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How To Do Map Light Mod

26K views 20 replies 13 participants last post by  Rambodog  
#1 ·
Requirements:
• Skill Level: Anyone
• Time: Hour or more depending on the depth of your wiring
• Special Tools: No, but simple hand tools are needed for splicing, cutting wires.

Goal:
To wire into the trucks map lights and mimic the activation of your new lights with the trucks map/dome lights. These lights are customarily installed under the dash as footwell lights, inside the bed rails for bed lights, or in my case under the body as under body lights(no not like the ricer kind). This will activate your leds lights anytime the stock dome/map lights are activated.

General Instructions:
These steps are more thoroughly explained in the video but I will give the overall run down here.
You will be tapping whatever lights you choose to install(preferably led, or some low power draw lighting) into the junction box under the driver dash. This is a simple process and with a little patience the install will be great. The one thing I want to mention is the new circuit you run needs to be fused immediately at the junction box when you leave it. I recommend using clamp on connectors but some people choose to do a true splice, this is purely up to you!

Video Explanation:

I get comments ALL the time with this mod. The truck always look so amazing at night in the parking lot all lit up as I approach. Highly recommend this install to anyone!
 
#4 ·
Looks good.

It's a good thing you aren't from south LA or we wouldn't have been able to understand anything you said. Then we really would have something to talk about. HAHA.
 
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#6 ·
Lol, yeah Southwest LA it gets REALLY thick. I know some guys from down around Houma and its pretty bad. Of course deep East Texas isn't much better, just a different accent. Still really thick and sometimes hard to understand.
 
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#7 ·
Kyle, what light units did you use?
I have the LED strip lights and they look awesome as well.
However, they have been on since June of 12 and I've had to replace the pass side twice and drivers side once.
These are supposed to be weather proof (bought at Pep Boys). They just don't seem to last.

I have them hooked up just like you do with the domes. Love the fade.

Help a guy out, where did you buy the lights?

Image


Image
 
#9 ·
Not sure where I would move them to. Can't go under the truck, that would defeat the purpose because the step would be in the way.
I need to find a sealed strip maybe.

Ohhhh, just thought of this......
Maybe get some round LED pods, drill out some holes in the step and mount them there. (The top curve of the step that follows the rocker)
 
#11 ·
Just wondering if you've had any issues with your BCM (body control moduel) after this mod, I've done a similar mod just one led bulb per door, & 2 strips of 3 led bulbs in the bed. I'm having a 3rd BCM replaced tomorrow, & have un-installed everything!
 
#12 · (Edited by Moderator)
I just added the light under my truck using this write up. Super simple. The leds are from eBay, the water proof kind, they came with 3m adhesive preapplied. I put a 2 foot section under each door and they put out a lot of light. I took the picture with a flash, but between the lights on both side you can see under the whole truck.

20140412_203615.jpg
 

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#13 ·
SliveRide said:
Just wondering if you've had any issues with your BCM (body control moduel) after this mod, I've done a similar mod just one led bulb per door, & 2 strips of 3 led bulbs in the bed. I'm having a 3rd BCM replaced tomorrow, & have un-installed everything!
I've had 0 problems. Still running...

Sent from AutoGuide.com App
 
#14 ·
I use the same LED strip on my truck for the bed and interior lighting...remove the old sticky tape and use 3M outdoor tape the gray stuff, very sticky and it works, use Turtle tape and adhesive remover, from Walmart and Auto stores
 
#17 ·
I'm a little confused on the wiring and the fuse that gets connected. I have a 2016 Silverado and would like to do this below the doors where the nfab steps are. Anyone have a better diagram on the wiring? He said top right black wire #8, but I didn't see a black wire top right.

Thanks!
 
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#18 ·
Just so I am understanding this correctly...ANYTIME the map/dome lights are turned on, any of these other lights will come on? Lets just say I am gonna put tons of lights all around my truck (under it, bed, toolbox, etc...). Then I go driving down the road at night with my kids in the truck and they drop something. If I turn on the dome light for them to find it, my truck is gonna light up like a UFO going down the road?
 
#19 ·
nvycrmn said:
Just so I am understanding this correctly...ANYTIME the map/dome lights are turned on, any of these other lights will come on? Lets just say I am gonna put tons of lights all around my truck (under it, bed, toolbox, etc...). Then I go driving down the road at night with my kids in the truck and they drop something. If I turn on the dome light for them to find it, my truck is gonna light up like a UFO going down the road?
it depends on how you do it. A diode is like a check valve for electricity. It will let voltage go only one way. you can have the outside lights cause the interior lights to turn on but the interior lights will not power up the exterior lights.

The diode has a stripe on one end. That's the direction of "flow". Put the striped end to the interior light relay. That way, the interior light voltage can't get to the exterior light relay leg but the exterior voltage CAN get to the interior relay leg. That way, every time the outside lights come on, your inner lights do but you can look for your kids toy without looking like a Mardi Gras float. lol
 
#21 ·
MoonBase said:
nvycrmn said:
Just so I am understanding this correctly...ANYTIME the map/dome lights are turned on, any of these other lights will come on? Lets just say I am gonna put tons of lights all around my truck (under it, bed, toolbox, etc...). Then I go driving down the road at night with my kids in the truck and they drop something. If I turn on the dome light for them to find it, my truck is gonna light up like a UFO going down the road?
it depends on how you do it. A diode is like a check valve for electricity. It will let voltage go only one way. you can have the outside lights cause the interior lights to turn on but the interior lights will not power up the exterior lights.

The diode has a stripe on one end. That's the direction of "flow". Put the striped end to the interior light relay. That way, the interior light voltage can't get to the exterior light relay leg but the exterior voltage CAN get to the interior relay leg. That way, every time the outside lights come on, your inner lights do but you can look for your kids toy without looking like a Mardi Gras float. lol
So one would have to add an exterior relay to have an exterior relay to connect a diode to. Further more say you did add a relay and stopped interior from being the controller, what becomes the controller for the exterior relay? Key fob won't do it, that is for interior control right?
 
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