Map Lights on with Dome light

First, many kudos to DR007 for coming up with such a great, practical mod and Caribe for providing additional updates.

I too suffered from poor lighting in the cabin of my Tacoma 2015, ranging from poor overhead lighting and the lack of foot and courtesy lights.

This recommendation provides some answers to the questions people had regarding making the physical connections.

This mod provides a semi-permanent, solid connection to the dome light and provides a method to make a cleaner and neater connection at the personal, overhead map lights.

Regarding the connection at the overhead map lights, this suggestion eliminates the need to bend, solder, and otherwise mutilate the pins or connection at the map lights.

Some people were asking if it is okay to put some type of connector on the map light pin. The answer is, a resounding... yes and the method presented here offers a way to make that connection without bending the pin and without the need to solder any wires. It allows you to utilize the current connector and pins at the map light.

For those that are interested, I have included a schematic at the end to show how this mod works.

Most of the pictures are my own but I took a couple from the website. Thanks to those who contributed those pictures.









Cable tie removed...be sure to add a cable tie or electrical tape to secure wires.

Here is what you will need:

1) Machine screw, 10-32 either 1/4" or 3/8" in length. 1/4" flathead machine screw preferred or number flathead number 6 screw.

2) Flat washer to fit on the 10-32 machine screw or number 6 screw.

3) Locking washer to fit on the 10-32 machine screw or number 6 screw.

4) Nut, 10-32 to fit on the machine screw or number 6 screw

5) #6 ring connector, with appropriate wire opening to fit the size of wire you are using. An insulated ring connector is preferred but I had an uninsulated one available so I used it.

6) Molex connnector.

7) Heat shrink tubing. Nice, but necessary.

8) Cable tie.

9) Electrical tape



A 10-32 flat head machine screw 1/4" to 3/8" in length, washer, locking washer, nut may not be the easiest find. Your best bet is a good ACE or TrueValue hardware with possibly Lowes or Home Depot. Longer ones are readily available and you may need to cut it as I had to do. If a 10-32 screw is not available use a number 6 screw, washers and nut. Do not get a nut with a nylon insert. It will compromise the electrical connection.

A #6 ring connector fits over the screw but is also small enough to fit in the recess of the dome light. When selecting the ring connector, the other consideration is to make sure the opening for the wire is appropriate for the size of the wire. The wire I will be telling you about is in the range of 16 to 20 gauge. If you look carefully at some of the pictures, you will see my wire was 18 gauge.

A molex connector is just about the right size connector that will fit on the pins at the map lights and it will fit inside the connector for a neat, clean look. Ok, so where do you get a molex connector. I can’t remember the size designation of the molex connector you need but you can easily get one. You want to use the female molex connector that is found on power supplies for PC computers and some MAC computers. If you have a dead power supply cut the leads off it or get one from a computer repair store. They should have plenty of dead power supplies around so they will probably give it to you free. I have a picture of the molex pin remover tool. If you don’t have a molex pin remover tool, I promise you it will be a real challenge to get the pin out of the plastic housing. If you are picking up a cable from a computer repair store ask them to remove the molex pin from the housing. If you have the tool, it will take about 5 seconds to remove the pin. I used the black wire because in this mod you are generally providing a path to ground and a black wire is typically used in this scenario. But the color is not important. Cut the wire as long as possible and do not cut the molex pin off the wire. If careful it may be easier to cut the plastic housing around the molex pin rather than trying to get the pin out of the plastic housing.









Now it is time to assemble the wire and install it in the vehicle. Do yourself a favor and remove the fuse for the dome and interior lights. That fuse is located in the engine compartment.



Once you have the wire with molex pin, attach the ring connector to the other end of the wire from the molex pin. Then attach the ring connector to the silver hole on the backside of the dome light using the either the 10-32 machine screw or number 6 screw inserted in the silver hole from the front side of the dome light. On the backside you should use a flat washer, the ring connector, locking washer and nut in that order. If you did not use an insulated ring connector, heat shrink tubing is a nice touch but not necessary. Then apply a piece of electrical tape over the nut and ring connector, even if using an insulated ring connector. If you use a short screw there should not be a problem but I am using heat shrink tubing and electrical tape to cover mine. If it touches the metal of the cab it will not blow the fuse but the light will either not function properly or it will be on/off at odd times. Using a screw and nut will provide a more permanent, better mechanical and electrical connection compared to wedging the wire into the silver hole. As an option, If you don’t have a ring connector, you can use a small spade connector or just wrap the wire around the screw and tighten the nut on it.

If you attach the wire to the silver hole, the two lights, (dome light and map lights) will operate properly. If the dome light switch is set to off, both set of lights will be off but the map light can still be turned on with the map light switch. When the dome light is set to on, both sets of lights will be on. And when the dome light is set to door, both sets of lights will come on when the door is opened. The dimming function will operate as it should for both the dome and map lights. If you attach the wire to either the existing blue or white/black wire (rather than the silver contact) the lights will only work with either the door or on position of the dome light but not both.









At the other end of the wire, you will be inserting the molex pin into the open hole of the connector that goes to the map lights. It is important that you previously followed the initial instructions of DR007 and swapped out the two wires in the vehicle connector that attaches to the map light assembly.



If you have not swapped the two wires, it is now time to do so. Now insert the female molex connector into the open hole of the of the connector. Since it is not the exact size and style of the vehicle connector the molex pin probably will not lock into the connector. That is okay for now. Add a cable tie or if you don’t have a cable tie, tape the wires together to avoid movement.



Cable tie added (or electrical tape) to secure wires.






With the molex pin in the connector, even if it is not locked in, it is now time to install the connector on the map light pins. Here is the somewhat tricky part. Because the molex pin does not lock into the connector you will have to hold the molex pin in the connector while you push the connector onto the pins. The molex connector is a little smaller than the pin but expandable so it will take a little force to get the connector seated on the pins. That is good because it will stay on the pin and make a good mechanical and electrical connection. After the connector is installed in the map light assembly, give a slight tug on the wire to make sure it is securely seated on the pin.



Cable tie out of view ...be sure to add a cable tie or electrical tape to secure wires.



Now it is time to re-install the fuse and test the lights. If all works properly, re-install the dome light and map light assembly.

I left a pigtail on my wire because I will be using it for additional lighting. If you want to install additional footwell, courtesy lights, bed lights, or other lights that function with the dome light, just attach another wire to the wire you just installed from the dome light to the map lights. Run this additional wire down the A or B pillar or anywhere else you want to place the additional lighting. This wire should be attached to the negative lead of the lights if you are using LEDs. The other lead from to the lights should be attached to a constant, positive 12 volt source of power. If you are using LEDs and aren’t using too many you will probably not have to add a relay. On the other hand, if you add regular bulbs, especially floods or spots, I highly recommend you use a relay. The weakest point in this mod is the OEM grounding wires at the dome light (wht/blk and blue wires). All current will be going through these wires. These are very small gauge wires and can not support much current. Definitely do not exceed the rating of the fuse which is 7 ½ amps. Either use LEDs and/or use a relay. Remember, only you can prevent truck fires.

This is how the mod works.

 

I need help I tried all the way but I can get to work my light stays on

 

@Blueitrgsr Next Mod Day?

 

Writeup worked great!

Now my interior is too bright

 

Subd

 

Did this today. Took about 15 minutes.

I used a speaker female disconnect that just happened to fit inside the stock map light connector. Worked like a charm. Used a screw and nut on the dome light end like many others.

 

finally a write up for the item i was looking for! looks like i can add one more thing to my weekend projects for the truck!

 

I know this thread is kind of old but does anyone know what this connector above the headliner by the map lights is for? Thanks in advance.

 

Looks like the feed to the auto dim and compass mirror. I added that mirror to my '14 and it was plug and play.

 

Great news. Now I know what I'm doing next. Thanks!

 

I have voltage at the wire from dome light where is it supposed to plug into the molex connector. The map lights will not come on with the dome light. If I push them they work as they normally should. They are not coming on when the dome light is on. 2012 is my year model. Is there something I can do to get it to work. I checked the voltage at the molex pin from the dome light and like I said, it has voltage. I even bent the pin up and plugged the harness in for the map lights and connected the molex pin from the dome light directly to the bent up pin. Nothing.

I am stumped.

 

Did you switch the wires in the map light connector?

 

I overlooked that part. Guess I will go out and do that. Thanks for pointing that out.

 

Ur welcome.

 

Yep. You guessed correctly. Amazing how things do what they are supposed to do if you follow all of the directions.

 

Good deal! Glad to help. I think I will try to do this mod this weekend. Are you running LEDs or are those the factory bulbs?

 

Which mirror was this cause I've been thinking of getting an after market.

 

LEDs. They put out plenty of light. I found a deal on Amazon that had all of the bulbs for map lights, dome light, and vanity mirror lights.

 

Yea I purchased a new gentex Auto Dim - Homelink with hidden compass display part # 45taco 09-15. that was on sale from Bob at rearviewmirror@csinet.net. I installed the @ImMrYo mirror extension bracket the same day and I'm totally happy. Both are awesome products. Hope this helps.

 

I'm going to need to purchase that. I didn't realize we had the plug for them already up there. I should of paid better attention when I dropped my headliner!