Are the 3rd Brake Light and License Plate Light Mandatory When Flat Towing a 2017 Jeep Wrangler

Question:

I installed a Hopkins 56200 Wiring harness for my 2017 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. The license plate light as well as the 3rd middle brake light does NOT work when plugged into the RV. They DO work when using the Jeep normally. I believe the license plate light is mandatory to have lit when driving at night. However, the 3rd brake light is NOT necessary. Is there a fix for this? I also noticed that in some of the YouTube videos that show the final test, the 3rd brake light never lights up.

asked by: Lin

Expert Reply:

The Hopkins Custom Tail Light Wiring Kit # HM56200 will not activate the 3rd tail light on your 2017 Jeep Wrangler because it is created to keep from backfeeding into the wiring on your Wrangler. This is the same case for your license plate light.

Having the 3rd brake light and/or the license plate light is not mandatory when flat towing. I have confirmed this with one of my contacts about flat towing.

With that being said, it sounds like you installed the kit correctly and you are good to start towing your Jeep!

expert reply by: Jon G