Interior light in the cargo area for 80 Series

[adrianr]

Here's a quick write up for the forum.



Interior light in the cargo area

It was way too dark inside my truck. Having been in Julian's and been mightily impressed with the led's he had i found some superbright led's on ebay. Made a huge difference to the front and middle.

Still left the boot area too dark though.

Read on Iha8mud that there is wiring in the back for the Cruisers that dont have 3rd row of seat seats.

If you remove the rubber weather strip and take a peak inside the lining of the roof you will see on the left (passenger) side the wiring plug (not sure its on the later trucks but was on my 1994).

So, acquired an interior light from a breakers (cheers Stef), cut a small hole in the roof lining behind the bulb area, made 2 holes for screws (no drill, but I have been to Julian at Overland Cruisers school of hammer technology - cheers Julian)...

If you choose the angle carefully, whilst there is no fitting bracket, it fits pretty flush to the roof lining.

Pulled a mounting screw from each of the existing bulb holders for now (must remember to complete this project).

20 minutes later we have light at the back - and the best bit is Mr T already wired it to come on when you open the cargo door.

Easy DIY fix.


The wiring ('scuse blurred image - mobile phone)




Fitted:




Much better.

 

[Gav Peter]

I can testify to the illuminating properties of this work - you need to be wearing sunnies in Ade's truck when the doors open!!! ;-)

Mines like a black hole in comparison whenever the lights decide to work, which is not very often :-(

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Do you have more information about the LED's you used?

 

[adrianr]

Hi Jon

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Super-Bright-36-L ... dZViewItem

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Thanks, looks good.

 

[Gav Peter]

Are you going to lay some on for when the 80Red comes back to you next?

;-)

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

no I'm going to see if I can have something similar in the 100 and Ade's supplier is as good a place to start as any.

 

[Chas]

On the subject of interior lights , my interior light works but doesn't come on when any door is opened (so I don't think it is a door switch) only when it is switched at the roof light, I've tried the switch in all positions but no joy , Does anybody know what the problem might be?

 

[adrianr]

If you can turn them on at the roof switch but they don't come on when door opens I would think that points towards the switches in the doors themselves.

Is there anyone near to you you can try a switch from? Also I think the switches may be common to other Toyota models. I just swopped one of mine that was in need of some wiggle-age (!) to get it working.

 

[Chas]

I thought at first it might the door switch, but opening any door will not switch it on, so I supposed it couldn't be all switches at fault.

 

[adrianr]

Would be hard luck if they had all gone but it is possible. i had 3 failed on one of my Pajeros.

Perhaps you can pull one out (10mm bolt and then you have to feed out the cable to get the plastic connector (note the nsr one on mine meant i had to remove some plastic trim to get the connector) and then test it for (however you do that and whatever you call it when you test for current going through a swtich (help guys )).

They should be very cheap to get from a breakers. Especially if you can find them from other Yota's. Mine came from a 70 series.

 

[Chas]

I'll check it when it's light (daylight that is)

 

[piers_finlayson]

My lights also don't come on when the door is opened. I had assumed it wasn't the door switches at point, both because, again, they don't light when any of the doors are opened, but also because I do get the door open warning light on the dash. I assumed the same switch would drive both the lights and dash light.

 

[adrianr]

Hi Piers

That dash light suggests switch(es) are OK. On that basis, and whilst I am not that good on electrics but I would start checking for bad earths. Any others any other ideas?

Good luck

 

[Chas]

Hi Piers,
Yes, that's the same with me, I had forgotten about the dash warning light.
Chas

 

[Dave Burgess]

Do all UK spec motors have the wiring there? Couldn't see it during a quick look on mine

 

[adrianr]

Not sure, but I would have thought so - its all the way to the left and tucked up

 

[Ecky Thump]

Do all UK spec motors have the wiring there? Couldn't see it during a quick look on mine

I know my import doesn't have it

 

[Julian Voelcker]

On the door switch/roof light issues, I have come across a couple of trucks with the problem and it was traced back to problems with alarm instals where they are using the roof light circuit to detect doors being open.

The only thing to do is find an auto electrician with a decent set of circuit testers - I have some great kit that I can use for tracing shorts and breaks in circuits as well as track specific circuits in a big loom.

 

[Chas]

After further intensive investigation (i.e. trying the doors on the other side of the Cruiser) I have come to the conclusion
IT'S THE DOOR SWITCHES
I was too lazy to walk round the car before . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . only the passenger side switches are working.