Improved Trunk lighting - Is there demand?

[BoldSharpe]

As mentioned, you can remove the back door panels completely but I found it easier to just "pop" the bottom edge of the panel away from the door.
In the picture (s), you can see where the bottom puddle light's plug, is taped to the wire feeding the red caution light.
Using a spud tool, pop open the door panel along the bottom edge. Look for the power lead, to the red caution light. Un-tape the lead for the bottom puddle light and 'fish' it out of the bottom of the door panel.

On the bottom of the door panel is a indented area where the bottom puddle light goes.
CAREFULLY, using an exacto knife, cut out the rectangular section of paneling.
Pull the new power plug out of the new opening and install the plug into your new light.

Please remember the power to the new light will have timed off by now, so it will not light up right away, you will have to cycle the timer by closing all doors and re-open the door you are working on.

Thanks, Bozie! This is also very helpful.

Question: Is there enough slack on the green puddle light cable to pull it through the red caution light hole? I'm thinking if I can do that, I can hook the puddle light connector to a coat hanger, cut out the puddle light hole, and fish it through without removing the panel at all.

 

[BozieBeMe2]

Thanks, Bozie! This is also very helpful.

Question: Is there enough slack on the green puddle light cable to pull it through the red caution light hole? I'm thinking if I can do that, I can hook the puddle light connector to a coat hanger, cut out the puddle light hole, and fish it through without removing the panel at all.

I am going out on a limb here, on my car I needed the space, offered by opening the door panel, to "assist" the power feed wire in coming down and out.
If memory serves me correctly, there are more taped places you will need to remove and I also wanted to make sure I didn't disconnect the window switch wire

 

[sigurdi]

I don't think the wire is stuck between the plastic panel and the opening, because there is some gap between the plastic and the wire, and I can feel the wire with my finger. It appears to be attached or stuck to the metal frame inside the plastic panel.

What did you mean by "replaced by the clip"? Did you mean the panel is attached to the car with blue trim clips only and no screw? I broke some of those blue clips before when I installed the rear dashcam, and one of them became permanently stuck on the hatch because it broke near the base and there's nothing to hold on to to pull it out. I'm not sure if I want to deal with these blue clips again, especially in a confined space such as the footwells.

I have pictures where the cabling comes from and should be long enouch, I do not think your car have a spesial made hardness so it the same lenght as other cars and then it is stuck somwhere. ;-)

 

[cynix]

I have pictures where the cabling comes from and should be long enouch, I do not think your car have a spesial made hardness so it the same lenght as other cars and then it is stuck somwhere. ;-)

Any chance you can send me those pictures? And if you also have some instructional pictures on how to remove/replace the driver/passenger side footwell panels that'd be great!

 

[pete8314]

The next batch is in production, which should also include some red-lens versions...depends a little on timing, right now one of my reds is winging it's way around the world to get an exact color match, but I'm pushing up against the Chinese New Year at the start of February (that's also observed in Taiwan), so the productions lines are very busy. This order is significantly larger than the first though, so we have a little more clout

 

[Majerus]

Just got them installed, they look great! Thanks for making such a nice product.

 

[sigurdi]

Any chance you can send me those pictures? And if you also have some instructional pictures on how to remove/replace the driver/passenger side footwell panels that'd be great!

I am not home before next year. (05.January 2016)
Not sure if those pictures is in the cloud, will take a look tomorrow after work.

 

[Lyon]

Installed a full set for my dad for Christmas. So now we know they fit in Signature cars. He loves them BTW, he kept saying he didn't know he had all those lights. They're so dim he hadn't noticed them in over three years of ownership.

 

[JPP]

Just did all of the red door lights on our 2 cars--look great. Here's how I did it without a vise or lots of fancy tools (...and no bad language). You need a small flat bladed screwdriver (to fit the slot with the tab).

I got out a soft clean towel and laid out the 4 new lamps and the OEM ones. I started with the clip next to the connector end. This photo shows the screwdriver in the slot:

I used 3 fingers. Thumb at 1 end, middle finger at the top holding the lamp down on the towel & counter. Index finger applying force/rotation torque to the side away from the clips I was starting with. Onto the 2nd clip:

Both clips released on 1 side--next photo trying to show that the lamp is at a slight angle:

Now for the clips on the other side. I rotated the lamp around. Again, holding it down with thumb and index finger. Using index finger along opening where power connector inserts. I am actually applying upward force with my index finger (to maintain the position of the 2 clips I have released:

I then released the 3rd clip at the end away from the opening towards my middle finger--with the force applied by my index finger, the lamp insert began to rotate out of the lens:

Time for the last clip down by my thumb. Maintain upward force--the lamp assembly pops out easily.

All good--no worries. If you don't want to wait for Pete's red ones, this works great.

Pete--thanks for the excellent lamps. OK--so what do I do with 32 OEM lamps????

 

[Cyclone]

Pete--thanks for the excellent lamps. OK--so what do I do with 32 OEM lamps????

Wire them together and make a "Christmas" white light display around the nosecone. You will a Y connector or some splicing though.

 

[Dborn]

Any chance you can send me those pictures? And if you also have some instructional pictures on how to remove/replace the driver/passenger side footwell panels that'd be great!

I did mine the other day. Passenger side was very tight and the wire obviously adapted from USA harness. Took a hell of a lot of fiddling, swearing and a liter of sweat, but finally I got it to click in. The drivers side was also difficult but mainly because of access. The pedals get in the way. The wire is long enough on the driver side. See my post # 395 on this thread.

 

[cynix]

I did mine the other day. Passenger side was very tight and the wire obviously adapted from USA harness. Took a hell of a lot of fiddling, swearing and a liter of sweat, but finally I got it to click in. The drivers side was also difficult but mainly because of access. The pedals get in the way. The wire is long enough on the driver side.

Hmm that's weird. My driver side wire is even shorter and I can't even pull the light out far enough to see the black part.

 

[RDuke]

Does any one know where to purchase a -2- pin "Y" / "Tee", connector to tie into the stock -2- pin Tesla wiring in the trunk? (-1- male to -2- female)? Since installing Pete's new units in my trunk I no longer have a power supply for previously installed LED strip lights.
sigurdi mentioned he was going to make some for sale and post in a separate thread. Send a PM to light a fire under him! :smile:

Thanks!

 

[sigurdi]

PM works, and sorry it will not speed up the shipping since I need to get back home first to be able to make and ship them. ;-)
Have a flight back home the 5 of January, first will be shipped the 7.

 

[Peter_M]

I just added rear footwell and rear puddle lights in my car that didn't have either. Thanks to everyone here for the tips, pictures and videos - they all helped. I've got a few more tips to offer:

• The right side of the bracket for the rear footwell light has a slot that slides over a metal motor bracket that is welded to the bar. This aligns and centres the light bracket under the seat (thanks, Neil_S, for this)
• To change the rear puddle lights, I removed the 3 bolts at the top and pop the panel away from the door (following this video), but didn't remove the panel from the door. There's enough room to see and reach inside with the panel still hanging from its top edge, and this avoids the need to undo and redo all the connectors.
• The connector you want for the rear puddle light (if you don't already have one) is taped to the wire right next to the red door light. You can just pull the loop of wire away and it's long enough to reach the puddle light hole. I didn't try, but it might be possible to do all this by popping the red light out and fishing the puddle light wire through to its hole, without taking the door panel off.
• Cutting the hole for the rear puddle lights is easier than it looks. There is already a hole of the right size in the solid plastic door panel; all you need to cut is the vinyl "fabric" over the hole. So just stick a sharp knife into the middle of the dent and cut the fabric away out to the edge of the hole in the plastic.

Thanks, Pete, for a great upgrade!

 

[neko]

Another happy customer. 3 trunk, 1 frunk, 2 front footwell, 1 glove box. For the driver's side trunk, it was a bit of a trick to find the wires. They were tucked exactly at the back of the bundle and so were completely invisible. I had to feel around behind the bundle to find the connector. Also, the spudger was inadequate for many of the bulbs. A twist with a screwdriver blade did the trick.

Now, how about replacements for the weak push-button lights above the windshield?

 

[bart513]

My problem is with the rear trunk lights. I have a 2015 85D and there are no cutouts or indentations that I can make out. There is a large triangular cutout on the top rear of either side of the liftgate that sits higher than the charge port wires. Any ideas?

 

[pete8314]

Another happy customer. 3 trunk, 1 frunk, 2 front footwell, 1 glove box. For the driver's side trunk, it was a bit of a trick to find the wires. They were tucked exactly at the back of the bundle and so were completely invisible. I had to feel around behind the bundle to find the connector. Also, the spudger was inadequate for many of the bulbs. A twist with a screwdriver blade did the trick.

Now, how about replacements for the weak push-button lights above the windshield?

That's great. The spudger is the toughest one around....maybe not tough enough, but screwdrivers are likely to damage the outgoing bulb, which isn't the end of the world, but I'd rather try a non-destructive option first. As for the push button lights....{please hold while I go attack them with a spudger}....the plastic surround comes away easily, but the actual light assembly is mounted behind the headliner, which means that would need to come down for proper access. Certainly do-able, but not really the sweet-spot of my accessories, which mostly anyone can use/fit.

 

[Peter_M]

I noticed a strange thing about the rear puddle lights that I just installed (where there were none before). The front puddle lights turn on and off when the corresponding door is opened and closed, but the rear ones are on whenever the footwell lights are on (i.e. from when you open a door until you get in and put the car in gear). Before putting the car in gear, I can see light from both rear puddle lights under the doors even if all doors are closed. Did I connect them to the wrong connector, or do the rear puddle lights work differently from the front?

 

[Ingineer]

You used the wrong connector, find the other one farther up on the harness. The one you found is the Ambient lighting connector.

Also, you don't need to remove the bolts from the top to pop the bottom off a few inches. The door panel is flexible.