Identify cut wire under dash behind radio

[OldFox]

I'm trying to determine what this cut wire is for, its black with yellow dots and comes out of a gray connector with a purple wire next to it, anyone know what its for? (tried looking at wiring diagram and couldn't locate it)

[Chuck W]

Might be a little more helpful if you told folks the car and year.

[OldFox]

Yes its a 1985 Mustang thanks.

[KevinK]

84 EVTM shows Black wire with a yellow dot as the switched power to the fan relay and up-shift indicator on 4 cy.l Canada car. Or fan hot at all times on 50 state 4 cyl. Both feed the fan relay/ ac controller.

I don't see it going to any gray 3 pin connector as pictured.

[OldFox]

Thanks for reply, not sure what that means because this is original V8 car with no a/c.

[Chuck W]

What side of the dash?

[OldFox]

From the drives side floor looking toward the radio, its between the radio and the Gray Box Shift Light Module. I will try to get a better photo of the wires coming out the other end of the connector that might give a clue, thanks.

[OldFox]

Another photo showing not much more, but you can see the wires coming out of the other side of the connector more clearly (gray with black dots), and they go upward toward the back of the cluster...

[Chuck W]

None of my Mustang EVTMs are new enough (79-80) and all of my others are non-Mustang. The closest I have is the '85 LTD/Marquis one, and nothing in there jives.

That P/BK Dot wire should stand out on a wiring diagram, but I find no correlation in any of my sources. Online is no help, either.

Perhaps it's something in the Courtesy Lighting, or around the center console area? Trace the end that goes behind the radio.

[OldFox]

Thanks for trying, will keep looking...

[Chuck W]

Yeah, if you look at the 1985 wiring diagrams that are linked at the top of this section, you'll find what Kevin K is talking about.

On page 16 at B-5, connector C1241, that is what you're looking at. You can see the ID below in the connector pin-outs. However, for whatever reason, your GY/BK dot wire (circuit 208 ) changes to P/BK dot on the lower side.

[Chuck W]

OK!

The 85 5.0 DID have a shift light in the dash. That circuit 208 (GY/BK dot) connects to the "Shift Indicator Light Dimmer Relay"

That cut BL/YL dot wire (circuit 175) is the power that goes through the shift light and to the above relay. Someone probably got tired of seeing it and cut it.

More details in this thread HERE

[OldFox]

That's awesome, thank you! What's weird is I had an instinct it had something to do with the gray box even though it didn't go it it directly.

[KevinK]

Looks like that would be connector C269 which goes directly to the up shift lamp.