Footwell Lights

[httttt]

Gents,

I have installed LED strips in the footwells for my Aurion and I wanted to post up and share the experience in the form of Tips a Tricks rather than a How To.

Why bother with this mod?

• Because it looks nice
• It is courteous to your passengers
• Because I can and I wanted to
  

Who shouldn't do this mod?

• Anyone who knows nothing about anything... Including basic car electronics
• Mexicans and anyone who has spoken Pig Latin more than and including 10 times in their life
  

As I understand it there are 3 main ways to do this:

1. Wire them all up to a power source and have a switch

2. Wire it to the dome light so they all come on when the Dome is on (this includes when any door is opened) which also has a nice fade effect

3. Wire them to the courtesy lights on the doors (this is the option I chose as it seemed the easiest and most functional)

Things you will need:

• 4 Strips of LED lights with at the very least 15cm of cable attached
  Go for something water proof and durable. Don't cheap out. They wont be on for long but you don't want anything that will get too hot
  
• Good lighting
  Ironically you need good lighting to install good lighting. Egg before the Chicken?
  
• Soldering iron and wire stripper
  You can do without these but if you want to do it the right way you will use the right tools
  
• Electrical tape
  The main purpose of this is to tape shut anyone's mouth that asks why "you would bother with this mod?" or "How much KW does this add?"
  
• Multimeter
  This is a key object..... But.... If you wanted to test wires with the LED strip you could..... It just isn't recommended.
  
• Clean undies
  Cos Mum said so
  

Attributes you will need:

• Ability to work on your back with your feet in the air while blood rushes to your brain - some gymnastic/contortion/pilates experience is a plus
  
• You have overcome the fear of pulling plastic interior off your car
  
• You have become used to the loud snaps and understand the risk of snapping the little plastic things that could brake in the process
  
• Understand how to unplug a car battery
  
• Have the patience to trouble shoot wires and constantly go back and forward plugging and unplugging the battery as not to **** your fuses/electronics or potentially trip a air bag
  

Other tips:

• Leave the gung-ho attitude out of the garage with this mod
  
• If you want to keep your undies clean, after you have been fiddling with the batter terminals and want to start your car you should make sure the terminals are secured tightly with the bolt.... Failing to do so will cause you to believe you have ****** your wiring and you will need a change of undies
  
• Never EVER trust that red is positive and black is negative on any product you purchase from any Asian country!!! Test everything safely

So the basic process goes like this:

WARNING: This is a simplified overview of howto do it. You truly don't know how to do it until you have done it… The moretimes you do it the better you will be at it (arguably) but I hear if you haveproblems doing it then there is this company called AMI that can help you lastlonger and allow her to finish first.

Start with a rear passenger one as it is comfortable and there is plenty of space.

1. Take the Courtesy light out of the door and note the wire colours and thickness

2. Unplug the light and test your LED. Note the + and - for the LEDstrip wires and the colours on the courtesy light

3. Rip off the plastic behind which the front seat belt goes into

4. Find the plug that plugs into the body of the car and findthe matching wires

5. Test the wires with the door open and closed with the multimeter

6. Unplug the battery

7. Splice the wires

8. Connect the LED strip keeping in mind the placement of the wires and the strip placement

9. Rinse and repeat for the other door

The front are a little more difficult and require being upside down. I don't want to be an ***** but if you can't figure out which wire is which and how to safely do things under the dash then you shouldn't even be doing this mod. There for I am not providing any more details on that… plus im being lazy.

I hope this helps someone.

Edited September 30, 2010 by Hidden Taco (HT)

[DJKOR]

Great writeup Jeff. If you lived in Brisbane, I could have helped you wire them up to your dome light :P

[httttt]

Great writeup Jeff. If you lived in Brisbane, I could have helped you wire them up to your dome light :P

Cheers, I did want it off the dome light just for the fade effect... But I had to settle for second best.

[VF-X]

This thread is worthless without pics.. <_< <_<

I see you have a lot of time to spare eh Jeff?

Who shouldn't do this mod?

Anyone who knows nothing about anything... Including basic car electronics

How basic are we talkin about? Only thing I don't get is why we have to un-plug the car battery.. I think I knew the answer, just wanna make sure..

[Buff Hamster]

HAMSTER DEMANDS YOU UPLOAD PICS :P

[httttt]

This thread is worthless without pics.. <_< <_<

I see you have a lot of time to spare eh Jeff?

How basic are we talkin about? Only thing I don't get is why we have to un-plug the car battery.. I think I knew the answer, just wanna make sure..

Attributes you will need:

• Ability to work on your back with your feet in the air while blood rushes to your brain - some gymnastic/contortion/pilates experience is a plus
  
• You have overcome the fear of pulling plastic interior off your car
  
• You have become used to the loud snaps and understand the risk of snapping the little plastic things that could brake in the process
  
• Understand how to unplug a car battery
  
• Have the patience to trouble shoot wires and constantly go back and forward plugging and unplugging the battery as not to **** your fuses/electronics or potentially trip a air bag
  

Man, I wish I had any time Vick.. I did the mod 2 weeks ago and had the LEDs for 2 months.

All up the mod took me 4 hours to complete.

HAMSTER DEMANDS YOU UPLOAD PICS :P

I'm not sure what pictures you guys want? Footwell lights always have the same results..

If you expected pics of the wires then I am sorry but I didn't take any and don't feel comfortable giving that sort of information because there is so much that can go wrong doing the cutting and I'm barely suitable to be doing the mod my self .

[VF-X]

[

I'm not sure what pictures you guys want? Footwell lights always have the same results..

Pictures speak thousands of words to inspire..

Ah... Didn't read that part.. My badd.....

[ARIon]

I feel that this is a stupid question, but I recently purchased the offical footwell LEDs from Toyota (discount as I know someone on the inside), and was hoping to install them soon.

I'd like the fade out effect but I have set my interior cabin light to 'off' by default as I prefer the privacy at night when opening the doors.

Is there any way to get the fade effect with the footwell lights while still having the central cabin light not light up?

[justchris]

I feel that this is a stupid question, but I recently purchased the offical footwell LEDs from Toyota (discount as I know someone on the inside), and was hoping to install them soon.

I'd like the fade out effect but I have set my interior cabin light to 'off' by default as I prefer the privacy at night when opening the doors.

Is there any way to get the fade effect with the footwell lights while still having the central cabin light not light up?

In my opinion yes, the switch on the dome light is only for the light itself, there would still be current in the circuit, all the swtich does is complete this. Simple way to check though is to take off your glove box and test using a mulitmetre behind there, well thats what i did for my Corolla, I don't see why they shouldn't work.

[DJKOR]

I feel that this is a stupid question, but I recently purchased the offical footwell LEDs from Toyota (discount as I know someone on the inside), and was hoping to install them soon.

I'd like the fade out effect but I have set my interior cabin light to 'off' by default as I prefer the privacy at night when opening the doors.

Is there any way to get the fade effect with the footwell lights while still having the central cabin light not light up?

If they are wired in parallel with the dome light... which I assume they would be if you want to get the fade effect, then they will operate just like the dome light does, but independently. Mine operate exactly like the dome light (Door-Off-On) but can be run completely independent regardless of whether the dome light itself is on or not.

[ARIon]

Now if only someone could make a DIY guide with pictures on how to connect the LEDs with the above method. I've checked but can't find one.

Oh well.

Thanks for the info guys. :-)

[justchris]

Now if only someone could make a DIY guide with pictures on how to connect the LEDs with the above method. I've checked but can't find one.

Oh well.

Thanks for the info guys. :-)

Someone with an Aurion please correct me if i am wrong, but i presume it would be similar to 2008-2010 Corolla wiring behind the dash. Dutie's DIY, perhaps you can use that and modify for your Aurion but i presume it would be very similar.

Cheers

Chris

[DJKOR]

Someone with an Aurion please correct me if i am wrong, but i presume it would be similar to 2008-2010 Corolla wiring behind the dash. Dutie's DIY, perhaps you can use that and modify for your Aurion but i presume it would be very similar.

Yes, the Body ECU which contains the distribution/fuse panel is located behind the glove box on the Aurion as well. The wiring is obviously different and that is for someone else to answer for you, or for you to work it out for yourself. Just remember that the SRS wiring also goes to there, so don't mess with the wrong wires.

[ARIon]

Thanks again for the help guys.

[bigwillystyle]

Don't be worried to run wires to the back doors for the front. If your not confident under the dash that will be easier.. Or if all else fails drop the interior light find the wires and trace them back to the drivers? A pillar...

[Kenpo]

If I was to choose to wire these LED Footwell lights along with the Dome light, how would I go about this?

I'm a fan of the fade

Edit: I found this >.<

http://au.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=28982&st=0&p=408443&hl=dome&fromsearch=1entry408443

[ARIon]

Oh....boy.... this is going to be a ball breaker hahaha

[Kenpo]

Oh....boy.... this is going to be a ball breaker hahaha

lol, you can say that again...

[czaja74]

Could someone give me hand with the front lights please. I hooked up rear one but I cant figure out where wo connect the front ones. I looked throught the manual but not sure

Are these the right one

Could someone take a photo where to hook it up please.

[DJKOR]

I know its a fairly crappy shot to try and get but do you have and pictures of the lights actaully working? I want to add maybe white LED's... not sure yet though.

You mean like this? Excuse the colour imbalance, that was my old car and there was a lack of LED's available at the time and the crappy camera emphasises it more than it is:

Could someone give me hand with the front lights please. I hooked up rear one but I cant figure out where wo connect the front ones. I looked throught the manual but not sure

Are these the right one

Could someone take a photo where to hook it up please.

Hey Greg. If the service manual is to be believed, then the connections are as follows (obviously test with a meter first):

On the 'E6' connector:

Pin 7 - RCTY = Rear Right

Pin 21 - PCTY = Front Passenger Side (though that is of he American service manual, so this may possibly be swapped with DCTY

On the 'E7' connector:

Pin 24 - DCTY = Front Drivers Side (Refer to note above)

On the Body ECU itself, junction 'IO' (refer to attached image):

Pin 7 - LCTY = Rear Left

[czaja74]

Thank you. I'll give it a go tomorrow and report back.

[czaja74]

Great writeup Jeff. If you lived in Brisbane, I could have helped you wire them up to your dome light :P

Here is the one for you. Is it possible to wire the lights up to the dome light in the way that they come on when door is opened but independently of the switch position on the dome light. I don’t use dome light but I would like to have fade effect. I'm pretty sure it should be possible. Please post photos of the wiring.

[DJKOR]

Great writeup Jeff. If you lived in Brisbane, I could have helped you wire them up to your dome light :P

Here is the one for you. Is it possible to wire the lights up to the dome light in the way that they come on when door is opened but independently of the switch position on the dome light. I don’t use dome light but I would like to have fade effect. I'm pretty sure it should be possible. Please post photos of the wiring.

Easily. Whenever you wire something parallel with another thing, you can run it independently of what it is connected to. My footwell lights are connected to my dome light wire for wire, with the exception of the constant ground which I obtained from closer to the footwell lights. Combined with a SPDT (centre off) switch, this means the footwell lights can operate exactly like the dome light would, but independently so you can have either or both with the setting "ON-OFF-DOOR".

I don't have photos of the wiring simply because I never took any, and in the position it is in, I can't really take any.

Excuse the crap camera video: