Bsi bs au 007a 1983 (2000)

BRITISH STANDARD AUTOMOBILE SERIES

Specification for

Colour code for road
vehicle electrical cables

UD C 62 9. 1 1 3. 066: 621 . 31 5. 2 - 777. 6

BS AU 7a:1983


BS AU 7a:1983

Committees responsible for this
British Standard
The preparation of this British Standard was entrusted by the Automobile
Standards Committee (AUE- ) to Technical Committee AUE/1 6 upon which the
following bodies were represented:
Association of Trailer Manufacturers
Department of Transport
Electric Cable Makers’ Confederation
National Caravan Council Limited
Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Limited

This British Standard, having
been prepared under the
direction of the Automobile
Standards Committee, was
published under the authority
of the Board of BSI and comes

into effect on
30 December 1 983
First published February 1 963
First revision June 1 968
Second revision December 1 983
© BSI 02- 2000

The following BSI references
relate to the work on this
standard:
Committee reference AUE/1 6
Draft for comment 81 /71 785 DC

ISBN 0 580 13554 3

Amendments issued since publication
Amd. No.

Date of issue

Comments


BS AU 7a:1983

Contents
Page
Committees responsib le

© BSI 02 - 2 000

Inside front cover

Foreword

ii

1

Scope

1

2

C ab le colours

1

Figure 1 — Basic circuits

8

Figure 2 — Supplementary circuits

9

Tab le 1 — Cable colour code

1

i


BS AU 7 a: 1 983

Fore word

This British Standard has been prepared under the direction of the Automobile
Standards Committee. It supersedes BS AU 7: 1 968 which is withdrawn. This
revision brings the standard up to date with subsequent developments in vehicle
electrical equipment.
For the information of the user the destinations of the cables in the previous 1 968
edition of this standard have been included. New cables, reference numbers 1 21
to 1 33, have been added to this standard.
A British Standard does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a
contract. Users of British Standards are responsible for their correct application.
C omp liance with a British S tand ard d oe s no t of itse lf confe r immunity
from le gal ob ligatio ns.

S ummary of p age s

This document comprises a front cover, an inside front cover, pages i and ii,
pages 1 to 9 and a back cover.
This standard has been updated (see copyright date) and may have had
amendments incorporated. This will be indicated in the amendment table on the
inside front cover.

ii

© BSI 02- 2000


BS AU 7a:1 983

1 Scope

2 Cable colours

This British Standard specifies requirements for a

Cable colours for related cable functions shall be as

colour code for electrical cables used in road vehicles

specified in Table 1 and in Figure 1 , for basic

that identifies each circuit by the colour of the cables

circuits; and Table 1 and Figure 2, for

used.

supplementary circuits.

NOTE

Due to the variation in design of some components, such

as windscreen wiper motors, it is not possible to include all

switches and internal wiring arrangements. The component
manufacturers should be consulted for further details.

Where two colours are specified, the first colour
shall be the primary colour and the second colour
shall be the tracer.

Table 1 — Cable colour code
Cable

Cable colour

Cable destination

Cable destination in 1 968 version of

ref. no.

BS AU 7 (for information)

1

Brown

Main battery feed

2

Brown with blue

Control box (compensated voltage

Control box (compensated voltage

control only) to ignition and

control only) to ignition and

lighting switch (feed)

lighting switch (feed)

3

Brown with red

Main battery feed

Compression ignition starting aid

Compression ignition starting aid

to switch. Main battery feed to

to switch. Main battery feed to

double pole ignition switch

double pole ignition switch (a. c. alt,
system)

4

Brown with purple

Alternator regulator feed

Alternator regulator feed

5

Brown with green

Dynamo “F” to control box “F”.

Dynamo “F” to control box “F”.

6

Brown with light

Alternator field “F” to control box

Alternator field “F” to control box

“F”

“F”

Spare

Screenwiper motor to switch (now

green

transferred to cable ref.
nos. 1 22, 1 23 and 1 24)

7

8

Brown with white

Brown with yellow

Ammeter to control box. Ammeter

Ammeter to control box

to main alternator terminal

Ammeter to main alternator

Alternator to “no change” warning

Dynamo “D” to control box “D” and

light

ignition warning light. Alternator
neutral point

9

Brown with black

Alternator battery sensing lead

Alternator warning light, negative
side

10

Brown with pink

Spare

Spare

11

Brown with slate

Starter relay contact to starter

Spare

solenoid
12

Brown with orange

Fuel shut- off (diesel stop)

Spare

13

Blue

Lighting switch (head) to dipper

Lighting switch (head) to dipper

switch

switch

14

Blue with brown

Headlamp relay to headlamp fuse

Spare

15

Blue with red

Dipper switch to headlamp dip

Dipper switch to headlamp dip

beam fuse. Fuse to right- hand dip

beam. Headlamp dip beam fuse to

headlamp

right- hand headlamp
(when independently fused)

16

Blue with purple

Spare

Spare

17

Blue with green

Spare

Spare

18

Blue with light

Headlamp wiper motor to

Screenwiper motor to switch

green

headlamp wash pump motor

© BSI 02- 2000

1


BS AU 7a:1 983

Table 1 — Cable colour code
Cable

Cable colour

Cable destination

Cable destination in 1 968 version of

ref. no.

19

BS AU 7 (for information)

Blue with white

a) Dipper switch to headlamp main

Dipper switch to headlamp main

beam fuse

beam (subsidiary circuit: headlamp

b) Headlamp flasher to main beam

flasher relay to headlamp).

fuse

Headlamp main beam fuse to

c) Dipper switch main beam

right- hand headlamp

warning light

(when independently fused).

d) Dipper switch to long- range

Headlamp main beam fuse to

driving light switch

outboard headlamps (when
outboard headlamps independently
fused). Dipper switch to main beam
warning light.

20

Blue with yellow

Long- range driving light switch to

Long- range driving switch to lamp

lamp
21

Blue with black

Fuse to right- hand main headlamp

Spare

22

Blue with pink

Fuse to left- hand dip headlamp

Headlamp dip beam fuse to
left- hand headlamp when
independently fused

23

Blue with slate

Headlamp main beam fuse to

Headlamp main beam fuse to

left- hand headlamp or inboard

left- hand headlamp or inboard

headlamps when independently

headlamps when independently

fused

fused

24

Blue with orange

Fuse to right- hand dip headlamp

Spare

25

Red

Main feed to all circuits mastered

Side and tail lamp feed

by sidelamp switch
26

Red with brown

Rear fog guard switch to lamps

Variable intensity panel lights
(when used in addition to normal
panel lights)

27

Red with blue

Front fog lamp fuse to fog lamp

Spare

switch
28

Red with purple

Switches to map light, under

Map light switch to map light

bonnet light, glove box light and
boot lamp when side lamp circuit
fed
29

30

Red with green

Red with light

Bulb failure unit to right- hand side

Lighting switch to side and tail

and rear lamps

lamp fuse (when fused)

Spare

Screenwiper motor to switch

a) Sidelamp fuse to right- hand side

Panel light switch to panel lights

green
31

Red with white

and rear lamps
b) Sidelamp fuse to panel light
rheostat, panel light or map light
c) Fuse to panel light switch or
rheostat
d) Fuse to fibre optic source
32

Red with yellow

Fog lamp switch to fog lamp or

Fog lamp switch to fog lamp

front fog fuse to fog lamps
33

Red with black

Side lamp fuse to side and tail

Parking light switch to left- hand

lamps, left- hand and number plate

sidelamp

illumination

2

© BSI 02- 2000


BS AU 7a:1 983

Table 1 — Cable colour code
Cable

Cable colour

Cable destination

Cable destination in 1 968 version of

ref. no.

BS AU 7 (for information)

34

Red with pink

Sidelamp fuse to lighting relay

Spare

35

Red with slate

Lamp failure unit to left- hand side

Spare

and tail lamps
36

Red with orange

Fusebox to rear fog guard switch

Parking light switch to right- hand
sidelamp

37

38

39

Purple

Purple with brown

Purple with blue

Accessories fed direct from battery

Accessories fused direct from

via fuse

battery

Horn fuse to horn relay when horn

Horn fuse to horn relay (when horn

is fused separately

is fused separately)

Fuse to heated rear window relay

Spare

or switch and warning light
40

Purple with red

Switches to map light, under

Boot light switch to boot light

bonnet light, glove box light and
boot lamp when fed direct from
battery fuse
41
42

Purple with green

Fuse to hazard flasher

Spare

Purple with light

Fuse to relay for screen demist

Spare

green
43

Purple with white

Interior lights to switch (subsidiary

Interior light to switch (subsidiary

circuit: door safety lights to switch)

circuit: door safety lights to switch)

44

Purple with yellow

Horn to horn relay

Horn to horn relay

45

Purple with black

Horn to horn relay to horn push

Horn to horn relay to horn push

46

Purple with pink

Rear heated window to switch or

Spare

relay
47

Purple with slate

Aerial lift motor to switch up

Aerial lift motor to switch up

48

Purple with orange

Aerial lift motor to switch down

Aerial lift motor to switch down

49

Green

Accessories fused via ignition

Accessories fused via ignition

switch

switch (subsidiary circuit fuse A4
to hazard switch terminal 6)

50

Green with brown

Switch to reverse lamp

Reverse lamp to switch

51

Green with blue

Water temperature gauge to

Water temperature gauge to

temperature unit

temperature unit

Direction indicator switch to

Left- hand flasher lamps

52

Green with red

left- hand flasher lamps
53

Green with purple

Stop lamp switch to stop lamps;

Stop lamps to stop lamp switch

or
stop lamp switch to lamp failure
unit
54

Green with light

Hazard flasher unit to hazard pilot

Hazard flasher unit to hazard pilot

green

lamp;

lamp

or

lamp failure unit to stop lamp bulbs
55

Green with white

Direction indicator switch to

Right- hand flasher lamps

right- hand flasher lamps
56

Green with yellow

© BSI 02- 2000

Heater motor to switch single

Heater motor to switch, single

speed (or to “slow” on two or

speed (or to “slow” on two- speed

three- speed motor)

motor)

3

BS AU 7a:1 983

Table 1 — Cable colour code
Cable

Cable colour

Cable destination

Cable destination in 1 968 version of

ref. no.

57

BS AU 7 (for information)

Green with black

Fuel gauge to fuel tank unit or

Fuel gauge to fuel tank unit or

changeover switch or voltage

changeover switch

stabilizer to tank units
58

Green with pink

Fuse to flasher unit

Choke solenoid to choke switch
(when fused)

59

Green with slate

a) Heater motor to switch (“fast” on

Heater motor to switch (fast on

two or three- speed motor)

two- speed motor)

b) Coolant level unit to warning
light
60

Green with orange

Low fuel level switch to warning

Low fuel level warning light

light
61

62

Light green

Light green with

Instrument voltage stabilizer to

Instrument voltage stabilizer to

instruments

instruments

Flasher switch to flasher unit

Flasher switch to flasher unit

brown
63

Light green with

a) Flasher switch to left- hand

Flasher switch to left- hand flasher

blue

flasher warning light

warning light

b) Coolant level sensor to control
unit
c) Test switch to coolant level
control unit
64

Light green with

Fuel tank changeover switch to

Fuel tank changeover switch to

red

right- hand tank unit;

right- hand tank unit

or
entry and exit door closed switch to
door actuator
65

66

Light green with

Flasher unit to flasher warning

Flasher unit to flasher warning

purple

light

light

Light green with

Start inhibitor relay to change

Spare

green

speed switch;
or
switch to heater blower motor
second speed on three- speed unit

67

68

Light green with

Low air pressure switch to buzzer

white

and warning light

Spare

Light green with

Flasher switch to right- hand

Flasher switch to right- hand

yellow

warning light;

flasher warning light

or
differential lock switch, to
differential lock warning light
69

70

71

Light green with

Front screen j et switch to screen j et

Screen j et switch to screen j et

black

motor

motor

Light green with

Hazard flasher unit to hazard

Flasher unit to emergency switch

pink

switch

(simultaneous flashing)

Light green with

Fuel tank changeover switch to

Fuel tank changeover switch to

slate

left- hand tank unit;

left- hand tank unit

or
entry and exit door open switch to
door actuator

4

© BSI 02- 2000


BS AU 7a:1 983

Table 1 — Cable colour code
Cable

Cable colour

Cable destination

Cable destination in 1 968 version of

ref. no.

72

BS AU 7 (for information)

Light green with

Rear window wash switch to wash

orange

pump;

Spare

or
cab lock- down switch to warning
light
73

74

White

White with brown

Ignition switch or starter solenoid

Ignition controlled circuit (unfused)

to ballast resistor

(ignition switch to ballast resistor)

Oil pressure switch to warning

Oil pressure switch to warning

light or gauge;

light or gauge

or
starter relay to oil pressure switch
75

White with blue

Choke switch to choke solenoid

Choke switch to choke solenoid

(unfused) and/or choke to switch to

(unfused). Rear heater fuse unit to

warning light; or electronic ignition

switch. Electronic ignition

distributor to drive resistor

transistor assisted contact ignition
unit to resistance

76

White with red

Starter switch to starter solenoid or

Solenoid starter switch to starter

inhibitor switch or starter relay;

push or inhibitor switch

or
ignition (start position) to bulb
failure unit
77

78

79

White with purple

White with green

Fuel pump no. 1 or right- hand to

Fuel pump no. 1 or right- hand to

changeover switch

changeover switch

Fuel pump no. 2 or left- hand to

Fuel pump no. 2 or left- hand to

changeover switch

changeover switch

White with light

Start switch to starter interlock;

Screenwiper motor to switch

green

or
oil pressure switch to fuel pump;
or
start inhibitor switch to starter
relay or solenoid

80

White with yellow

Ballast resistor to coil; or starter

Starter push inhibitor switch to

solenoid to coil

starter push. Ballast resistor to coil
Starter solenoid to coil

81

White with black

Ignition coil contact breaker to

Ignition coil contact breaker to

distributor contact breaker;

distributor contact breaker. Rear

or

heated window to switch or fuse

distributor side of coil to voltage

transistor assisted contact ignition

impulse tachometer
82

White with pink

Ignition switch to radio fuse

Radio from ignition switch

83

White with slate

Current tachometer to ignition coil

Tachometer to ignition coil

84

White with orange

Hazard warning feed to switch

Hazard warning feed (to switch)

85

Yellow

a) Overdrive

Overdrive

b) Petrol inj ection no. 1
c) Door locks
d) Gear selector switch to start
86

Yellow with brown

a) Petrol inj ection no. 2

Overdrive

b) Door locks

© BSI 02- 2000

5


BS AU 7a:1 983

Table 1 — Cable colour code
Cable

Cable colour

Cable destination

Cable destination in 1 968 version of

ref. no.

87

BS AU 7 (for information)

Yellow with blue

a) Overdrive

Overdrive

b) Petrol inj ection no. 3
c) Door locks
88

Yellow with red

a) Petrol inj ection no. 4

Overdrive

b) Door locks
89

Yellow with purple

a) Overdrive

Overdrive

b) Petrol inj ection no. 5
c) Door locks
90

Yellow with green

a) Overdrive

Overdrive

b) Petrol inj ection no. 6
c) Door locks
91

92

Yellow with light

a) Petrol inj ection no. 7

green

b) Door locks

Yellow with white

a) Petrol inj ection no. 8

Screenwiper motor to switch

Spare

b) Door locks
93

Yellow with black

Door locks

Spare

94

Yellow with pink

Door locks

Spare

95

Yellow with slate

Door locks

Spare

96

Yellow with orange

Door locks

Spare

97

Black

All earth connections

All earth connections

98

Black with brown

99

1 00

Black with blue

Black with red

Tachometer generator to

Tachometer generator to

tachometer

tachometer

Tachometer generator to

Tachometer generator to

tachometer

tachometer

Electric or electronic speedometer

Electric speedometer

to sensor
1 01

Black with purple

Temperature switch to warning

Spare

light
1 02

Black with green

Relay to radiator fan motor

Screenwiper switch to screenwiper
(single speed). Relay to radiator fan
motor

1 03

Black with light

Vacuum brake switch or brake

Vacuum brake switch to warning

green

differential pressure valve to

light and/or buzzer

warning light and/or buzzer
1 04

Black with white

Brake fluid level warning light to

Brake fluid level warning light to

switch and handbrake switch;

switch and handbrake switch

or
radio to speakers
1 05

Black with yellow

Electric speedometer

Electric speedometer

1 06

Black with pink

Spare

Spare

1 07

Black with slate

Spare

Spare

1 08

Black with orange

Radiator fan motor to thermal

Radiator fan motor to thermal

switch

switch

1 09

Slate

Window lift main feed

Window lift

110

Slate with brown

Window lift main feed

Window lift

6

© BSI 02- 2000


BS AU 7a:1 983

Table 1 — Cable colour code
Cable

Cable colour

Cable destination

Cable destination in 1 968 version of

ref. no.

BS AU 7 (for information)

111

Slate with blue

Window lift main feed

Window lift

112

Slate with red

Window lift main feed

Window lift

113

Slate with purple

Window lift main feed

Window lift

114

Slate with green

Window lift main feed

Window lift

Slate with light

Window lift main feed

Window lift

115

green
116

Slate with white

Window lift main feed

Window lift

117

Slate with yellow

Window lift main feed

Window lift

118

Slate with black

Window lift main feed

Window lift

119

Slate with pink

Window lift main feed

Window lift

1 20

Slate with orange

Window lift main feed

Window lift

1 21

Orange

Wiper circuits fused via ignition

—

switch
1 22

Orange with blue

Switch to front screen wiper motor

—

first speed, timer or intermittent
unit

1 23

Orange with green

Switch to front screen wiper motor

—

second speed
1 24

Orange with black

Switch to front screen wiper motor

—

parking circuit, timer or
intermittent unit
1 25

Orange with purple Timer or intermittent unit to motor

—

first speed
1 26

Orange with white

Timer or intermittent unit to motor

—

parking circuit
1 27

Orange with yellow Switch to headlamp or rear window

—

wiper motor feed, timer or relay
coil
1 28

Orange with light

Switch to headlamp or rear window

green

wiper motor parking circuit timer

—

or relay coil
1 29

Orange with pink

Timer or relay to headlamp or rear

—

window wiper motor feed
1 30

Orange with slate

Timer or relay to headlamp or rear

—

window wiper motor parking
circuit
1 31

Orange with brown

Spare

—

1 32

Orange with red

Spare

—

1 33

Pink with white

Ballast resistor to distributor

—

(optionally marked “RESISTIVE”)
NOTE

Cables ref. numbers 1 21 to 1 33 are new cables added to the standard in this 1 983 issue.

© BSI 02- 2000

7


Figure 1 — Basic circuits

BS AU 7a:1983

8

© BSI 02 - 2 000


Figure 2 — Supplementary circuits

BS AU 7a:1983

© BSI 02 - 2 000

9


BS AU 7a:1983

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