What’s up guys, today we are going over one of the newest products from Morimoto Lighting: the Morimoto XB Backup Light Boost Bar. This is literally a light bar built for your license plate, so if you need a little bit more light when backing up, loading trailers, campers, or anything else, this is the perfect upgrade. We got our hands on one, tested it out, and walked through the full install so you can see exactly how it works and how easy it is to add extra reverse lighting to just about any vehicle.
What Is the Morimoto XB Backup Light Boost Bar?
The boost bar is a universal light bar that mounts to your license plate to add extra reverse lighting. It does not matter if you drive a car, a truck, or something in between, if you have a license plate, this will go on it. That universal design is a big part of the appeal. Rather than tearing into your factory reverse lighting or trying to source a vehicle-specific reverse assembly, you get one simple bar that lines up with the mounting holes you already have.
We like to think of it as the best bang for your buck when you want that little bit of extra light in reverse. When you are hitching up a trailer at night, guiding a camper into a tight spot, or just backing out of a dark driveway, that additional output makes a real difference. If you want to see it in person, you can find the Backup Light Boost Bar at Headlight Revolution as well.
What Comes in the Box
Open the box and you get two main pieces: the reverse light boost bar itself and a really long wire. That length matters. The extended harness lets you reach the reverse wiring on just about any vehicle without running into a length problem, so you have plenty of slack to route it cleanly from the license plate area back to your tail light wiring.
At the very end of that wire you will see a red wire and a black wire. These are what you tap into your reverse lights. The black wire goes to a ground, and the red wire goes to a reverse power wire. That is really the whole electrical side of it, two connections, keeping the wiring straightforward even if you have never done a lighting install before.
Install Guide: Wiring the Boost Bar
Locating the Reverse Wire
When locating your reverse wire, keep in mind that each vehicle is a tad bit different. The gist is the same across the board though. Take out one of your tail lights and locate the wires behind it. Turn the vehicle on, put it in reverse, and test the wires to find the one that has power. That is the reverse power wire, and that is what you tap into with your boost bar wiring.
We recommend using a test light or a multimeter here so you know for sure you have the right wire before you tap in. With the vehicle in reverse, the correct wire will show power, and every other wire back there will stay dead. Once you confirm it, connect the red wire from the boost bar to that reverse power wire and run the black wire to a solid ground. If you are shopping for something turnkey, there is also a plug-and-play Boost Bar kit from The Retrofit Source worth looking at.
Mounting the Boost Bar to the License Plate
Physically mounting the boost bar is easy. Take your boost bar and line it up with your license plate holes. You will see the wire coming off the bar, and you have two options for routing it. You can either tuck it up and above the plastic piece, or you can drill a small hole and feed the wire up and through, using the included rubber grommet to seal that hole off.
The rubber grommet is a nice touch if you go the drilled-hole route because it keeps the wire from chafing on a bare metal edge and helps keep moisture out. Whichever routing method you pick, the goal is a clean run with no exposed wire flapping in the wind.
Once the wire is routed, take the OEM bolts off your license plate, line up your boost bar to those same holes, and tighten the screws back down. That is it, you are using the existing hardware and the existing mounting points, so there is nothing to fabricate and no extra brackets to worry about.
Plug and Play With Morimoto XB Tail Lights
Now here is the part we are really excited about. You might be wondering why we had a tail light sitting on the table during the video. Morimoto’s new XB tail lights that are coming out will all have a plug and play harness for this new boost bar. In front of us we had the new Super Duty tail light, and on the very back side there is a small pigtail harness. All you have to do is take off the little cover and plug in your boost bar, and you are ready to go.
That means no splicing, no test lights, and no hunting for the reverse wire if you are running the matching Morimoto tail lights. You just connect the boost bar to the pigtail and you are done. If you want to see what is coming, check out the full Morimoto XB Tail Lights lineup and the dedicated Morimoto reverse and license plate lights section for the reverse-focused options.
For anyone who wants to keep exploring the license plate lighting world, we also offer the XTR LP Reverse Light Kit, and if you enjoy the tail light install process, our C7 Corvette C8-style tail light install guide walks through a full tail light swap step by step.
Why We Like the Boost Bar
The Morimoto XB Backup Light Boost Bar hits a sweet spot of simple, affordable, and genuinely useful. It solves a real problem, which is that most factory reverse lighting is dim and aimed poorly for actually seeing behind your vehicle. By mounting a dedicated light bar right at the license plate, you get output aimed where you need it most when you are backing up.
The install is beginner friendly. Two wires, existing mounting holes, and a grommet for clean routing. And if you upgrade to the upcoming XB tail lights, the whole electrical step gets replaced by a single plug. Whether you are loading trailers, guiding campers, or just want more confidence backing into a dark spot, this is a straightforward upgrade that punches above its price.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Morimoto XB Backup Light Boost Bar?
It is a universal light bar that mounts to your license plate to add extra reverse lighting, useful for backing up, loading trailers, and campers.
Will the boost bar fit my vehicle?
Yes, according to the transcript it is universal and can be installed on any car or truck that has a license plate.
How do you wire the boost bar into the vehicle?
You use the included long wire, tapping the black wire to a ground and the red wire to a reverse power wire, which you locate by removing a taillight and testing wires with the vehicle in reverse.
How does the boost bar physically mount to the license plate?
You align the boost bar with the existing license plate holes, route the wire either tucked above the plastic piece or through a drilled hole with the included rubber grommet, then reinstall the OEM screws to secure it.
Does the boost bar work with Morimoto tail lights?
Yes, the transcript states that Morimoto’s upcoming XB tail lights, such as the new Super Duty tail light shown, include a plug and play harness pigtail so you can simply plug in the boost bar without splicing wires.
Meet the Experts Behind Morimoto
Jimmy Nguyen – Engineering Manager
Jimmy leads engineering at Morimoto, bringing experience across customer support, supplier management, design engineering, and validation testing. His work ensures Morimoto lighting systems are engineered for real-world reliability and long-term performance.
Mike Hicks – Quality Control Manager
Mike oversees quality assurance at Morimoto, with a background spanning returns testing, RMA analysis, vendor quality control, and manufacturer scorecards. His focus is continuous improvement and accountability across the product lifecycle.
