Adding Interior Lighting by feet

[Alc-GX22]

hi all. looking to add some ambient lighting under my dash so it's not so dark. i have the lights and would like to add a fuse to a fuse . anyone ever do anything similar like this? i would really like to wire it to the headlamp fuse so when the lights come on outside they also kick on inside. any help is appreciated. thanks! Aaron

 

[playklax01]

I don't know of any DIY methods, but GM sells a kit for ambient lighting (it's rather expensive!). Don't know if this would help you somehow.

42602487 - GM Parts Giant

www.gmpartsgiant.com

 

[ulycyc]

You can tap into one of the existing courtesy lights with a inline fuse from your new lights

 

[playklax01]

I'm not the OP, but wouldn't the courtesy light turn off after the doors are closed, therefore turning off the ambient light?

 

[ulycyc]

Yes and no. Some lights go out when the door closes and others are controlled by the interior light switch with dimmer properties. All year and models has different setups.

 

[Alc-GX22]

Thanks for the reply -- interesting thought on tapping into that fuse for the other interior lights - but as the next post mentioned I would have to see which ones are controlled by the door closing and which ones stay on during normal driving. I asked my dealer where the headlamp fuse was and he told me it is not under the dash but instead out in the engine compartment fuse panel. I have not yet had time to test out these fuses to see which one i want to tap into but i am hesitant to wire into that one b/c i will have drill through the firewall to get to it. Not the biggest deal but would rahter tap into a fuse under my dash. I am really trying to avoid having a switched lighting situation that i need to turn on and off. I have wired other cars right into the lighting so when we turn the headlamps on the extra ambient lighting I added just turn on too, not sure if i can do that in this car unless I go through the firewall.

 

[playklax01]

You sound like you know your way around the wiring (I personally have no clue!), but would it be possible to tap into the dashboard lights/fuse and use that? Of course I don't know if it's the same fuse as the headlights since they would turn on together, but thought it would make some sense maybe.

Would the USB ports or cigarette lighter (I still call it that) provide enough power for the lighting? Sorry if I'm grasping at straws...

With the kit I mentioned earlier, obviously there must be a place built-in for this type of thing right? Maybe an accessory port of sorts hidden somewhere? I dug for more info on it, but can't find any. Even the instructions to install it are impossible to find...

I had factory ambient lighting in my old Ford Focus and just loved it. That's why I'm interested in how you make out here!

 

[Alc-GX22]

You sound like you know your way around the wiring (I personally have no clue!), but would it be possible to tap into the dashboard lights/fuse and use that? Of course I don't know if it's the same fuse as the headlights since they would turn on together, but thought it would make some sense maybe.

Would the USB ports or cigarette lighter (I still call it that) provide enough power for the lighting? Sorry if I'm grasping at straws...

With the kit I mentioned earlier, obviously there must be a place built-in for this type of thing right? Maybe an accessory port of sorts hidden somewhere? I dug for more info on it, but can't find any. Even the instructions to install it are impossible to find...

I had factory ambient lighting in my old Ford Focus and just loved it. That's why I'm interested in how you make out here!

I moved onto other things and never did get this installed.. but now the kids are off to college so i have time to look into this.. so I am BACK AT IT! If i get it i will let you know.