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2003 Focus ZX3 European taillight install

23K views 22 replies 12 participants last post by  HeenanSvt 
#1 ·
First off let me thank an FF member for putting a concise collection of Euro-Conversion info in one place...

Thank You, 02ZX3NJ! Your friggin' awesome, I don't care what they say about ya!!!
http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?&p=2340980#post2340980

A hearty thank you also goes out to Pyroinsa for his thread which led me to the aforementioned how-to:
http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=284755&page=3



I wanted to throw my hat in the ring and add a few pieces of info to an already fantastic thread/how-to.

I found the Ford pin-out charts at school, and with factory info in hand went about tearing trim, running & cutting wire, and soldering all the connections back together (NO scotch locks here, my friends; I paid too much to learn how to do it!).
Mine is an '03, and the gray, blue, and green connectors at the junction box had nothing to do with my conversion. A few wiring diagrams helped me find a way to make a late model-year '03 separate input signals.

Location of the GEM Module

... and in-car behind the glove box


Pin-Out Chart for C201d


Lighting System Overview


Rear Lights Circuits


The chart showed the input signals for the rear tail lights coming from the yellow connector at the GEM. Following the info, the blue w/ yellow wire was the right hand (RH) brake wire, and the blue w/ black the left side (LH). These were first back-probed to find B+ (batt. voltage) when the signal was turned on. after finding that these were indeed the correct wires I had a place to get my turn signals from.
The interior was removed and I set about route the wires under the carpet and out harm's way. The constant brake signal needed for the brake lights to operate uninterrupted was found at the high-mounted center brake light (which I found has melted inside it's housing a good bit over the years). I found out the correct colors of these wires by removing the center brake light and checking the harness going to it.

I then had to cut everything, and prepare the solder and the shrink tubing. I saw a number of pics utilizing the scotch locks as a means of piggy-backing the wires; but have you ever thought about how many strands inside the wires end up cut due to those?! The scotch locks are supposed to cut the insulating materiel and touch the wires on the outside, like a hug (albeit a crappy, friend-zone, butt-out, limp hug)... I wanted to ensure maximum contact with the electrical connections, as those inadvertently cut strands add resistance and heat to the connection. My solid motor mounts would also rattle those bastards loose after a certain period of time anyway, and the shrink tubing not only protects better against weather/corrosion; but looks more professional as well. I also left extra tubing in the corresponding colors to make later work less confusing. So cutting the signal wires at C201d for the turns and soldering the wires in that I'd run already you got this

Before:


And After:


Next up was the removal of the center light to check colors, and tracing them down to the rear distribution block. Positive and negative are indicated with the arrows; but check yours first before relying on my circumstances... Ford changed the color of the wires every few years, so my colors differ from yours!


After: Cut/Soldered/shrink tubed


Another check was performed to ensure the right cuts and connections had been made and crimping little clips on the ends of the new wires began (not pictured).
The bulb holders and bulbs were fitted, and checked again... good thing too, as the clips had been installed backwards on one side causing a dimming of the right brake light when the pedal was pressed. Here they are after that:


With everything working I buttoned it all up, and hit the streets! OH... a light bulb DID get dropped and I headed to Advance to get a new stl here's what you'll need to fit the EU bulb holders:
1157 LLs


And there you have it! Any questions, lemme know, and again; refer to the posts I used to do this as well to get a better idea of operation before you get into the whole thing...

Finished!







And don't use these anymore; be better than that!
 
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#7 ·
I'll do you one better: I'll include the how-to for the triangle side marker lights as well! The reverse lights do still need to be run. You trace the colored wires that you find from the stock American reverse light pigtails and carefully cut the electrical tape and pull them back through the grommet. With the tape cut, it's easy to pull 'em back into the back of the car, solder, and re-route them to the euro bumper.



I don't have the scratch for a euro bumper right now, and don't have the foreign contacts to ply a European FF member to search a junk/salvage yard for one either; so I'm just gonna freak out backing out of places and PRAYING the constabularies don't fuss with me about it in the meantime!!!

Once I get the bulb holders or pigtails for the lower reverse/rear foglights I'll finish the write-up! Anyone know where I can find 'em; PLEEEEEEASE PM me!!!
 
#10 ·
Smoked the edms? ! Im sad now. Gave u +1 on the edm tails then -2 for the smoke. Worried about police and no reverse lights but the tails are blacked out lol. Actually the mod isnt that hard but with all the charts he posted makes it seem hard lol
 
#11 · (Edited)
You comment too soon! And I'd like those 2 points back PLUS 2 more: the plastic itself is actually smoked! I'm not gonna 'nightshade' a $500 set of tails to be like everyone else; I bought these in '02... when the spraypainting of tail lights became popular I shook my head , mostly because I thought it looked cool ten years ago and bought the right ones, and then because everyone would think I did like the Honda kids once I finally got the balls to install 'em!

The charts make the job crystal clear, though. You only need to find the actual turn signal electrically and solder/run two wires for them to the back... the other electrical signals are already running back there through the stock USDM Ford looms! You can find the appropriate wire colors to the rear mounted high-center brake light by pulling it out of the hatch and then locating them at the rear distribution.

If you're local to me, and don't feel confident enough to cut/splice,solder things in yourself; PM me, we'll work something out!

But don't condemn my B.A.M.F. smoked lights (they're no longer in production)! They're colored German plastic, like you see on VeeDubs...

 
#12 ·
A box of Euro goodies from the Netherlands arrived!
Another step closer to a full rear EDM conversion: Once the bumper has been modified, I can tear the car apart again to run the side markers, and lower reverse lights... more wiring goodness to come!



 
#13 ·
Did you have problems with the smoked tails??
My bulbs melted some of the red plastic to the bulb :( I had to use a low watt tail light until I can get some LEDs back there


Sent from jeremy's iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#14 · (Edited)
You really didn't need to run 2 wires all the way to rear. Back when I did it yr or more ago,

You were right there at the BCM.

1)cut the brake input going into BCM(green/yellow, pin 9 on tan connector)
2)pick up brake signal at the 3rd brake light in rear for brake bulbs
3)use the regular brake/turn in rear for turn signal bulbs

The 3rd gets a separate feed from brake switch, bypassing the BCM
this way you don't have to run two wires front to rear. Just the ones in rear where you split the 3rd signal up.

Lot less hassle not having to up root the carpet or trim.
 
#15 ·
You really didn't need to run 2 wires all the way to rear. Back when I did it yr or more ago,

You were right there at the BCM.

1)cut the brake input going into BCM
2)pick up brake signal at the 3rd brake light in rear for brake bulb
3)use the regular brake/turn in rear for turn signal bulbs

The 3rd gets a separate feed from brake switch, bypassing the BCM
this way you don't have to run two wires front to rear. Just the ones in rear where you split the 3rd signal up.

Lot less hassle not having to up root the carpet or trim.
What year is yours? The wiring changed in 2003+ making your way good for 2002 and below. I tried the way you did first and I didn't get any lights at all, so I went with this way and it worked perfect.
 
#18 ·
I need to try this once I get my euro bumper painted. Should be able to just route the reverse lighting to the bumper with extended leads. May try this write up for separating the turn/brake lights. Need to look at my sockets and the wires to figure out what I have first.
 
#19 ·
You'll need this pin-out chart for sure. I've heard of people running the turns from the caution button and the front turn signal; but that's gonna require more wire and in some cases, routing into the vehicle... I figured it'd be easier to just use the wires where they emanate from. The interior trim is right there, so routing isn't an issue and hiding them inside the cradle for the existing CAN-BUS wiring is a no-brainer. Just one less thing to worry about smashing under the door sills.

A few people called me on my cell (I gave it to one or two users, and then I had people calling that I'd never dealt with before), so if you need to talk your way through it all I ask for is some rep for the trouble!
 
#20 ·
THREAD REVIVAL!, ok, I just thought of something. I have acces to as many focus Sedans as I can handle (pick n pull wrecker, self serve)

after messing with the GEM wires, on the back half of the car, can we not just go and get the sadan wiring harness and swap the entire harness at the grey or blue plug? cause the sedans have separate turn, brake, and reverse lights......... right?
 
#21 ·
Hey guys here recently had a brake light go out well after doing some looking on the forums i found this one and also found out i had euro style taillight well any ways the previous owner had done all the wiring and used them scotch locks ... ugh I follow the directions from 02ZX3NJ! forum he mostly had every thing right so I had went back through and soldered the connections. Now I have one question he did not have my black green wire hooked up and from the directions im not sure if that need to be hooked up to the two wires that have been ran to the green yellow wire ??? and now my problem ... ive been working on the driver side tail light for some reason when brakes are on the driver side is dull( like the parking light filament is on instead of the brake or both filament) but the passengers side is bright at can be ... and also I am not getting any light out of the driver side with the parking lights on just the passenger side works ... I have an 02 SVT and I'm guessing I'm having problems with my orange/white wire ... I hope I explained my problem well enough. Thanks Guys will be watching forum like a hawk
 
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