Digi-tails 1981-83 MALIBU User manual

1981-83 MALIBU
Please refer to website for full warranty information. DIGI-TAILS is not a licensed GM product.
Kit Contents:
• 6 taillight LED panels
• 2 reverse LED panels
• 6rubber grommets
• 1power wire with T-Tap
• 3Driver side LED harnesses, 24”
• 3Passenger side LED harnesses, 48”
• 6 LED extension harnesses, 12”
• 3harness crimp kits
• 16 mounting brackets
PN 1101681
Eight panel Sequential LED Taillight
w/LED reverse kit installation guide

1981-83 MALIBU LED PANEL INSTALLATION
3.
Each Taillight LED panel is marked on its backside, which identifies where each respective LED panel is to
be mounted. As example, shown is the DRIVER side LEFT pane labeled DL. This panel will be mounted in
the left most pocket of the taillight housing. There is also the DRIVER side CENTER panel, labeled DC,
and DRIVER side RIGHT panel labeled DR.
2
Identify the LED panels.
DRIVER side
LEFT LED panel
LED PANEL INSTALLATION
1. Cut off the power to your car.
Disconnect the negative terminal from the battery, which will cut off the power in your car.
To verify that the power is disconnected, press the brake pedal; your brake lights should not turn on.
2. Remove the taillights.
Remove the bulbs from the sockets. Put them aside since they will no longer be needed. Pull the
light sockets out from the taillight housings. Remove the taillight housing assembly from the car.
The LED boards are shipped with the slide switch set to
sequential mode. We recommend that all slide switches be
set to the same setting (either standard or sequential).
Please follow all local laws concerning exterior lighting.
Note
You may begin with the LED panel installation, however, you will need to complete the wiring
modifications before the LED panels and housings are paired as one. Read over the entire
instruction guide to determine the method that works best for you.
Hint
SEQUENTIAL
POSITION
STANDARD
POSITION
Shown in sequential mode
DRIVER side
CENTER LED panel
DRIVER side
RIGHT LED panel

1981-83 MALIBU LED PANEL INSTALLATION 3
4. Attach mounting brackets.
Both housings will require mounting brackets for the LED panels to attach to.
2. Attach an angle bracket with its
face on the mark on the mark.
1. Start with the smallest pocket
Measure down 5/8” from the vertical edge.
3. Repeat the procedure for the opposite
wall in the pocket. The LED panel now
has 2 ledges to sit on.
Lip edge 5/8” down
4. For the other 3 pockets, mount the brackets
on the horizontal ends. Again, measure down
5/8” from the edge and attach the brackets.
5. Plug in extension wires, grommets.
Feed the extension wires through the socket hole. Wrap the rubber
grommet around the wires and press it into the socket hole. Once the
LED panels are in place for good, you will still be able to easily plug
and unplug the harness and remove the buckets.
It is best to use a small flat head screw driver to work the grommets onto the socket holes.
Hint

1981-83 MALIBU LED PANEL INSTALLATION 4
6. Attach the LED panels.
1. Remove the protective covering from the double
sided strips on the angle brackets
Be sure that the LEDs across all panels are
in a nice straight line. This will ensure they
look their best behind the lens.
2. Plug the TAILLIGHT LED panels into the harness extensions and
one by one attach the LED panels in place.
3. Plug the REVERSE LED panels into the stock sockets.

1981-83 MALIBU WIRE SPLICING INSTALLATION
WIRE SPLICING INSTALLATION
5
2. Find and access the taillight wires.
Pick a point in the rear body panel between the driver’s side quarter panel and the driver’s side
taillight housing assembly and remove the cloth tape to expose the taillight wires.
3. Splice the LED SIGNAL wires into the stock SIGNAL wires. Match the LED harness
to the corresponding stock harness as shown below.
Stock harness Notes
Green
Brown
The light socket ends on the car harness
can be removed.
4. Connect all the ground wires.
Connect all the ground wires together. Bolt them to the trunk latch support along with the original
rear body harness ground. The ground connection must be good in order to the operate the LED
tail lights.
Black
Yellow
1. Review the wiring diagrams found on the last page.
Each LED panel needs five connections. Listed are the LED harness colors and their
respective function. Note: Depending on make and harness, colors may not match.
ORANGE - Constant 12 volt power source.
BLACK - Grounded to body.
YELLOW - Driver side turn signal.
GREEN - Passenger side turn signal.
BROWN - Running/park signal.
Black
Orange
Function
Passenger side turn signal/
Brake light signal
Driver side turn signal/
Brake light signal
Running/Park signal
Constant 12 volt
Ground
LED Harness
Find power at fuse panel/trunk light/dome light/fused battery feed.
Ground to Body/chassis
Running light wires.
There is no dedicated Brake light signal wire. When the brake pedal is pressed the brake
switch sends power into the turn signal switch and then power through both the driver
and passenger signal wires to activate the brake lights.
Note about
brake lights
Yellow
Green The light socket ends on the car harness
can be removed.

1981-83 MALIBU WIRE SPLICING INSTALLATION 6
6. Tuck and secure the spliced wires.
Take the spliced sections and fold them over to one side
and tape them in place. This will allow you to place the
wiring into loom or wrap the LED panel wiring tightly away.
!
Take the LED harness YELLOW wires and splice them in with the original BLACK running
light wires. The ends going to the side marker lights must be included in the splice for
the side markers to remain functional.
Take the ground wires and connect them all together. Bolt them to the trunk latch
support along with the original rear body harness ground.
Note: A good ground connection is essential to the operation of the LED tail lights.
An ORANGE power wire is supplied along with a T-Tap. The orange power wire must be
supplied with a constant 12 volt battery supply for the LED circuitry to operate properly.
The T-Tap connector is used to splice to the constant power source, like the dome light wire.
Spice the T-Tap connector into the constant power wire, then plug the orange wire into
the T-Tap. The other end of the orange wire is spliced into the LED harness Orange wires.
The last page is a wire diagram of how the LED harness splices into the car’s original harness.
Insert wire onto T-Tap Crimp with pliers Plug connector
into T-Tap
Wires spliced together. Fold wires over to a side. Wrap with tape to hold in place.
To keep the wires neatly tucked and in line, take the spliced sections and fold
them over to one side and tape them in place. This will allow you to place the
!
Take the LED harness BROWN wires and splice it with the original BROWN wires.
The light socket ends on the car harness are no longer needed.
Take the LED harness YELLOW wires and splice them in with the original BLACK running
light wires. The ends going to the side marker lights must be included in the splice for
the side markers to remain functional.
Take the ground wires and connect them all together. Bolt them to the trunk latch
support along with the original rear body harness ground.
Note: A good ground connection is essential to the operation of the LED tail lights.
An ORANGE power wire is supplied along with a T-Tap. The orange power wire must be
supplied with a constant 12 volt battery supply for the LED circuitry to operate properly.
The T-Tap connector is used to splice to the constant power source, like the dome light wire.
Spice the T-Tap connector into the constant power wire, then plug the orange wire into
the T-Tap. The other end of the orange wire is spliced into the LED harness Orange wires.
The last page is a wire diagram of how the LED harness splices into the car’s original harness.
Insert wire onto T-Tap Crimp with pliers Plug connector
into T-Tap
Wires spliced together. Fold wires over to a side. Wrap with tape to hold in place.
To keep the wires neatly tucked and in line, take the spliced sections and fold
them over to one side and tape them in place. This will allow you to place the
wiring into loom or have the ability to wrap the LED harness wiring tightly away.
1. Fold wires to
one side.
2. Secure with
electrical tape.
The LED light kits are designed for best performance when
use an electronic no-load flasher. Shown here is an
optional electronic no load flasher available from DIGI-TAILS,
( PN 20-F2 )
Note
If you decide to use a stock bimetal flasher, we recommend a standard-duty flasher instead
of a heavy-duty flasher. If your turn signal circuit includes front and rear LED turn signals, the
circuit will not have enough resistance load to operate a heavy-duty bimetal flasher, so the
no-load flasher will be required for both the turn signal and emergency flashers.
5. Supply the LED panel harnesses with a constant 12 volt
feed using the included Orange power wire and T-Tap.
An Orange power wire is supplied along with a T-Tap. The
orange power wire must powered with a constant 12 volt
battery supply for the LED circuitry to operate properly. You
can use the included T-Tap connector to splice to a constant
power source, like the dome light, trunk light, fuse box, etc.
Spice the T-Tap connector over the constant power source,
then plug the orange wire into the T-Tap. The other end of
the orange power wire is tied in with the orange wires of
all the LED panel harnesses.
!
the T-Tap. The other end of the orange wire is spliced into the LED harness Orange wires.
The last page is a wire diagram of how the LED harness splices into the car’s original harness.
Insert wire onto T-Tap Crimp with pliers
Wires spliced together. Fold wires over to a side.
To keep the wires neatly tucked and in line, take the spliced sections and fold
them over to one side and tape them in place. This will allow you to place the
wiring into loom or have the ability to wrap the LED harness wiring tightly away.
!
supplied with a constant 12 volt battery supply for the LED circuitry to operate properly.
The T-Tap connector is used to splice to the constant power source, like the dome light wire.
Spice the T-Tap connector into the constant power wire, then plug the orange wire into
the T-Tap. The other end of the orange wire is spliced into the LED harness Orange wires.
The last page is a wire diagram of how the LED harness splices into the car’s original harness.
Insert wire onto T-Tap Crimp with pliers Plug connector
Wires spliced together. Fold wires over to a side. Wrap with tape to hold in place.
To keep the wires neatly tucked and in line, take the spliced sections and fold
them over to one side and tape them in place. This will allow you to place the
wiring into loom or have the ability to wrap the LED harness wiring tightly away.
1. Insert wire
into T-Tap
2. Crimp with
pliers
3. Plug connector
into T-Tap
A wire diagram of the LED panel’s harness spliced into the car’s stock harness is on the last page.
Note

1981-83 MALIBU WIRE SPLICING INSTALLATION 7
PASSENGER SIDE TURN SIGNAL
DRIVER SIDE TURN SIGNAL
RUNNING/PARK
SIGNAL
STOCK HARNESS COLORS.
BROWN: GREEN: YELLOW
ALL 6 LED PANELS REQUIRE
DRIVER AND PASSENGER
SIGNALS.
GROUND
WIRES
CONSTANT FUSED POWER SOURCE.
(AT DOME LIGHT OR FUSEPANEL)
DRAWS LOW CURRENT, LESS THAN
3 AMPS.
POWER CONNECTION
ALTHOUGH CLOSED END CONNECTORS ARE INCLUDED, IT
IS RECOMMENDED THAT ALL SPLICED WIRES BE SOLDERED
TOGETHER FOR BEST CONNECTION RELIABILITY.
STOCK
REAR BODY
HARNESS
LED REVERSE PANELS
PLUG INTO THE
STOCK SOCKET
DRIVER SIDE LED PANELS PASSENGER SIDE LED PANELS