Mod: adding Footwell ambient interior light to SR+ partial premium

[smagicmans]

I just did this to my car. I think (now) SR+ have software lock to turn off the two lights in footwell. I tap the power from the middle console light, splice that wire and and add wires to run from there two the two footwell light.

You need to pull out the bottom pad and also remove the top area also on the right side to access the wires.

To tap this power, you need to open up the middle console right side. and look for the wire. There is a two wire (brown and white) plug which connects the LED from inside the middle center console to 12v.

I splice it out and add in wires and loop the wires to the right side footwell. For the light, I splice out the harness clips to the light and connect it to the wires that I loop into. For left side footwell, you just need to open the left side middle console to loop the wire through.

Note that if you tap this power, when you close the lid, the footwell lights will turn off also, because the lid closing sensor would turn off power to the led light inside the storage area.

(note, I tried to used the power from the cigarette or the power from center console usb, but these remains on for a long time after closing the door 15min+. Tapping power from this way will be safe since closing the car will also turn off these footwell lights)

Hope this helps. Took more time than I was expecting but i'm satisfied for now.

 

[xtcEV]

Great job

 

[smagicmans]

Another note to whoever is doing this... In the premium trim, at night when the doors are closed ambient light in premium trim is not that bright (I think software turn it to say 50% brightness when door closed and 100% brightness when door open).
With this mod, it doesn't matter if doors are open or close, it is 100% brightness so you might not even need an aftermarket like abstract ocean to make it bright at night.

 

[hoopsta1423]

Do the lights only turn on/off when you open/close the console? Or do they go on/off with the doors opening/closing as well?

 

[smagicmans]

Do the lights only turn on/off when you open/close the console? Or do they go on/off with the doors opening/closing as well?

True, lights on/off when open/close the console lid when you inside the car.....when you exit/leave the car/door locks...no power will go into the console light, therefore all lights (console and footwell) will turn off regardless of console lid position.

 

[hoopsta1423]

True, lights on/off when open/close the console lid when you inside the car.....when you exit/leave the car/door locks...no power will go into the console light, therefore all lights (console and footwell) will turn off regardless of console lid position.

hmmm...in that case, I'll likely try to tap into the puddle lights on the doors, though it'd be much easier to do it your way

 

[smagicmans]

hmmm...in that case, I'll likely try to tap into the puddle lights on the doors, though it'd be much easier to do it your way

If puddle lights that shines downward when door opens, might that not get power when you are driving and doors closed?

 

[hoopsta1423]

If puddle lights that shines downward when door opens, might that not get power when you are driving and doors closed?

Right, that's how the footwell lights in my old car functioned. On when door opens, then fade off after door closes. I suppose the other option would be to wire it to the dome map lights to make it function more like it is designed to

 

[Stach]

smagicmans, thanks for the pioneering effort and I plan to do this at some point this summer. I'm comfortable wiring up anything, but any chance that someone could do a nice YouTube video that shows exactly how to take panels off, route the wires, etc...?

 

[smagicmans]

smagicmans, thanks for the pioneering effort and I plan to do this at some point this summer. I'm comfortable wiring up anything, but any chance that someone could do a nice YouTube video that shows exactly how to take panels off, route the wires, etc...?

You can check this thread out: here and here with related video.

Also another place you can tap power from the 12V accessory light normally callled VCLeft, from a totally different topic sound thread.

 

[Glamisduner]

Another note to whoever is doing this... In the premium trim, at night when the doors are closed ambient light in premium trim is not that bright (I think software turn it to say 50% brightness when door closed and 100% brightness when door open).
With this mod, it doesn't matter if doors are open or close, it is 100% brightness so you might not even need an aftermarket like abstract ocean to make it bright at night.

Mod the lights yourself so you can get the brightness you want. If you use red or orange they won't need with your night vision.

Search for DIY led lights.

 

[smagicmans]

SR / SR +

I recently got time to add more lights to my car. I added a small light that shines down the phone charging area. I also added two lights that shines down for the rear passenger seats.

I used the 12v VCLeft Remote (red wire) as power. This powers the light on when car starts and powers off the light when right away when I leave the car. You just run the wires around the trim of the car.

The rear pic seem brighter than it is but can be adjustable on how to aim the light down..

The light for the front that hides under the screen can be brought from here for a 3 pack: prewired mount leds

You can use two of the remaining pack to light the two seat for the rear or you can buy two of these which also works for rear.

 

[XLR82XS]

Nicely done guys. I have the console light from and planning on something custom for rear seat lighting.

 

[Teedub21]

This is one deactivated feature I don’t get. The lights are already there. How is an interior light a luxury feature that should be disabled in the base car?

 

[voucher2002]

I just replaced (last night) the OEM footwell lights on my Model 3 SR+ Partial Premium interior with LED lights sold by Abstract Ocean. The installation video mentions that it takes 4-6 hours for Tesla's "soft" fuses to reset. When I opened the driver's side door this morning the floor was brightly illuminated for a very brief time...half a second? Why doesn't the light stay on until the door is closed? I don't remember seeing the light before probably because it was so weak and short. Incidentally, when I next tried the passenger side, the light did not come on. And curiously when I reentered the driver's side after previously closing the door, the light did not come on again. Why not?
I just subscribed to the $9.99 per month premium upgrade. Wouldn't the premium lighting be included? Seems like a small item but the super bright LEDs really make a difference upon entering...but briefly! Info? Comments?

 

[PNWLeccy]

@smagicmans i had planned to run a splitter from the middle console to run a light under the screen as well as two others for rear footwell lighting.

is that too much voltage to pull from the center console or should that be fine?

also where exactly did you “mount” the LEDs for the rear foot wells?

 

[ranova]

FYI the lights will likely stay on much longer than after you leave your car. A few updates ago, the switched 12V stays on until your car fully goes to sleep (instead of turning off when your screen turns off, which was the behavior earlier). That means it will likely stay on for 1+ hours after you leave your car. Additionally, I've had times when I came back to my car after 24+ hours and my dash cam was still up and running (it never had to start up again, I know from the startup sound). Just a FYI that it may cause unnecessary battery drain or attention to the insides of your car

 

[ranova]

FYI the lights will likely stay on much longer than after you leave your car. A few updates ago, the switched 12V stays on until your car fully goes to sleep (instead of turning off when your screen turns off, which was the behavior earlier). That means it will likely stay on for 1+ hours after you leave your car. Additionally, I've had times when I came back to my car after 24+ hours and my dash cam was still up and running (it never had to start up again, I know from the startup sound). Just a FYI that it may cause unnecessary battery drain or attention to the insides of your car

Also, that means if sentry mode or dog mode are on, the lights will likely stay on the entire time

 

[smagicmans]

Also, that means if sentry mode or dog mode are on, the lights will likely stay on the entire time

Lights only stays on IF you are powering from the cigarette lighter slot, or maybe usb slots. Totally different from what I'm using.
My setup doesn't do that, it uses different area of power, either from the 1st post I mentioned or from the 12v VCLeft Remote (red wire).

I just replaced (last night) the OEM footwell lights on my Model 3 SR+ Partial Premium interior with LED lights sold by Abstract Ocean. Comments?

Your method will not solve the issue (based on current software), the issue at hand is a software disable of power to the lights in SR+ (lights turn on <1sec when you open doors but software activates and turns off lights after, hence you need a different area of power to make it works)

@smagicmans i had planned to run a splitter from the middle console to run a light under the screen as well as two others for rear footwell lighting.
is that too much voltage to pull from the center console or should that be fine?
also where exactly did you “mount” the LEDs for the rear foot wells?

It could work, I didn't try it.. I had the same concern too so that's why I used the other power VCleft.
To mount rear footwell, the lights I quoted using "BRIGHTEST Light Bolt - Flush Mount" I drilled a small hole through the leather and use the screw bolt from light to secure mount it.

 

[PNWLeccy]

It could work, I didn't try it.. I had the same concern too so that's why I used the other power VCleft.
To mount rear footwell, the lights I quoted using "BRIGHTEST Light Bolt - Flush Mount" I drilled a small hole through the leather and use the screw bolt from light to secure mount it.

Got any pictures of this setup?