your picture is for the backup lights. The clear lens for the license plate light is in the bottom of the housing.
 
However if I do splice into these tail lights won’t the tag lights blink when I turn on my blinkers ?? ‍♀️

Normally the left tail light would be clear so maybe someone swapped them, so you could just swap them back. If you want to add a stand alone lamp for the plate you would only have to splice into the brown wire and ground the lamp.
 
What the bottom of the taillight should look like on driver side(clear underneath)
20180528_171459.jpg

What bottom of passenger looks like,
20180528_171506.jpg
like were saying the driver side has a clear lens to illuminate the taillight down through the housing and onto the license plate, therefore there is NO NEED for a light to be wired in
 
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What the bottom of the taillight should look like on driver side(clear underneath)View attachment 42550
What bottom of passenger looks like,
View attachment 42551 like were saying the driver side has a clear lens to illuminate the taillight down through the housing and onto the license plate, therefore there is NO NEED for a light to be wired in

Thanks Silver for supplying those pictures.
 
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That lamp assembly appears to be flush mounted. You’ll need to wire in a separate license plate lamp as TJ4Jim stated.
 
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