Cheap Dome Light Mod!!!!

OK guys, I wanted more light inside my truck but didnt want to use a LED bulb, so this is what I came up with.


The only parts you will need is a small length of wire and two radio shack 12V diodes. Parts total cost is less than $4.00.

Solder the diodes to the wire with the band on the diode positioned towards the wire. Then heat shrink this connection.

Now install the wire and diodes into the front mirror/light assembly. Light assembly will need to be removed for this to be done. Carefully place the diodes and solder them to the black wires on both map light switches. Make sure the naked wire is not touching ground anywhere. Then route the new wire out the hole in the bottom of the mirror assembly.

Now cut the wire and install a wire connector. This will allow you to easily remove your mirror assembly in the future. Use insulated wire connectors or heat shrink them. This is the ground circuit for the lights so its nothing serious if the wire touches ground anywhere. The worst thing that will happen is the light will continue to burn. Just make sure they are all insulated.

Connect another wire connector to the remaining wire and heat shrink. Install the wire in the truck. I used a clothes hanger and fished the wire over the headliner to the middle dome light.

Sorry for the fuzzy pic, connect the new wire to the black wire with the white tracer. I used solder and electrical tape. Now put the lights back together and presto!!!!

All three lights come on when the door is opened!!!!!

This is where the diodes come into play. This mod can be done with out them and getting in and out of your truck will be perfect. However, while riding down the road if you push one map light switch, it will turn on ALL THREE lights!! So the purpose of the diodes is to allow for proper map light function.
So what do you guys think?

 

Nice work.

 

Great tip!

 

for thinkin' outside the box.
Good Mod, Thanks for the Write-Up


CC

 

Thanks guys, it really came in usefull this am with the time change and all, its dark:30 when I leave for work!

 

I just installed map lights into my 96 Tacoma from a 4runner and did this mod in the process, works great!!

 

This is too cool! Thanks!

 

Great work!

Nothing beats LEDs though - I can no longer tolerate the dim orange glow of the old bulbs now that I have grown accustomed to SEEING everything in my cab!

 

Just have to FIND a radio shack, the most difficult part of the whole project.

 

my 2000 sr5 has a switch for door on/off in the middle of those two black push button and also the center dome.

 

awesome write up. I am going to do this ASAP my 1990 Toyota PU had the option to have maps light on with doors. It has always bugged me that my tacoma does not.

 

Hu, that's really weird not all of our Tacoma's have the 3rd button to have the option of lights on or off with the door open...if i were callin the shots at toyota they would all have that when built if nothing more than just a money thing, all would be the same so different parts and such wouldn't cost extra $$! They would all have the third switch like my trucks have! Those guys at toyota sure had weird option differences! One thing.that really made me go wtf toyota, was on certain trucks ESPECIALLY the 01-04's not having a tach! Stupid having to make different parts but they really looked stupid with just a giant speedo and a big temp and gas guage on either side! I know that configuration was around from the get go but to still have it around on the last of the 1st gens seemed so silly....

 

My radio shack diodes went bad after a year or so. I asked one of my coworkers if they had any laying around. He handed me a diode trio that he found in the parking lot. I installed it and it’s worked ever since