One of your pics still shows the license plate.

 

Thanks!

 

@Robaroni : Nice job! Very neat and simple ... and blends right in with a Factory look!

I'm not a Bolt owner (waiting for the Equinox EV to come out) ... and I know there's been criticism of the Bolt's Brake Lights being too low (??) ... but in the 3rd picture from the top ... the big red lenses at the top corners ... those don't illuminate when the Brake Pedal is depressed (??) ... they're only Driving Lights (??) ... and what (??) ... they go OFF when the Brake Pedal is depressed ... or they just stay at the same intensity? Is that how they work? If so ... has anyone tried to convert those top red lenses to Brake Lights ... because that would seem to be the ideal solution ... if I'm not way off base here with my assumptions...

 

There are three tiers of lights. The top light above the windshield is a required third brake light. The middle lights on the ends of the gate are only parking lights. When the light are on these lights are on, when the brakes are on there is no change on these lights. The bottom row of lights are the main brakes and turn signals. When the brake is depressed the top light and the lower lights come on, there is no change on the middle lights, if they are on they stay on and if they are off they stay off.

The problem is that drivers see the middle lights and they expect them to be brake light and the ride right up to your bumper before they realize the car is stopped. It's worse in tight traffic especially if someone behind you is in a truck, a car length away they can't see the lower lights at all.

It's a real problem and Bolt drivers have been rear ended because of it.

 

Thanks for sharing and the instructions

 

Nice work! I like the positioning on either side of the license plate.

 

I’m on the fence about this whole brake light debate. Seems to me the third brake light staring someone in the face should be enough to let them know you’re stopped. I really can’t see how more lights will make a difference. Unless you live in Zombieville, and then you’re just screwed anyway.

 

I was just behind one of the Domino's Pizza Bolts and the brake lights are easily visible. I just can't see how they are a safety hazard. If someone rear-ends you it's not because of the location of the brake lights and extra ones won't help.
But it won't hurt to have more.

 

Most drivers are just passenger behind the wheel.

I'm thinking of making the top brake light flash few times before going solid. I've seen it on few other vehicles. Hope that catches their attention.

 

Most drivers are just passenger behind the wheel.

I'm thinking of making the top brake light flash few times before going solid. I've seen it on few other vehicles. Hope that catches their attention.

I thought about things like that but When the three rows of lights come on with my Bolt now it's hard to miss.

 

howto
Hey @Robaroni , does your added lights work as turn signals too? Or just brake light?

 

howto

Hey @Robaroni , does your added lights work as turn signals too? Or just brake light?

I just made it a brake but that's not a bad idea!

 

howto
Just a question - anyone tried to duplicate the brake light from the bumper to the outer portion of the tail lights (the portion on the fender, not on the hatch) ? TY

 

howto

Just a question - anyone tried to duplicate the brake light from the bumper to the outer portion of the tail lights (the portion on the fender, not on the hatch) ? TY View attachment 56463

My thinking with this mod was that I didn't want to modify the original lighting in any way due to legal and warranty issues. With that said, I don't think it would be an especially hard mod. There are two paths for the brake lights, one under the hatch that I picked up for my mod, and the other running to the bumper. the reason guys didn't try to switch the inboard parking lights with the lower brake lights is that they are on different legs. Modifying the outboard lights might be a little easier if you can pick up the hot leg within the range of both.

 

The issue with modding the existing tail lights is that you need to dim them (as other modders in this forum have done) as the default intensity and then use the regular intensity to simulate brake lights. They were not designed by Chevy as brake lights. I wish Chevy had chosen to set them up as brake lights, but it is what it is.

I am with the OP in regards to not modifying the original lighting and will be pursuing this mod as the preferred solution. If it gives me even a little bit more peace of mind, then it is worth it to me. To each his own.

 

If it gives me even a little bit more peace of mind, then it is worth it to me. To each his own.

Agree; one cannot argue with a feeling. It is what it is and not open to debate.

jack vines

 

I like it, nice mod. Worried about folks rear ending you, try riding a motorcycle. In traffic I'm always watching my back and always stop with a slight angle to the left just so I can get out of the way hopefully. On my current bike I added a similar light on the top case. two rows of LEDs, one for parking lights and a second brighter row for brake lights. If I were to change anything it would be to go to lights like that.

As for folks running into the back of you it will help on people who are inattentive or a bit distracted. Lots of videos out there of folks just driving into a stopped vehicle while at speed. I read a while back that distracted drivers do OK with gradual acceleration and deceleration but have problems when traffic ahead suddenly stops. Driving my Bolt in one pedal has helped me do better at not following too closely and stopping more slowly. Another factor in my opinion is people feel safe in large SUVs and pickups and as a result tend to drive more aggressively and take more risks. "I'll be OK"

 

I like it, nice mod. Worried about folks rear ending you, try riding a motorcycle. In traffic I'm always watching my back and always stop with a slight angle to the left just so I can get out of the way hopefully. On my current bike I added a similar light on the top case. two rows of LEDs, one for parking lights and a second brighter row for brake lights. If I were to change anything it would be to go to lights like that.

As for folks running into the back of you it will help on people who are inattentive or a bit distracted. Lots of videos out there of folks just driving into a stopped vehicle while at speed. I read a while back that distracted drivers do OK with gradual acceleration and deceleration but have problems when traffic ahead suddenly stops. Driving my Bolt in one pedal has helped me do better at not following too closely and stopping more slowly. Another factor in my opinion is people feel safe in large SUVs and pickups and as a result tend to drive more aggressively and take more risks. "I'll be OK"

I hear you, I rode bikes for years, lots of fun but I figured my time was up - too many crazy drivers. Just yesterday I was walking up a steep hill against traffic and a truck passed someone in the other lane and passed me from behind going fast. A couple of ton truck two feet away from you passing you from behind at around 60 mph gets your attention really fast!

I think there was study done a few years back about people's attention span, it keeps getting shorter.

 

I wonder if the one-pedal driving makes a difference. It does seem like people come flying up more often and if I'm too gentle letting off the accelerator maybe the lights don't come on. I try to remember to let off more aggressively at first, but without drastic slowing. Though drivers are getting much worse.

 

The brakes in one pedal mode work by 'G' forces. I believe there's an NHSTA code on what they have be for the brakes to come on. The thing to do is mount a camera on the back and see how aggressive the one pedal braking has to be for the light to come on. I've always been aware of that when people are behind me and have even lightly touched the mechanical brakes if I thought it was necessary.
I only use one pedal in stop and go now, you get better range with it off using the paddle especially on the new Bolts with adaptive cruse. The regen cuts out around 10kW of regen and the mechanical brakes kick in. Going down steep hills you do better with the paddle and adaptive off.
We're lucky, we live in a rural area and don't have the traffic and congestion of larger cities. Most times there aren't a lot of people on the road around here. City people tend to drive right on your bumper even if there are no other cars on the road, when that happens I pull off and let them go by. We're retired, taking our time is part of life.

 

Hi Bolt owners.
About a month ago I was rear ended (hit and run). I got the plate but the local police did nothing about it - that' another story. I was lightly tapped and fortunately there wasn't damage, just the black bumper cover has a small mark.

After that I started monitoring how often people came up fast to my car when I stopped or was stopping - a lot! I read around and this seems to be a problem and if you get hit hard enough to affect the battery, which has happened to a few people, the insurance company might total your car. We really like our Bolt, it was time to do something about it.

Not everyone will like my take but after looking at people's resolutions to the problem I decided to find something that I felt worked for me and my wife.
.
------------------------------------
My criteria:
Make the brakes noticeable, day or night
Meet code
Not void my warranty
Not use third party electronics which I've read don't hold up
Not be overly expensive
Be easily removable and modifiable and changeable
------------------------------------
I went on eBay and bought these lights, do a search for "2x10" brake lights" there are a lot of sellers, here's one I picked out of the lot (after I installed the lights and liked how they looked I bought a couple more sets as backup, I found them for about $11 a set:

2x 10" LED Truck Trailer Strip 3rd Brake Lights Rear Turn Signal Tail Light Bar | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 2x 10" LED Truck Trailer Strip 3rd Brake Lights Rear Turn Signal Tail Light Bar at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

It took me awhile to do the install and make the parts but I did it in a way that would enable me to remove or change things without dismantling the car or removing panels (only the very top piece is needed to be removed after the install but several panels have to be removed to do the install initially (all the rear hatch interior and the exterior parking light trim). Once you know how to do it's not a bad job and not that hard but the first time I was concerned I'd break something although I never did. The exterior trim was the trickiest, there are several screws and five push holders all along to top edge, two on the very ends, two yellow and on in the center. There's also a thin long black alignment pin that fits in the rear hatch for reinstalling it. The two plastic push clips on the outer ends I did with a long plyers that I reach from the inside of the car. You can see some of the holders in the picture.

Here's how it looks, you can't really get a good idea of how much better it is from the pics, it's much better than it looks and when the brakes are on you can see they make a big difference.

View attachment 56452
View attachment 56454
View attachment 56451
View attachment 56456
View attachment 56453

I tapped off the brown/yellow stripe wire and the black wire coming out of the same connector and going to the top brake light assembly on the top inside of the hatch. I also installed a quick connector to shut off everything if I ever needed. The top interior hatch panel is very easy to remove and install.
Like I previously said I fabricated a special mounting system for the lights so that, once everything was installed I could remove or change them without pulling any panels. You certainly can do it easier than I did but since I have a small machine shop and electronics lab with DRO milling machines it was easy for me to fabricate special brackets. You could simply use brackets or develop your own installation, this is just how I did it.
The lights are mounted under the ledge of the exterior trim panel (see last photo)
A couple of things to be aware of. You will see a lot of wires covered by cloth, GM does this for noise to keep things from slapping around, make sure when you run your wires to use lots of small ties and tape, be particularly aware of wires touching body parts.
The exterior trim bolts have seal on them, make sure you use seal when you reinstall them and also on new brake lights anywhere they enter the car ( I used it after I took photos in the pic above.
At 13.4 volts both lights operating together use 150 ma. each , that's 13.4 * .3 = ~4 watts but it's plenty bright and blends with the car brakes well.

This is a solid install, done carefully it will last the life of your car. LEDs are diodes and diodes do not short, if they go bad they open so they are very safe.
This is a safe install, there's no third party electronics to fail, I'm an electronic engineer with decades of experience, I chose this resolution for a reason, it was designed to be simple, nothing fancy, nothing complex and it doesn't change any of the cars lighting, just a low current tap off the lights. I also think it's doable by handy people with a working knowledge of tools who know how to solder.

Hookup:
Hook the red wire from the new brake lights together and wire that to the brown/yellow wire off the car body side connector going to the top brake light, hook the white wires from each new light together and wire that to the black wire from the car's connector next to the brown/yellow wire.

Disclaimer:
You do all this at your own risk, I am not responsible for errors, mistakes, problems, failures or accidents. This is how I did it, I am not advocating anyone do it.
Sorry it's a crazy world, I have to make people aware of their responsibilities.

I'm open for questions,
Rob

Hi Bolt owners.
About a month ago I was rear ended (hit and run). I got the plate but the local police did nothing about it - that' another story. I was lightly tapped and fortunately there wasn't damage, just the black bumper cover has a small mark.

After that I started monitoring how often people came up fast to my car when I stopped or was stopping - a lot! I read around and this seems to be a problem and if you get hit hard enough to affect the battery, which has happened to a few people, the insurance company might total your car. We really like our Bolt, it was time to do something about it.

Not everyone will like my take but after looking at people's resolutions to the problem I decided to find something that I felt worked for me and my wife.
.
------------------------------------
My criteria:
Make the brakes noticeable, day or night
Meet code
Not void my warranty
Not use third party electronics which I've read don't hold up
Not be overly expensive
Be easily removable and modifiable and changeable
------------------------------------
I went on eBay and bought these lights, do a search for "2x10" brake lights" there are a lot of sellers, here's one I picked out of the lot (after I installed the lights and liked how they looked I bought a couple more sets as backup, I found them for about $11 a set:

2x 10" LED Truck Trailer Strip 3rd Brake Lights Rear Turn Signal Tail Light Bar | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 2x 10" LED Truck Trailer Strip 3rd Brake Lights Rear Turn Signal Tail Light Bar at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

It took me awhile to do the install and make the parts but I did it in a way that would enable me to remove or change things without dismantling the car or removing panels (only the very top piece is needed to be removed after the install but several panels have to be removed to do the install initially (all the rear hatch interior and the exterior parking light trim). Once you know how to do it's not a bad job and not that hard but the first time I was concerned I'd break something although I never did. The exterior trim was the trickiest, there are several screws and five push holders all along to top edge, two on the very ends, two yellow and on in the center. There's also a thin long black alignment pin that fits in the rear hatch for reinstalling it. The two plastic push clips on the outer ends I did with a long plyers that I reach from the inside of the car. You can see some of the holders in the picture.

Here's how it looks, you can't really get a good idea of how much better it is from the pics, it's much better than it looks and when the brakes are on you can see they make a big difference.

View attachment 56452
View attachment 56454
View attachment 56451
View attachment 56456
View attachment 56453

I tapped off the brown/yellow stripe wire and the black wire coming out of the same connector and going to the top brake light assembly on the top inside of the hatch. I also installed a quick connector to shut off everything if I ever needed. The top interior hatch panel is very easy to remove and install.
Like I previously said I fabricated a special mounting system for the lights so that, once everything was installed I could remove or change them without pulling any panels. You certainly can do it easier than I did but since I have a small machine shop and electronics lab with DRO milling machines it was easy for me to fabricate special brackets. You could simply use brackets or develop your own installation, this is just how I did it.
The lights are mounted under the ledge of the exterior trim panel (see last photo)
A couple of things to be aware of. You will see a lot of wires covered by cloth, GM does this for noise to keep things from slapping around, make sure when you run your wires to use lots of small ties and tape, be particularly aware of wires touching body parts.
The exterior trim bolts have seal on them, make sure you use seal when you reinstall them and also on new brake lights anywhere they enter the car ( I used it after I took photos in the pic above.
At 13.4 volts both lights operating together use 150 ma. each , that's 13.4 * .3 = ~4 watts but it's plenty bright and blends with the car brakes well.

This is a solid install, done carefully it will last the life of your car. LEDs are diodes and diodes do not short, if they go bad they open so they are very safe.
This is a safe install, there's no third party electronics to fail, I'm an electronic engineer with decades of experience, I chose this resolution for a reason, it was designed to be simple, nothing fancy, nothing complex and it doesn't change any of the cars lighting, just a low current tap off the lights. I also think it's doable by handy people with a working knowledge of tools who know how to solder.

Hookup:
Hook the red wire from the new brake lights together and wire that to the brown/yellow wire off the car body side connector going to the top brake light, hook the white wires from each new light together and wire that to the black wire from the car's connector next to the brown/yellow wire.

Disclaimer:
You do all this at your own risk, I am not responsible for errors, mistakes, problems, failures or accidents. This is how I did it, I am not advocating anyone do it.
Sorry it's a crazy world, I have to make people aware of their responsibilities.

I'm open for questions,
Rob

Please file a complaint at NHTSA.GOV - you shouldn’t have to modify a brand new car to keep from getting plowed. I filed a complaint with them and requested the mid level lights that most people are probably looking at, be upgraded to indicate stop and turn in coordination with the ones a foot off the ground

 

From the little I know of this specific situation, the NHTSA is, ironically, the root cause of the problem. I've read there's a requirement that brake lights be visible at all times, and that includes when the rear hatch or trunk is in an open position.

So, in order to be in compliance with this regulation, GM put the Bolt's brake lights in the fixed, lower bumper fascia so they can be seen when the movable hatch (which contains illuminated taillights) is unlatched, i.e., open.

Frankly, it seems quite convoluted, and GM could most certainly have made the higher-mounted, much more visible hatch tallights operational as brake lights, too, but, they were able to more cheaply meet the regs without doing so. And it's resulted in a situation where, while technically in compliance with the NHTSA, it's not particularly safe.

Or just not as safe as if GM had made the 2022-23 Bolt's taillights work as brakelights, too.

 

howto
@Robaroni I just ordered the lights off your ebay link. If you have a mind to do so, how about a close up of the light itself mounted on the car. I'd like a close look at where and how you mounted them.

And maybe that shot of the innards again, with an arrow pointing to the wires you tapped?

And when you say "exterior parking light trim" you are referring to just the parking lights mounted on the hatch itself. Interesting that that must be removed, but I'm sure I'll understand once I start taking things apart.

 

howto

@Robaroni I just ordered the lights off your ebay link. If you have a mind to do so, how about a close up of the light itself mounted on the car. I'd like a close look at where and how you mounted them.

And maybe that shot of the innards again, with an arrow pointing to the wires you tapped?

And when you say "exterior parking light trim" you are referring to just the parking lights mounted on the hatch itself. Interesting that that must be removed, but I'm sure I'll understand once I start taking things apart.

I'm falling behind a little right now with work but I'll try to do a CAD drawing in the next couple of days for the mounting system I used.
Because I wanted the ability to remove or change the lights out I machined parts that enable me to do just that. Admittedly this may be overkill, you can take this as far as you want within the scope of tools you have to work with. I have CNC (computer Number Control) lathes and a small but precision machine shop that I have been working with for over 40 years so I'm good at it and can do things fast. You could simply use angle brackets to attach the lights (if you check your rear parking light trim you'll see a ledge under it that's perfect for the lights) but be careful and make sure you position the lights well. I'll add some photos to show how I got them just where I wanted.

This whole job can be done quickly or you can do it more precisely. One of the things I may add is a cover plate so the lights look like they were OEM but I may never get to this. Angle brackets will work and you can pick them up at any hardware or big box store, simple screw them to the lights and screw them to the rear hatch exterior trim piece. Drill a hole and run the wire to the inside of the hatch through the same water proof connector GM uses for its wires. Put some waterproof sealant on everything and you're done.

Of course my car is all together now and I forgot to photograph the wires you tap off of but it's quite easy. If you pull off the top inside hatch piece that runs above the window you'll see wires running to the third brake light, one brown with a yellow strip and one black. There are only two wires going to the light, those are the wires you use brown/yellow is ~13.4 volts and black is ground. I could have used the ground on the rear hatch body but didn't. GM uses those grounds for sensors and I didn't want to introduce anything into that circuit even though we're working with DC and not signal wires. Tap off those wire for your new brake lights. If you're in doubt take a photo of the area and I'll verify it for you.

I'll try to get more photos out when I'm back in the lab.
Rob

 

Wow, now you got me thinking. I'll have to keep an eye out for tailgaters and then decide if it is for me. But thanks for the varied input.
BTW, I sold a 2017 Buick Envision last year... Premium 2 Turbo, less than 23K miles... all the bells and whistles and bought the Bolt. The Buick was hesitating due to lack of driving, 900 miles a year...old gas for the turbo, so I got rid of it. I don't mind if either EV sits for a while.

2021 Tesla Y Long Range, 2022 Bolt EUV Launch Edition...Supercruise, etc.

 

I like the extra lights. Thanks for posting your idea. I think I will add them. I also plan on installing a class 3 hitch for added safety and to mount my bike rack. They make an extra brake light that can be installed in the receiver of the hitch. I may add that as well. Years ago Jeep recalled 1993-1998 Grand Cherokee’s because in a rear end collision the gas tank could be punctured. To satisfy the recall Jeep installed trailer hitches free of charge.

 

Your knowledge and experience is very valuable, @Robaroni Glad to you have you on our forum.

 

Maybe we should swap the light behavior. Make the one on the hatch act as brake/turn light and the one on bumper as running lights.

BTW I saw a Mini Cooper yesterday and it's brake lights were similar to EUVs. Brake lights on the bumper while the hatch lights were unlit. I've also seen some Hyundai and Toyota models with similar setup.

 

howto
If you add a trailer wiring harness with a converter box you don’t have to worry about loading the factory wiring. With the converter box, any additional lights will get their power from directly from the battery instead of through the tail light circuit. The kits usually come with connectors so you don’t have to splice into any factory wires.

 

howto

If you add a trailer wiring harness with a converter box you don’t have to worry about loading the factory wiring. With the converter box, any additional lights will get their power from directly from the battery instead of through the tail light circuit. The kits usually come with connectors so you don’t have to splice into any factory wires.

One of the reasons I chose the lights I did was their low current draw, both lights lit only draw 300ma.

 

howto
I came up with an easy mod for my EUV but have not done it yet because I am rarely in stop and go traffic. Open the tailgate. Remove the upper black panel to expose the wiring (can be done with a flat blade screwdriver as a lever). Cut the leads going to the left and right running lights that are mounted to the tailgate. Remove some of the insulation from the wire that goes to the upper brake light. Run wires from this point to the wires that run to the right and left running lights. Do this at your own risk.

This mod will light the left and right running lights whenever the upper center brake light is lit. The lights will not be as bright as the brake lights but will add brake lighting where it is expected by other drivers. It will remove these lights as running/night lights but the outside ones on the body of the car will still work as running/night lights.

 

I came up with an easy mod for my EUV but have not done it yet because I am rarely in stop and go traffic. Open the tailgate. Remove the upper black panel to expose the wiring (can be done with a flat blade screwdriver as a lever). Cut the leads going to the left and right running lights that are mounted to the tailgate. Remove some of the insulation from the wire that goes to the upper brake light. Run wires from this point to the wires that run to the right and left running lights. Do this at your own risk.

This mod will light the left and right running lights whenever the upper center brake light is lit. The lights will not be as bright as the brake lights but will add brake lighting where it is expected by other drivers. It will remove these lights as running/night lights but the outside ones on the body of the car will still work as running/night lights.

Interesting approach. I especially love the first true set of step-by-step instructions for this project:

Step 1: Open the tailgate

------------------------
I'm going to blank out that section of lights on my car tonight and see how visible that leaves the car. My biggest fear in doing one of the modes is taking all the body panels and everything else apart, and this really reduces the part count. I have wire strippers and soldering guns galore, no big deal doing such surgery. But I've never been as good at putting things back together as I am at taking them apart.

 

Hi,

Naïve and stupid here. Why do people cover their license plates in photos? What can you get from someone’s plate? I have a garage wall full of them. Here in GA the plate stays with the owner not with the vehicle. So, every car I have bought and sold leaves me with a wall plaque. What good is a plate number?

Thanks,

N&S

 

I think it might be that someone could look up where you live.
I’ve posted a photo on this forum with my plate showing. I’m not worried about it.

 

@BPete81 1 uh them thar interweb rulz ta keep somun frum steeln ur lugnutz

 

Years ago, the 3rd brake light was mandated by the Feds. Supposedly, it reduced the frequency of rear-end collisions quite a bit.

More brake lights can't hurt.

 

Hi Bolt owners.
About a month ago I was rear ended (hit and run). I got the plate but the local police did nothing about it - that' another story. I was lightly tapped and fortunately there wasn't damage, just the black bumper cover has a small mark.

After that I started monitoring how often people came up fast to my car when I stopped or was stopping - a lot! I read around and this seems to be a problem and if you get hit hard enough to affect the battery, which has happened to a few people, the insurance company might total your car. We really like our Bolt, it was time to do something about it.

Not everyone will like my take but after looking at people's resolutions to the problem I decided to find something that I felt worked for me and my wife.
.
------------------------------------
My criteria:
Make the brakes noticeable, day or night
Meet code
Not void my warranty
Not use third party electronics which I've read don't hold up
Not be overly expensive
Be easily removable and modifiable and changeable
------------------------------------
I went on eBay and bought these lights, do a search for "2x10" brake lights" there are a lot of sellers, here's one I picked out of the lot (after I installed the lights and liked how they looked I bought a couple more sets as backup, I found them for about $11 a set:

2x 10" LED Truck Trailer Strip 3rd Brake Lights Rear Turn Signal Tail Light Bar | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 2x 10" LED Truck Trailer Strip 3rd Brake Lights Rear Turn Signal Tail Light Bar at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

It took me awhile to do the install and make the parts but I did it in a way that would enable me to remove or change things without dismantling the car or removing panels (only the very top piece is needed to be removed after the install but several panels have to be removed to do the install initially (all the rear hatch interior and the exterior parking light trim). Once you know how to do it's not a bad job and not that hard but the first time I was concerned I'd break something although I never did. The exterior trim was the trickiest, there are several screws and five push holders all along to top edge, two on the very ends, two yellow and on in the center. There's also a thin long black alignment pin that fits in the rear hatch for reinstalling it. The two plastic push clips on the outer ends I did with a long plyers that I reach from the inside of the car. You can see some of the holders in the picture.

Here's how it looks, you can't really get a good idea of how much better it is from the pics, it's much better than it looks and when the brakes are on you can see they make a big difference.

View attachment 56452
View attachment 56454
View attachment 56451
View attachment 56456
View attachment 56453

I tapped off the brown/yellow stripe wire and the black wire coming out of the same connector and going to the top brake light assembly on the top inside of the hatch. I also installed a quick connector to shut off everything if I ever needed. The top interior hatch panel is very easy to remove and install.
Like I previously said I fabricated a special mounting system for the lights so that, once everything was installed I could remove or change them without pulling any panels. You certainly can do it easier than I did but since I have a small machine shop and electronics lab with DRO milling machines it was easy for me to fabricate special brackets. You could simply use brackets or develop your own installation, this is just how I did it.
The lights are mounted under the ledge of the exterior trim panel (see last photo)
A couple of things to be aware of. You will see a lot of wires covered by cloth, GM does this for noise to keep things from slapping around, make sure when you run your wires to use lots of small ties and tape, be particularly aware of wires touching body parts.
The exterior trim bolts have seal on them, make sure you use seal when you reinstall them and also on new brake lights anywhere they enter the car ( I used it after I took photos in the pic above.
At 13.4 volts both lights operating together use 150 ma. each , that's 13.4 * .3 = ~4 watts but it's plenty bright and blends with the car brakes well.

This is a solid install, done carefully it will last the life of your car. LEDs are diodes and diodes do not short, if they go bad they open so they are very safe.
This is a safe install, there's no third party electronics to fail, I'm an electronic engineer with decades of experience, I chose this resolution for a reason, it was designed to be simple, nothing fancy, nothing complex and it doesn't change any of the cars lighting, just a low current tap off the lights. I also think it's doable by handy people with a working knowledge of tools who know how to solder.

Hookup:
Hook the red wire from the new brake lights together and wire that to the brown/yellow wire off the car body side connector going to the top brake light, hook the white wires from each new light together and wire that to the black wire from the car's connector next to the brown/yellow wire.

Disclaimer:
You do all this at your own risk, I am not responsible for errors, mistakes, problems, failures or accidents. This is how I did it, I am not advocating anyone do it.
Sorry it's a crazy world, I have to make people aware of their responsibilities.

I'm open for questions,
Rob

I don’t believe lots of lights are the answer, although it can’t hurt. All those lights mean nothing to a driver preparing a critically important tex message

 

^... about the kitten video they just watched.

 

howto
Here's a simple drawing of the wiring:

If you look at the second picture here it shows the location:

2022 and 2023 EUV Tail Light Mod

I mod my 2023 Bolt EUV LT tail light (on lift gate only), i follow somebody else post but instead of diodes i use: " Diode Dynamics" Automotive PWM Dimmer With Bypass, i got from Amazon, its sold by pear and i use each dimmer for left and right tail lite on lift gate. easy job if you have hands...

www.chevybolt.org