License Plate Light Flicker

[Figmo]

After installing a new rear bumper, I needed to extend the wiring for the license plate light. After hooking it up, I’m noticing some really bad flicker. (See video below)

Flicker rate is actually much faster IRL than the iPhone can capture.

One thing I noticed, but I never tested before, if you turn your headlights on Without the ignition being on, the license plate light does not light at all. Is this normal?

turning on the ignition and headlights it but flickers like crazy. This is true with engine running or engine off.

any thoughts?

note: this is the original license plate. Light moved from the original bumper. Other than cutting the plug and splicing in about 4’ of wire, nothing has changed.

Sponsored

 

[CalvinT]

Check your ground connection.

 

[Phil B]

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/rear-license-plate-light-fuse-location.53567/post-2295587

 

[Figmo]

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/rear-license-plate-light-fuse-location.53567/post-2295587

Saw that. Tried that. No help.

If it is connection related, it has to be that passenger side connection. I'm not able to get it to snap back in place fully. It plugs in but will not "click". Checked pins and all are straight.

Drivers side goes on and off easily but there's only 2 pins on that plug and does not appear related to the license plate light (can unplug it and no change on the light). So I'm thinking it's gotta be that passenger side plug.

Is there some magic trick I'm not aware of to getting that plug to seat fully? Short of grabbing it with channel locks and manhandling it together (which I'm this close to doing)

 

[Phil B]

I'm not able to get it to snap back in place fully. It plugs in but will not "click"

I had the exact same problem with the driver side and broke the connector trying to get it to "click." Wound up cutting it out and using weatherpacks. Later, I had the passenger side apart and it wouldn't click into place either. That's where I used dielectric grease and it solved my problem. I think these connectors get a lot of road grit in them.

On My Bronco, the drivers side only has three wires (after I enabled rear fogs.) One of them was the license plate light, I could wiggle the connector and make it go on and off. The passenger side has many more wires, I assume for the sensors. Really glad I was able to get it to work, it would have been tough to fix if I had broken it too. Good luck troubleshooting your problem.

Don't use channel locks! That's how I broke it.

Dielectric grease is how you will fix both sides. Trust me on this.

 

[Figmo]

I had the exact same problem with the driver side and broke the connector trying to get it to "click." Wound up cutting it out and using weatherpacks. Later, I had the passenger side apart and it wouldn't click into place either. That's where I used dielectric grease and it solved my problem. I think these connectors get a lot of road grit in them.

On My Bronco, the drivers side only has three wires (after I enabled rear fogs.) One of them was the license plate light, I could wiggle the connector and make it go on and off. The passenger side has many more wires, I assume for the sensors. Really glad I was able to get it to work, it would have been tough to fix if I had broken it too. Good luck troubleshooting your problem.

Don't use channel locks! That's how I broke it.

Dielectric grease is how you will fix both sides. Trust me on this.

I read your post on that. Odd that my drivers side doesn't do anything to the light. I can unplug it completely and the light still works (well...works the same....flickering like crazy). Whereas unplugging passenger side shuts it off totally.

Well....I'll try gooping more dielectric in there. Did a pretty good coat already.

I would just replace the plug but...ugh....last time I messed with trying to depin/pin one of those funky connectors was an ordeal. (retrofitting a sway bar disconnect under my Wildtrak) I ended up just saying "F IT" and using spade connectors.

 

[Figmo]

Are F'in kidding me, Ford?

OK - so an hour and a half of messing with this passenger side plug and I'm throwing in the towel! This is a PLUG? By definition it should be able to unplug - AND THEN PLUG BACK IN. It unplugged alright. But nothing I've tried has been able to get it to plug back in.

First tired dielectric grease. No luck. Then tried a whole bunch of dielectric grease. No luck. Then I cleaned both sides of the plug with mass air sensor cleaner - washing out all the grease and hopefully any road grime that might have been in there. Yeah....nope.

Before I go to the dealer and pay a couple hundred bucks to somebody to plug a plug in for me, does anybody have any suggestions?

I'm thinking of ordering those connection pliers off Amazon. Anybody had success with these?

 

[NC_Oak]

those look like lady part pliers.

I'd love a photo of this plug / connector. I'm interested to see what sorcery that thing presents.

 

[CalvinT]

Those are for pulling the ignition wires off plugs for those who still have distributors. The carbon core wires were pretty fragile. You used them to pull on the spark plug boot so you didn't have to pull on the wire.

 

[Figmo]

those look like lady part pliers.

I'd love a photo of this plug / connector. I'm interested to see what sorcery that thing presents.

ask and ye shall receive …

https://rumble.com/v726qko-connector-problem-on-the-ford-bronco-rear-bumper.html

 

[Figmo]

Those are for pulling the ignition wires off plugs for those who still have distributors. The carbon core wires were pretty fragile. You used them to pull on the spark plug boot so you didn't have to pull on the wire.

look similar - but these close when squeezed not open.

not sure if they are gonna work or not but cheaper (and less embarrassing) than taking it to the dealer over a fricken plug that won’t plug in.

 

[CalvinT]

look similar - but these close when squeezed not open.

not sure if they are gonna work or not but cheaper (and less embarrassing) than taking it to the dealer over a fricken plug that won’t plug in.

They should close when squeezed. That's how they grip. You use them to grip the boot, then you pull.

 

[Figmo]

I can see that maybe working. But I was looking at them more as used in the this video. I just don't know if they would also work for RECONNECTING as well as disconnecting

 

[CalvinT]

Ahhh. I didn't know those existed. Now I have to see if I have any connectors where those will work.

About spark plug pliers, I was thinking about these.

https://www.lislecorp.com/specialty-tools/offset-spark-plug-boot-removal-pliers

 

[Phil B]

When you disconnect the plug on the passenger side, does it completely kill power to the license plate light? You may have to de-pin your connectors to figure this out. Would it click with no pins? Maybe one of them is not seated fully? There are posts on here detailing the connectors on the drivers side, but not the passenger side.

You may want to reach out to the guys at Specialty Performance Parts. They are extremely helpful may be able to help you figure this out. https://specialtyperformanceparts.com/

Sponsored