Map lights

[ethlar]

I just swapped LED bulbs into my dome and map lights. the light is slightly dimmer than i would like and i want to make the map lights come on with the dome lights. I have an LX so it doesnt already do it.
I was thinking of running a wire from the door on power from the dome light to the map lights. The other thing i was debating was just getting the map light console from an ex, then i would have the controls for the lights and the accent lighting but im not sure about hooking that up, i doubt the wires are already there.

Does anyone know if either of these ideas would or wouldnt work?

[irichard]

how did you open the covers ...the map and dome covers?

[hondacurafan]

There is a way to have the map lights come on with the dome lights. Check your manual. I have that enabled on my 06 Si. Works great.

[ethlar]

how did you open the covers ...the map and dome covers?

just use a very small flat bladed screw driver and gently pry, the dome light on the side with the switches. the map lights start near the middle and work your way out, on the lx they have 4 retaining clips.

There is a way to have the map lights come on with the dome lights. Check your manual. I have that enabled on my 06 Si. Works great.

I have the lx so theres no sunroof, my panel just has 2 map light lenses. My roomate and i ended up running a wire from the dome light to the map lights which are already wired to work like this in the fixture but there is no wire coming up from the main harness, but it now works exactly how i wanted it to.

[lpyc04]

What kind of bulbs did you use and what part #?

[ethlar]

i used bulbs i ordered off superbrightleds.com, they are part# 3022 4 led festoon bulbs

[av911]

Originally Posted by ethlar

I have the lx so theres no sunroof, my panel just has 2 map light lenses. My roomate and i ended up running a wire from the dome light to the map lights which are already wired to work like this in the fixture but there is no wire coming up from the main harness, but it now works exactly how i wanted it to.

Can you give me step-by-step on how to do this?

[ethlar]

pull out both of the light fixtures
on the dome light it has two wires, one of them is pink, the other is blue or black, i cant remember which.

use a unbent coat hanger or something similar, i found starting from the map light hole and going back to the dome light is easiest, attach a wire to the coat hanger and pull it back through, i ended up using 18 gauge stranded wire

on the map light connector it has 3 pins but only one of them actually has a wire in it, its going to be on one of the sides depending on the orientation you are holding it in, take one end of the wire you just put in, strip it and bend the end in half. Shove it in the oposite side hole from the existing wire. secure the wire with tape.

use your method of choice to splice into the pink wire on the dome light on the other end, i just pushed the stranded wire into the connector and taped it into place.

partially reinstall the map lights and put in the screw that grounds the fixture and open a door and make sure that the lights turn on, if they work finish reinstalling everything and enjoy.

[av911]

Originally Posted by ethlar

pull out both of the light fixtures
on the dome light it has two wires, one of them is pink, the other is blue or black, i cant remember which.

use a unbent coat hanger or something similar, i found starting from the map light hole and going back to the dome light is easiest, attach a wire to the coat hanger and pull it back through, i ended up using 18 gauge stranded wire

on the map light connector it has 3 pins but only one of them actually has a wire in it, its going to be on one of the sides depending on the orientation you are holding it in, take one end of the wire you just put in, strip it and bend the end in half. Shove it in the oposite side hole from the existing wire. secure the wire with tape.

use your method of choice to splice into the pink wire on the dome light on the other end, i just pushed the stranded wire into the connector and taped it into place.

partially reinstall the map lights and put in the screw that grounds the fixture and open a door and make sure that the lights turn on, if they work finish reinstalling everything and enjoy.

Thanks, man!!!

Took me awhile to complete it, but finally got it. The only gripe about this is you can't turn the map lights on/off when needed. Other than that, pretty happy with it.

Thanks again!!

[ethlar]

im thinking of some time getting the map lights from an ex and connecting them through the switch. or possibly with a little more wiring issues run it into the switch from an odyssey:

[av911]

Originally Posted by ethlar

im thinking of some time getting the map lights from an ex and connecting them through the switch. or possibly with a little more wiring issues run it into the switch from an odyssey:

I was gonna get EX map lights but it's not available right now.

Where would you put the switch from the Odyssey in the Civic?

[ethlar]

i would try to make the switch fit down where the foglight swich would go but after looking at the diagram it might be a little more work just to make it fit than i thought cause it sits on an angle instead of straight in:
part number 1

[wheeler]

Anyone having issues with turning on the map light causing the dome to light up? Seems like there needs to be a diode of some sort in line. I'd like to do the mod myself but wondered how it's working out for others.

[ethlar]

turning on my maplights does nothing to the dome light, whoever is having that issue should recheck their wiring

[wheeler]

ethlar,
could you please pull down your dome and map lights and take a couple pics of how you wired them?

[ethlar]

Originally Posted by wheeler

ethlar,
could you please pull down your dome and map lights and take a couple pics of how you wired them?

Il do it tomorrow when its light out

[wheeler]

That'll be great thanks

[ethlar]

here are the pictures i promised:

Map light end: there is a brown wire that i connected one end to


Dome Light end: the other end of the wire connects to the pink wire

[wheeler]

And this will cause the map lights to come on with the dome light and still have use of the map lights independantly?

[ethlar]

Originally Posted by wheeler

And this will cause the map lights to come on with the dome light and still have use of the map lights independantly?

yes