Adding LED Backup Lights to a 2006 Chevy Silverado

Question:

I have a 2006 Silverado and want to install aftermarket LED back up lights. My question is what color wire do I tie into on the stock taillight and why do the aftermarket lights have 3 wires, red, black and white?

asked by: Brian D

Expert Reply:

It sounds like you are installing additional back up lights on your 2006 Chevy Silverado. The easiest way to find the correct power wire is to locate the tail light wiring and then use a circuit tester such as # PTW2992 to probe the wires when the truck is in reverse. Take all necessary precautions when performing the test including chocking the wheels, having the emergency brake on, and the person in the cab with their foot on the brake the whole time the vehicle is in reverse.

If your truck has a functions 7-Way trailer connector you could also tap into the center pin's wire at the back of the connector which is normally the revere light circuit.

A light that has 3 wires will have more than one function. One of the wire will be ground and the other two will be power in for a pre-determined function. This would mean that the lights you are using are not strictly for use as back up lights. You would want to ground the lights to the truck frame and then test each wire by connecting one at a time to the reverse light wire to see if it will function as you need it to.

expert reply by: Michael H