The Full Frame

$10 Do It Yourself (DIY) Footwell Lights RX8

by on Nov.03, 2009, under RX8

Interested in something like this:
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Without having to pay $80 that Mazda currently charges?

Here is the DIY:

First order your choice of LEDs at http://www.superbrightleds.com/

I like these a lot better than those at autoillumination, I find those always burn out after a month or two.

Ok now we want the light bar category.
http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-b…oduct=BARS#LB3

Choose:

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LB3 series LED Light Bar
Light Bar with 6 High Flux 60 Degree LEDs 10~14.5 VDC Operation
Bars are 4.32 inch long and include 5 inch long Interconnect Jumper and adhesive backed Plastic Mounting Track
Select LED Color
$ 3.95

Ok you have your choice of:

Cool white, warm white, blue, green, red, and amber.

So basically this mod will cost you under $10

Tools needed:

Wire cutters
Pliers
Wire Taps
Splices
Wire Crimps (optional)
4x 4in Length of 18, 20, 22 ga wire ( recommend 18 ga)

Step 1.

Locate the Correct wire tap location in this picture, the wire bundle we are seekind is the one that is going into the door, its hard to see but be sure to pick the correct location since there are wire duplicates in the car.

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We are looking for a solid green wire with a black stripe, and a solid blue wire with a red stripe

Now use the wire taps and connect one of the 4 inch wire sections you already cut to these wires in the bundle, you may need to remove some electrical tape from the wire bundles to get them exposed like I have in the picture.

Now I found a good place to mount the LED bars were right on the clutch sensor under the dash, see picture:

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The light bars come with their own length of wire with a connector on it to connect it to the strip itself. I cut this in half to get to exposed wire then stripped off 3-4mm section on the white wire and on the 4inch length we already cut. I spliced them together.

LEDs can only be connected one way but the light bars come with a reversible connector attached to the bar (black connector in the pic) so you can just connect it the other way to change the polarity and light up!

Ok Done!

Now for the passenger’s side

This bundle is a bit harder due to the fact that there is less space and less exposed wiring. It’s been a while but you may need to cut electrical tape off the bundles to get the wires exposed.

Again we are looking for a solid green wire with a black stripe, and a solid blue wire with a red stripe

Now the solid blue wire with a red stripe is connected to the bottom of a white connector attached to the car. Its hard to see in the picture but you can just make it out.

the solid green wire with a black stripe is inside the wire bundle to the left of the white harness connection you just made.

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Do the same thing you did on the other side with the lengths of wire, taps and the splices.

Again don’t worry about if they don’t light up, you can flip the light bar connector around (little black connector in pic) and it will change the polarity so they will light up.

Done!

$10 footwell lights

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1 Comment for this entry

  • Bill

    This was very helpfull. But do you know which wires to tap into to have the lights come on with the headlights/dimmer or to stay on permanently?

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