[kcker]

i have installed 4 led strip kit with a switch that is hidden inside front armrest panel.

its very clean install and i was very happy with it for NOT LONG

i want something more clean. Like - light strips illuminating when doors are opened and then turn off, when doors are closed. This is same as some luxury cars have.

i've found people doing it on bmw and civic...not good explanations on DIY and well, those were not foresters.

has ony1 done it in a forester?

i couldn't find a wiring diagram for interior lights either.

 

[bbottomley]

There's a diagram and some related info at this post, where I described my mod to make the map lights come on with the dome light. It would be easy to extend the map light wiring into the footwell to illuminate LEDs down there. That's something I plan to do when it gets warm outside.

 

[kcker]

how does the open door->map light work? should be some wires already routed to doors, no?

 

[bbottomley]

That wiring is already there, controlling the dome light. All you have to do is make the appropriate connections from the dome light to the map lights, including the required diodes and substituting LEDs for all three incandescents. As described in the link above.

Do not try this without replacing incandescents with LEDs or including the specified diodes! This can blow out the controller.

 

[kcker]

i read the link, but it was bit hard read for me

why exactly do i need to connect map light to dome light if i just want some LED strips to come on when doors are opened?

i have LEDs everywhere.

 

[jkoppee]

kcker I believe what you missed was bbottemley was saying instead of hooking up the map lights hook up the LED strips you want. In other words in his link replace the connection to map lights with connection to your LED strips.

 

[kcker]

map lights are in front and dome light is in the middle?

map lights have nothing to do with my doors or dome light, so why would i connect strips to them?

btw are there +/- wires running to doors from dome light? or is it just a switch for dome lights to come up? if so, then there must be one pair of +/- wires somewhere and i need to remove the whole roof to find them and splice in LED strips?

bbottomley - is it getting warmer already where you live?

 

[bbottomley]

kcker I believe what you missed was bbottomley was saying instead of hooking up the map lights hook up the LED strips you want. In other words in his link replace the connection to map lights with connection to your LED strips.

Yes.

And if you don't want the map lights to be a part of this, you wouldn't even have to use the diodes, since you would always want the dome light and the footwell lights to be on and off at the same time. There would be no conflict there. The reference to the map light mod was to show you how things are wired.

There's only one wire going down to each of the door switches. They're grounded through the frame. They connect to a controller which in turn puts the dome light through its on/off/fade behavior. You shouldn't try to connect to them.

You would need to run two wires from the dome light to power your footwell lights, because of the way it gets its power and the way it's switched.

 

[jkoppee]

map lights are in front and dome light is in the middle?

map lights have nothing to do with my doors or dome light, so why would i connect strips to them?

btw are there +/- wires running to doors from dome light? or is it just a switch for dome lights to come up? if so, then there must be one pair of +/- wires somewhere and i need to remove the whole roof to find them and splice in LED strips?

bbottomley - is it getting warmer already where you live?

You missed what I said, anywhere in bbottemley's link that says "map lights" replace with "LED strips". Dome light comes on when you open door, you want your LED strips to come on when you open door. Hook LED strips to Dome Light the both come on when you open door.

 

[kcker]

ok, i know i have to connect LED strips to dome light

btw are there +/- wires running to doors from dome light? or is it just a switch for dome lights to come up? if so, then there must be one pair of +/- wires somewhere and i need to remove the whole roof to find them and splice in LED strips?

in other words - where to find dome light wires except under the roof?

 

[getonmyhype-88]

i am doing my Headuint, sub and amp (wheelwell), footwell lighting to be activated with the doors opening, and wiring the dome lights to the map lights. this will all be done this weekend. I will post a thread on the specific wiring and what to tap into to do all this when i am done.

yee. gl with your install. lemme kno any tips or tricks before i start!

 

[kcker]

i am doing my Headuint, sub and amp (wheelwell), footwell lighting to be activated with the doors opening, and wiring the dome lights to the map lights. this will all be done this weekend. I will post a thread on the specific wiring and what to tap into to do all this when i am done.

oh nice have you ever done these installs before?