DIY: Enable Upper Brake Lights - California T | FerrariChat

DIY: Enable Upper Brake Lights - California T

Discussion in 'California/Portofino/Roma' started by whatheheck, Aug 8, 2020.

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  1. whatheheck

    whatheheck F1 Rookie
    Owner

    Mar 27, 2006
    4,138
    Seattle, Wa
    Full Name:
    Dan L.
    My usual disclaimer: Im posting to share knowledge & experience so that if anyone wants to do the same modification here’s the info you need to make life easier for you.

    I’m not here asking for your approval or whether you like this or agree with this or not.

    If you disagree or you don’t like it its OK, its my car. You too can do whatever you want to your own car.
    Always remember to each his own.


    As always, do this at your own risk.

    Note that my design approach may not be the best way nor the only way. Im sure there are easier ways on accomplishing this mod but I have yet to see details on how the others was done because it was done for them by their local shop.

    If this info helps you a simple thanks goes a long way.

    Now that we have that out of the way.......................


    Note: This is for the California T Model. There is already a post for the original California.

    Situation:

    To comply with US laws that brake lights shall be installed on a stationary part of the vehicle Ferrari late during their design of the California reconfigured their tail lights assignment. They moved the brake lights to the lower bumper location.

    The issue with this reconfigured brake light location is they are way too low and not in the line of sight of the drivers behind us. I’ve had three people already mentioned to me that my brake lights are out as they don’t see the upper tail lights lighting up when I step on the brakes.

    This is a safety issue for me, I don’t want to risk getting rear ended so I decided to reconfigure it back to original design.

    · Action:
    Utilize / add rear fog lights on top tail lights to the brake lights.
    Find brake lights 12V power wire and use it to power the fog lights.

    Done!

    Please see attached complete step by step procedure write up and very short video below.
    Attached are some photos as well.

    Degree of difficulty of this modification from 1 to 10, ten being very difficult = 2.

    Hope this helps some of you.

    Dan








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    Attached Files:

  2. whatheheck

    whatheheck F1 Rookie
    Owner

    Mar 27, 2006
    4,138
    Seattle, Wa
    Full Name:
    Dan L.
    How to remove trunk lid upper panel attached.
     

    Attached Files:

    Mafiaboy1975 likes this.
  3. Mafiaboy1975

    Mafiaboy1975 Formula Junior

    Aug 10, 2019
    258
    South Africa
    Full Name:
    Mick
    Great right up Dan thanks so much.....what happens when you put the fog lights on at the switch now? does it power the centre brake light too?

    BY THE WAY I found the pins in the fuse box a few minutes ago...there is one pin for the fog lights and 2 pins (LH and RH) side stop lights.

    I have not wired anything up yet just located the pins and removed them to test ( have not swapped then yet. )
     
    whatheheck and SLViper1 like this.
  4. vjd3

    vjd3 F1 Rookie
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 3, 2005
    2,565
    Massachusetts
    Full Name:
    Vic
    Nice Dan! Leave it to Ferrari to engineer it so you have to remove the trunk striker just to get the trim cover off, but other than that looks like a simple mod. Thanks for doing the work and providing the info.
     
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  5. whatheheck

    whatheheck F1 Rookie
    Owner

    Mar 27, 2006
    4,138
    Seattle, Wa
    Full Name:
    Dan L.
    Hi Mick,

    Thanks!

    Great job finding the power wires for the rear fogs and brake light at the fuse box!!!
    For the life of me I was not able to find it so I gave up & just did the trunk wiring modification as I want mine done ASAP as I already got 3 comments from other drivers that my rear brake lights are defective...............

    My rear fog lights are now disabled as the power wire for it I capped and stowed.
    This is fine by me as we dont really use rear fog lights here in the US.
    I am actually worried that if the rear fogs are used Cops can pull the driver over thinking his brake lights are stuck on.

    What happens when I push the rear fog power switch? Either nothing or a fault light comes on. I will try it soon.

    Take care.

    Dan
     
  6. whatheheck

    whatheheck F1 Rookie
    Owner

    Mar 27, 2006
    4,138
    Seattle, Wa
    Full Name:
    Dan L.
    Thanks Vic!

    Yes, I was thinking the same thing...Ferrari could have very easily do a cut out around the trunk striker plate so that the trim pane can be easily removed and not have to remove the striker plate.............

    Take care Vic.

    Dan
     
  7. SLViper1

    SLViper1 Formula Junior
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Mar 25, 2014
    742
    Nashville/Destin
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    Steve
    res1afbe and whatheheck like this.
  8. whatheheck

    whatheheck F1 Rookie
    Owner

    Mar 27, 2006
    4,138
    Seattle, Wa
    Full Name:
    Dan L.
    Great find Steve!

    Thanks for sharing.
    Dan
     
  9. ToddMick

    ToddMick Karting

    Sep 30, 2019
    57
    Las Vegas
    Full Name:
    Todd M
    Great job with this! Rewiring my Cali brake light was the first thing I did when I got it. Glad you were able to do it with the Cali T and write it up!
     
    whatheheck likes this.
  10. robstand

    robstand Karting
    Rossa Subscribed

    May 13, 2019
    133
    Seattle, WA
    Full Name:
    Robert S.
    What gauge wire did you use?
     
  11. jopke

    jopke Rookie

    Aug 18, 2014
    43
    I am strongly considering a Cali T as my first Ferrari and have bookmarked this page!
     
    whatheheck likes this.
  12. vjd3

    vjd3 F1 Rookie
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    Jun 3, 2005
    2,565
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    Vic
    I believe he used a 20 gauge wire.
     
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  13. whatheheck

    whatheheck F1 Rookie
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    Mar 27, 2006
    4,138
    Seattle, Wa
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    Dan L.
    Thanks Todd!

    Dan
     
  14. whatheheck

    whatheheck F1 Rookie
    Owner

    Mar 27, 2006
    4,138
    Seattle, Wa
    Full Name:
    Dan L.
    I used some left over 20 gauge silicone insulated wire I had left over from other projects.

    Here are some that are similar to what I used:

    BNTECHGO 20 Gauge Silicone Wire Kit 10 Color Each 10 ft Flexible 20 AWG Stranded Tinned Copper Wire
    https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01LZ4CGXL/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_F-0nFbG7RQ1HZ

    Hope that helps.

    Dan
     
  15. Mafiaboy1975

    Mafiaboy1975 Formula Junior

    Aug 10, 2019
    258
    South Africa
    Full Name:
    Mick
    Hi Dan

    Thanks so much for this. I followed you instructions and thanks for the wiring diagram for the toggle switch. I now can choose to keep fogs as fogs it flip the switch to brake lights.

    Installed the switch in the trunk handle


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  16. whatheheck

    whatheheck F1 Rookie
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    Mar 27, 2006
    4,138
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    Dan L.
    Looks good!

    Great job Mickey!

    Glad I can help.

    Dan
     
  17. Sovereign Ferrari

    Aug 16, 2020
    1
    Full Name:
    William Alan Law
    Can you give details of which fuse box and fuse for California T fog, RH brake and LH brake?



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  18. whatheheck

    whatheheck F1 Rookie
    Owner

    Mar 27, 2006
    4,138
    Seattle, Wa
    Full Name:
    Dan L.
    Sharing my thoughts:

    Re-wiring is fairly easy and safe. Just pay attention to power and ground and not overload the wire & lights should be fine, and very easily reversible.

    Once you start tapping directly into fuses and you make an error it can be very costly mistake as there are other circuits tied to the lights like light control module, etc. And ensure you keep great records in case you want to reverse it back later, or for the benefit of the next owner.

    Just be careful. Sharing my thoughts because I care.

    Dan
     
    res1afbe likes this.
  19. Mafiaboy1975

    Mafiaboy1975 Formula Junior

    Aug 10, 2019
    258
    South Africa
    Full Name:
    Mick
    I’m with Dan here and so left the idea of fuse box. I installed a toggle switch was easy and so can flick between settings if I want.

    I noticed on my car the lighting moves between the trunk and bumper when opening the trunk and so was nervous of sending double current and blowing something.

    If you still want to know then:

    you can go to the body computer and at the harness connector N on the computer top left if i remover and wires 43 and 31 are the rear brake lights left and right. N 26 is both fog lights that splits out to feed both.

    M








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  20. bb2thdr

    bb2thdr Karting

    Dec 23, 2021
    230
    Full Name:
    Scott Bialik
    Thank you for this write up. I did this yesterday.

    However I noticed after splicing into the grey and white wire with a tap and then splicing into the left upper tail light harness, black and brown, both lights were working with the center light.

    I didn't bother cutting the brown and black wire, just merely spliced into it. The voltage should be the same even if the fog lights and break lights are on at the same time. There might be double the amperage, but the LEDs should be able to handle it. This made your mod even easier since I just did everything on the left.
     
    David60 likes this.
  21. Klas

    Klas Formula Junior

    Mar 17, 2014
    327
    Gothenburg, Sweden
    Full Name:
    Klas Nilsson
    You can add a diode to the new wire to the fog light, so the lower brake lights not will lit when activating the fog lights.
     
  22. Textom

    Textom Rookie

    Jul 6, 2023
    1
    Full Name:
    Tom Skeuse
    Do you have any pictures of the pins and locations for this? I am looking at doing this to my “new to me” California T. I do not want and close calls or chances of being rear ended.
     
  23. miamiron

    miamiron Karting

    Sep 3, 2016
    63
    Would a Ferrari service computer be able make the desired light behavior swaps or is it physically wired the way it is for us and eu/entire planet
     

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