Chase Light Wiring

Everything you need to wire your KDW chase light, including the integrated brake lights, white and amber chase pods, Auxbeam/switch-panel setups, standalone strobe controllers, and optional KDW pre-wiring and frequently asked questions.

Important Wiring Notice

All standard loaded KDW chase lights are shipped completely unwired unless the Pre-Wired Add-On is selected when ordering.

Wire colors in diagrams are for clarity only

- The color of wires on the CHASELIGHT and TRUCK will vary in color. This is due to the make, model and type of truck and due to my light suppliers changing wire colors -

“Loaded” means the lights are installed in the housing. It does not mean the assembly is wired or plug-and-play. Even pre-wired assemblies still require final vehicle-side connections.

Wiring diagram

WIRING BRAKE LIGHTS


This section will go over how to identify and wire in the new brake lights on your KDW Chase light.

Wiring the Brake Lights

The integrated KDW brake lights use the truck's factory third brake light circuit.

Before cutting or modifying anything, first identify which wires on the truck-side connector are:

  • Brake light positive (+)
  • Ground / negative (-)

Identify the Factory Brake Light Wires

Do this before disconnecting the battery.

  1. Unbolt and carefully pull the factory third brake light away from the truck enough to access the connector and wiring.
  2. Unplug the factory third brake light connector. You will be testing the truck-side connector.
  3. Have a friend sit in the driver seat and press and release the brake pedal while you test the connector.
  4. Use a multimeter or test light to probe the truck-side terminals.
  5. The brake light positive (+) terminal should receive power when the brake pedal is pressed and lose power when the pedal is released.
  6. Repeat the test several times to confirm you have identified the correct terminal.
  7. Identify and verify the ground / negative (-) terminal.
  8. Clearly label the positive and ground wires or their corresponding connector positions before continuing.

Do not assume polarity based only on factory wire color. Wire colors can vary between vehicle years, trims, and previous modifications.

Once both have been confirmed:

  1. Turn the vehicle off.
  2. Disconnect the negative battery terminal.
  3. Continue with the installation.

Reuse the Factory Brake Light Connector

To keep the truck-side wiring as untouched as possible, reuse the connector from the original third brake light assembly.

Do not cut the connector off the truck's wiring harness.

Instead, cut the connector and a usable amount of wire from the old factory third brake light. This gives you a factory-style pigtail that can be wired to the KDW brake lights and then plugged directly back into the truck's original connector.

This makes the installation cleaner and avoids permanently cutting the truck-side connector.

Connect the KDW Brake Lights

The individual brake lights in the KDW housing should be combined into two main circuits:

  • Combine all KDW brake light positive (+) wires into one main positive lead.
  • Combine all KDW brake light ground (-) wires into one main ground lead.

Then connect those leads to the factory connector pigtail you removed from the original brake light:

KDW Brake Light Positive (+) → Factory Connector Brake Positive (+)

KDW Brake Light Ground (-) → Factory Connector Ground (-)

Use the positive and ground positions you identified during testing to make sure the connector is wired correctly.

Once complete, the setup should work like this:

Truck-Side Factory Connector → Reused Factory Brake Light Connector/Pigtail → KDW Integrated Brake Lights

Important

Do not cut the truck-side factory connector unless absolutely necessary. Reusing the connector from the original third brake light keeps the installation cleaner and makes it possible to disconnect the KDW chase light from the truck normally.

Make sure all connections are properly crimped, insulated, heat-shrunk where appropriate, and secured before reconnecting the battery.

After installation, reconnect the battery and test the brake lights before fully reinstalling the chase light.

Wiring diagram
Wiring diagram
Wiring diagram

WIRING POD LIGHTS


This section will go over how to properly wire in the pod lights on your KDW Chase light.

Wiring the Pod Lights

The chase pods are powered and controlled separately from the factory third brake light circuit. The factory brake light wiring should only be used for the integrated brake lights — do not use it to power the chase pods.

A standard KDW chase light uses:

  • 1 White Pod
  • 2 Amber Pods

For the cleanest setup, wire them as two separate controlled circuits:

WHITE POD → Separate Controlled Circuit

LEFT + RIGHT AMBER PODS → Shared Controlled Circuit

This allows the white chase light to be turned on independently while both amber chase lights operate together.

Wiring the White Pod

The white pod should have its own dedicated power circuit.

Connect:

White Pod Positive (+) → Dedicated Switch / Switch Panel Output

For the negative connection, follow the design of your switch panel:

  • If your Auxbeam or switch panel provides a dedicated positive (+) and negative (-) connection for each circuit, connect the white pod directly to those terminals.
  • If your switch or switch panel only provides a switched positive output, connect the white pod negative to a clean chassis ground or battery negative.

Keeping the white pod on its own circuit allows it to be controlled independently from the amber lights.

Wiring the Amber Pods

The two amber pods are normally controlled together.

Combine the positive wires from both amber pods into one main amber lead:

Left Amber Positive (+) + Right Amber Positive (+) → Dedicated Amber Switch / Switch Panel Output

For the negative connections:

  • If the switch panel provides a dedicated negative (-) terminal for that circuit, connect the amber pod grounds to that terminal.
  • If it only provides a switched positive output, connect the amber grounds to a clean chassis ground or battery negative.

The two amber ground wires can be combined into one main ground lead if desired.

Using an Auxbeam or Similar Switch Panel

An Auxbeam or similar automotive switch panel is one of the easiest ways to control the chase pods.

A typical setup uses two switch-panel circuits:

Circuit 1 → White Pod

Circuit 2 → Left + Right Amber Pods

Many Auxbeam-style switch panels provide both a positive (+) and negative (-) terminal for each output, allowing each chase-light circuit to connect directly to the switch panel.

Some switch panels and traditional switches only provide a switched positive output. In that case, the chase pod negative wires will need to connect to a clean chassis ground or battery negative.

Always check the wiring diagram for your specific switch panel before making connections.

This gives you two simple controls:

WHITE → Turns the white pod on and off

AMBER → Turns both amber pods on and off together

Use 14 AWG automotive wire for added wiring and make sure all connections are properly crimped, insulated, and secured.

Follow the switch-panel manufacturer's instructions for power connections, output selection, grounding, and any required fuse or circuit-protection settings.

Important

The integrated brake lights and chase pods remain completely separate circuits.

Do not connect the white or amber pod positive wires to the factory third brake light positive wire.

Ensure every circuit is properly fused.

The factory third brake light circuit should only control the integrated KDW brake lights.

Wiring diagram

STROBE

This section will go over how to make your chase lights strobe.

Strobe & Flashing Options

The pods included with KDW chase lights are standard lighting pods and do not flash or strobe on their own.

Any flashing or strobe effect must come from the switch panel or an external strobe controller controlling the power sent to the pods.

Strobe functionality is most commonly handled through an Auxbeam or similar switch panel that includes a built-in MODE, flash, or strobe function.

If your switch panel supports flashing modes, you usually do not need a separate strobe controller. The chase pods can stay wired to their normal white and amber circuits, and the switch panel handles the flashing function.

However, not every Auxbeam or switch panel includes a strobe or MODE feature. Available functions can vary depending on the model and generation.

If your switch panel only provides standard ON/OFF control, or if you are using basic switches, you can add a separate standalone strobe controller.

Standalone controllers vary in how they are wired and controlled. Some use separate switches, some include their own control buttons, and others offer multiple programmable flash patterns.

When choosing a standalone controller:

  • Make sure it is compatible with a 12V automotive lighting system
  • Make sure it can safely handle the electrical load of the connected chase pods
  • Keep the white pod on its own circuit if you want independent white control
  • Keep the left and right amber pods together if you want them to operate as one circuit
  • Use 14 AWG automotive wire for added wiring
  • Follow the manufacturer's requirements for power, grounding, fusing, and switching

A typical circuit layout remains:

WHITE POD → Separate Controlled Circuit

LEFT + RIGHT AMBER PODS → Shared Controlled Circuit

Important

The pods themselves do not contain a built-in strobe function. If they are connected to a normal ON/OFF power source, they will simply turn on steadily.

Always follow the strobe controller or switch-panel manufacturer's wiring diagram and installation instructions. Different controllers use different wiring layouts, so there is no single universal wiring method.

The integrated KDW brake lights remain completely separate from the strobe system and should continue to operate from the truck's factory third brake light circuit.

KDW PRE-WIRED *COMING SOON*


This section will go over KDW wiring package to make it simpler!

Optional KDW Pre-Wiring

KDW chase lights normally come unwired so they can be installed with different trucks, switch panels, controllers, and wiring setups.

For an additional cost, KDW can pre-wire the chase light assembly before it ships, making the final installation much simpler and closer to plug-and-play.

With the pre-wiring option, the wiring inside the chase light is completed and organized for you, including:

  • All brake light positive wires combined
  • All brake light ground wires combined
  • Both amber chase pods combined into one circuit
  • The white chase pod kept on its own circuit
  • All circuits clearly labeled for installation
  • Wiring cleaned up and secured inside the housing

Instead of having to individually wire every light in the housing, you are left with a small number of clearly labeled connections to integrate into your truck.

What You Still Need to Connect

Pre-wiring does not make the chase light completely plug-and-play.

You will still need to make the final vehicle-side connections for:

BRAKE LIGHTS → Factory third brake light circuit

WHITE POD → White switch / Auxbeam circuit

AMBER PODS → Amber switch / Auxbeam circuit

GROUNDS → Switch panel ground, chassis ground, or battery negative depending on your setup

The goal of KDW pre-wiring is to remove the time-consuming wiring inside the chase light and leave you with a clean, simple, and easy-to-follow final installation.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS


This section will go over frequently asked and common questions!

Collapsible content

Are KDW chase lights plug-and-play?

Not normally. Final truck-side wiring is required. KDW's optional pre-wiring service can simplify installation by completing the housing-side wiring.

Are KDW chase lights street legal?

All of KDW chase lights are intended for for offroad use only and are not meant for street or highway useage.

What size wire should I use?

Use 14 AWG automotive wire for added wiring.

Do I need an Auxbeam?

No. An Auxbeam or similar switch panel is an easy option, but other switching systems or compatible standalone controllers can also be used.

Can I control the white and amber lights separately?

Yes. The white pod is its own circuit, while the two amber pods operate together on a separate circuit.

How do I know which factory brake-light wire is positive?

Use a multimeter or test light while a friend presses and releases the brake pedal. The brake-positive wire should receive power when the pedal is pressed and lose power when released.

Do the chase pods connect to the factory third brake-light circuit?

No. Only the integrated brake lights use the factory third brake-light circuit.

Can the lights strobe without an Auxbeam?

Yes. Use a compatible standalone strobe controller and follow the manufacturer's instructions.