I got my RickHondaR replica ambient footwell lights today, and wanted to install it with auto dimming controlled by the already existing interior lights. There is a guide on here about doing this already, and it helped me along on how to do it, but it still left me guessing about some parts. I'm not writing this to take any credit from soponcio_virtual who wrote the original guide, just clarify some points about the install. The original post can be found here: [HOW TO] DIY - Footwell lights (they dim!)
Now on to the guide.
Tools needed:
Flat screwdriver
Star screwdriver
Wirecutter
Pianowire (or similar stiff wire)
Tip: Cover the flat screwdriver with some black tape to avoid scratching your covers when removing them.
Start by removing the cover on the driver side. This will enable you to remove the lower part of the dash below the steering wheel. You need to do this to get to the wires that control the interior lights.
Blue arrow shows where I put the flat screwdriver to bend the cover off. Work your way from there towards the part closest to the drivers seat. It comes off almost like a door hinged on the front part close to the frame of the car.
Unscrew the screw marked with red arrow. This will enable you to remove the cover beneath the steering wheel.
Remove the cover under the steering wheel by gently but firmly pulling down from the center console side towards the door.
When the covers are removed we need to find the correct wires to connect to. If you lay down on the floor of the footwell and look up under the dash you will see two white connectors on the right side of the fusebox. The one closest to the drivers seat is the one we want. It got a light blue and a light green wire sticking out of it. The connector is held in place by a clip. It can be a bit tricky getting this out since there is very little place to work with. Be prepared to get some bloody knuckles.
Once we got the connector out we can push it out the side towards the door.
Remove some of the tape at the end so you can uncover the wires. As you can see there is now one light blue and one light green wire ready for use.
The light blue wire marked with a red arrow is the positive (+) and the light green wire with blue arrow is the negative (-).
Connect your RickHondaR light kit using the supplied Scotch Lock's. White wire in the kit goes together with the light blue wire from the car, and the white with a black stripe in the kit goes together with the light green wire from the car.
(Please ignore the wire colors coming out of the Scotch Lock's in my pictures, I had to test wire it to find out what was positive and negative. I then soldered my wires on to the light kit. You don't have to go through that step, just connect the light kit directly.)
A demo on how to use Scotch Lock's can be seen in this video:
When you are done connecting the Scotch Lock's you can put the connector back in its place. To check that its got connection again just turn on your interior lights. They should work again.
We should now have ended up with something like this:
Next up is getting the lights from the drivers side to the passenger side footwell. This is done by using a piece of piano wire or a straightened out old fashion wire coat hanger, and pushing this from the passenger side footwell, behind the center console. There is a small opening just about where the carpet ends.
And we end up here on the drivers side:
When its pulled through you should end up with something like this:
Next place the passenger side LED strip where you want it. I placed it just about in the center of the cover beneath the glove box. Some remove the cover to the the LED strip in to the hole that you can see in the picture, but I found it just as easy to just push it in from the side.
Back on the drivers side footwell i tied the remaining wires up into a nice little ball and secured it to some other wires up in the dash by using some strips.
Be sure the wires don't get in the way of your pedals or steering column.
Almost done now. Get your plastic covers back in place using the reverse technique as described in the beginning.
Time to place the driver side LED strip. Just as on the passenger side i tried to center this as much as i could in the footwell.
Secure any remaining wire from the last LED strip together with the rest of the wire under the dash.
And now its time to enjoy the fruits of our labour!
Footwell, long exposure time:
From rear seat, only footwell lights on, short exposure:
From rear seat, footwell lights and front lights on, short exposure:
From rear seat, footwell lights, front lights and rear lights on, short exposure:
Looking great! The red footwell lights will now dim just as the rest of the interior lights when you unlock the car, start the engine, etc.
And a final warning. Be careful when removing covers in your car! So far during my ICE install i had not broken any clips, but tonight when i was putting in the lights i managed to break two at the same time while removing the lower cover.
Luckily they where not very important for holding the cover in place since they are close to the screw, but I will try to get them glued on later using some plastic melting glue.
Good luck with your install, and don't hesitate to ask questions if there is anything you wonder about.
Well done mate and a really good guide.... i have ordered these too and want them lighting with the doors etc......
What is the 'inline' Cap or Light in the driver's footwell on the red wire ? Ice ?
Andy [smilie=ebil-thumbu:[/quote]
The fat red wire? Thats the power for the amp I got in the boot, with the fuse. Not properly secured, just held away from the pedals with a couple of strips. Going to get some velcro and place it higher up later on.
As for installing the lights, its pretty a pretty easy install, only "hard" part is getting the connector out from under the dash. The rest is a piece of cake
Quality install guide dude [smilie=gt-happyup.: looks really simple. Do they stay on (dim) when the interior lights go off... i.e. whilst driving? just need to order some now
Quality install guide dude [smilie=gt-happyup.: looks really simple. Do they stay on (dim) when the interior lights go off... i.e. whilst driving? just need to order some now [/quote]
Yes, these are wired straight into the dim for the interior lights, so they follow their pattern of dimming. They also stay off if you turn the interior lights to the ON position manually and only come on if you unlock the car, open the door, etc, then dims off when you start the car, just like the interior lights If you want them on while driving, follow the guide that follows the kit from Rick.
Edit: soponcio_virtual made a video of how they work: Link
Just a tip for a quick fix that I had to do after installing the lights. I didn't try to start the car last night after i was done, but this morning when i was going to work it just wouldn't start. I thought i might have accidentally pulled some wire, and after a hour of laying on my back looking at all the connections i was none the wiser and called Honda Assist. Before they got here i got a tip from NeoFlare about resetting the fuel pump. It turns out the immobiliser had kicked in for some reason. Resetting the pump is very easy.
If you look at the first picture in my guide there is a rectangular hole just above the white sticker. Inside here is a big rubber button. Hold this down while turning the ignition on and the pump resets. Start your car!
Big thanks to NeoFlare for this tip. Saved my day. Falck was about to tow the car to the nearest garage. They didn't know about this so he learned something new to.
Before they got here i got a tip from NeoFlare about resetting the fuel pump. It turns out the immobiliser had kicked in for some reason. Resetting the pump is very easy.
If you look at the first picture in my guide there is a rectangular hole just above the white sticker. Inside here is a big rubber button. Hold this down while turning the ignition on and the pump resets. Start your car!
Big thanks to NeoFlare for this tip. Saved my day. Falck was about to tow the car to the nearest garage. They didn't know about this so he learned something new to.
To be honest i got no idea why this happened. As far as i can see the molex only contains wires for the interior lights. Same question can be asked for why it would happen when Neo installed his foglights. I guess there might be a small pulse going off when connecting and testing lights on a live connection, and the system registeres this as a attempt to hotwire the car. I guess you could disconnect the battery before doing this to make sure it wont happen, but since no one else seem to have reported the problem when installing the kit in the normal way i guess its not a big problem. And the fix is very easy anyway
Below is a pic of the molex plugs described previously, BUT one of them is blue ! NOT both white as said above.
This is the socket you need, all you do is insert a small flat screwdriver between the two molex plugs and prise out the blue plug.
NOTE : i squeezed the wires in alongside the wires in the molex, then taped them back up, no scotch locks used and far neater.
Apologies for poor pics but they were taken with my phone looking up from drivers footwell (blue molex plug is on inside nearest the steering rack)...
Strange, both of them white on my car, and not side by side like yours. Either difference between RHD and LHD, or difference between Type R and other models?
Yes, these are wired straight into the dim for the interior lights, so they follow their pattern of dimming. They also stay off if you turn the interior lights to the ON position manually and only come on if you unlock the car, open the door, etc, then dims off when you start the car, just like the interior lights If you want them on while driving, follow the guide that follows the kit from Rick.
To be honest i think this sounds a bit dubious. You can't guarantee a proper connection like this, and the wires might slip out again. As for neatness, its behind the plastic cover. Not like anyone will see it For a neater look then Scotch Lock's i would do soldering instead to make sure you get a good connection.
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