So, after finding out the light in the fabia esate it Crap i decided to have a project and improve it.

After reading round i purchase these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120683066423?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_2448wt_1401

£2.99 for 2x 24 led strips BARGAIN. i wasnt worried if the project failed at this price.

I also needed the following:

around 5m of small calibre cable, speaker wire is perfect! - to increase the length of the wire from the LED's

6 small and 2 large splices - to join the wire from the LEDs to the light unit in the boot

some heat shrink or electrical tape - to wrap the connections

small bladed screwdriver.

pliers

I have mounted the lights on the side pillars on the boot, there held in place by the side rubber seals.

i then positioned 1 of the strips in place, i started with the furthest from the curent boot light, i positioned the light just on the top edge of the plastic side moulding so i knew both lights were in ther right place. i then ran the cable up and over the boot roof, staying in the rubber seal to house the wiring.

dont cut any excess off yet!

then positioned the next light with the same process.

Next you need to strip the wire ends on the leds and the new cable, be carfull on the led cable as its not very strong! i was rapidly shortning the length on the wire trying to remove the outer cover, hence why you dont want to removet he excess wire yet!

once remove, i pushed 1 of the LED wire in to a splice and squeezed it closed with the pliers then the 2nd in to another splice before doing exactly the same for the new wire.]

do this for both of the lights.

now place some heat shrink/tape over each of the splices.

Now you need to remove the boot light. Easy peasey! using the bladed screw driver you will see a small notch to push the driver in and lift the light out. the simply squeeze the plug and remove the light.

Now take 1 LED light with its new wire attached and push the spare ends of wire in to the plug coming out the boot trim, If the light dosent work one way try the other, this is because LED's only work one way! once you know which way round the wires plug in you need to mark one of the cable and make a note of which side of the plug that cable is in!

do the above for the second led.

Now take the light case, with the bladed screw driverlift the metal casing away from the sides of the plastic lens, it takes a little patience but once you get it going it simply slides off revealing the resisotr and the light fixing.

Now plug the metal casing back on to the plug and position it roughly in the hole.

Now position your lights in there final position and run the wire as if it was the final fix, when you get round to the current light level you need to cut across to the light unit and feed the wires through the small opening where the removal slot is, this is where you need to remember which side of the plug went to the taped wire!

once you have pulled both wires through either side of the slot (Theres one gap either side of the lift out part) pull as much as you can through and position the wires over each of the relevant terminals where the bulb is, this is now the correct length of wire. cut any excess off leaving ourself about 1-2cm of excess, just incase!

Now strip the ends of all 4 wires, be carfull as you havent got any extra to practice on!

 

Once the ends are stripped you need to put both the marked wires in to one of the large splices and squash the end to hold in place, then do the same for the other 2 wires.

Remove the bulb from it holder, once removed you will see on each side of the case a little slot just suited to the spliced wire ends, push these in to place.

 

Now place the lens cover back on and replace the light in its hole. Hey presto, job done!

My next plan is to pull away, ever so slightly, the side trim in the boot ( using the technique mentioned in the soundproofing thread) i will then disconnect the bulb box from the plug feed the casing behind the trim and back out the hole before re connecting and re seating, this will then hide the few inches of cable currently in the boot space!

total time to fit: about 40mins

One thing i have noticed with these LED light strips is, If you open the boot and leave it open allowing the light to 'dim' itself it causes the leds to go very dull and flicker, i think this is because of the resistor. i think with the normal bulb after the car dims the light ( reduces the power to it) the resistor stops the rest of the power and so the bulb goes out, but with LED's requiring less power i don't think the resistor is stopping enough power getting to them, so hence why there dim and flicker. Solution: fit a bigger resistor. can anyone advise if that will work?

 

I hope that all makes sense! i will get out later and get photos of the lights in place along with pictures of the wiring inside the light case etc.

**If you are interested in doing this MOD but don't have the cable or splices please feel free to PM me, ill reply with my address where you can then send a self addressed envelope and ill return all the required supplies for this MOD. i have tons of splices and wire!**

 

thanks for reading.

 

P.S: apologies for the poor writing, just finished a 13 hour night shift ( when i fitted the boot lights) so im a little sleepy!

 

Super thread glent what about a few pics.

So heres some pictures.

 

Image _ 125008 - Showing the spliced ends entering the light case and then spliced and pushed in to place in the existing light holder.

 

Image _134714 - Shows how i have padded the box out to prevent the connections coming out. I learn the hard way to do this after i blew the little diode up in the first pic by shorting it out when one of the connections popped out! I have replaced the diode with a piece of wire for now - advantage the lights work (come on and off when the boot is opened/closed) Cons - the lights don't dim down/go off so if the boots open the lights stay on indefinitely! I don't see this as a bad thing but some may. i have ordered some new diodes from ebay for £1.09 for qty 10 so if anyone else makes a boo boo give me a shout! 

 

 

Image _135017 - shows one of the lights in position held in place by the rubber seal. wire is pushed behind it. 

 

Image _135027 -  This is showing the opposite side and how the wire is pushed in to place. 

 

Image _135032 - This shows the wire loom coming out from the trim and in to the light unit, i'm not 100% happy with this finish, i want to get it behind the plastic side trim but that seems like a bit job for a night shift! once done ill advise on here whats the best plan of attack.

 

Image _135039 - wiring loom entering the light box.

 

 

Ill get some photos tonight of the lights in action at night. it makes a HUGE diffrence. 

Here it is at night! A HUGE improvement! Really pleased with the result!

Great thread and tutorial. I wrote one but not as in depth as yours. So have you removed the original bulb and left it out? The light in my monte is just above the knob to remove the rear light and then there are vents in the plastic moulding where I managed to secrete the wires. I went along the floor of the boot behind the the plastic moulding after removing the boot seal. While I was there I put a strip where the warning triangle sits. I used Blue for a bit of 'ambience'

Next step foot well lighting. .....

Ps I have never used a 'splice' are they easy to use? I use little junction boxes instead. I can see that may be a problem when tapping into the roof interiorr light so I was thinking of Scotch blocks but that's new to me too! Any advice?

When I was connecting up the LEDs in the boot I blew a fuse lol

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Great thread and tutorial. I wrote one but not as in depth as yours. So have you removed the original bulb and left it out? The light in my monte is just above the knob to remove the rear light and then there are vents in the plastic moulding where I managed to secrete the wires. I went along the floor of the boot behind the the plastic moulding after removing the boot seal. While I was there I put a strip where the warning triangle sits. I used Blue for a bit of 'ambience'

Next step foot well lighting. .....

Ps I have never used a 'splice' are they easy to use? I use little junction boxes instead. I can see that may be a problem when tapping into the roof interiorr light so I was thinking of Scotch blocks but that's new to me too! Any advice?

When I was connecting up the LEDs in the boot I blew a fuse lol

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Hi jonro that looks great, as i have done my boot light upgrade as well

 i would love someone to show a thread of how to do the front foot well lights.

Edited 3 October, 201312 yr by O.C.D.

Need to pluck up the courage (and find the time and money) to do this and the interior lights on my GL-II.

 

Also debating the DRL's and No Plate Lights...

Good thread Glen - not for me, as I don't rummage in the boot after dark.

 

Does fitting something in the rubber seal mess with water ingress?  Or prevent the boot shutting correctly?

 

I only ask, because on my wife's Golf, the roof bar fit from Thule had rubber hoses this time, to fit into the door surrounds.  This allowed the fitting kit feet to be in the door surround.  but it makes the door harder to close...

Great thread and tutorial. I wrote one but not as in depth as yours. So have you removed the original bulb and left it out? The light in my monte is just above the knob to remove the rear light and then there are vents in the plastic moulding where I managed to secrete the wires. I went along the floor of the boot behind the the plastic moulding after removing the boot seal. While I was there I put a strip where the warning triangle sits. I used Blue for a bit of 'ambience'

Next step foot well lighting. .....

Ps I have never used a 'splice' are they easy to use? I use little junction boxes instead. I can see that may be a problem when tapping into the roof interiorr light so I was thinking of Scotch blocks but that's new to me too! Any advice?

When I was connecting up the LEDs in the boot I blew a fuse lol

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yes i took the light bulb out completely. the space for the bulb now has the wires stuffed in it. 

 

a splice is like a metal tube, different sizes for different wire, that you crimp on to the wire but if like me you dont have a crimp just squeeze it closed with pliers!

 

Heres a pic of the 2 splices i used:

 

 

I used the big splices inside the light box to push in to the connector where the bulb normally sits, and i used the small one to join the wires together as it is smaller and held the small gauge wire better.

 

Also in the estate, unlike the hatch, there is only one grill in the wheel arch area and its on the opposite side to the boot light! 

 

i used white as i use the boot a lot so wanted it for practicality, the blue is a littl trippy for me! haha

 

 

Need to pluck up the courage (and find the time and money) to do this and the interior lights on my GL-II.

 

Also debating the DRL's and No Plate Lights...

 

If you want, your more than welcome to collect some wire and splices from me to complete the job, the LED's were £3 from ebay. 

 

 

Next task is to get the side trim off to hide the wire! looks like a bit of a task! 

Edited 3 October, 201312 yr by GLENT54321

Good thread Glen - not for me, as I don't rummage in the boot after dark.

 

Does fitting something in the rubber seal mess with water ingress?  Or prevent the boot shutting correctly?

 

I only ask, because on my wife's Golf, the roof bar fit from Thule had rubber hoses this time, to fit into the door surrounds.  This allowed the fitting kit feet to be in the door surround.  but it makes the door harder to close...

 

 

The wire is tucked on the inside of the seal, the seal is sort of a 'W' shape and the wire is just tucked up one side so there's no gap in the seal to the outside. 

 

think that makes sense.....lol

yes i took the light bulb out completely. the space for the bulb now has the wires stuffed in it.

a splice is like a metal tube, different sizes for different wire, that you crimp on to the wire but if like me you dont have a crimp just squeeze it closed with pliers!

Heres a pic of the 2 splices i used:

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I have a crimping tool so that won't be a problem. Looks a lot slicker than the boxes I have been using. Regarding heat shrink, do you need a heat gun or will a hair dryer do the job?

Does fitting something in the rubber seal mess with water ingress? Or prevent the boot shutting correctly?

No problems so far re water ingress and boot closure

Hi jonro that looks great, as i have done my boot light upgrade as well

i would love someone to show a thread of how to do the front foot well lights.

Challenge accepted! Will be a few weeks though as I'm not with the car. ... I've had to move down to England for a while to care for the parents who where in a serious car accident, they where in a head on at 60mph (no fault of theirs) they drive (did drive) a 2012 fabia estate which saved their lives, the passenger in the passat was not so lucky.

Jon

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just reading thread, great idea as original boot lights are poor, sorry to hear about parents accident hope they recover soon

I have a crimping tool so that won't be a problem. Looks a lot slicker than the boxes I have been using. Regarding heat shrink, do you need a heat gun or will a hair dryer do the job?

 

 

Ye i have used a hair dryer for the heat shrink before, it takes a little ,longer and you have to be a lot closer to it! 

Yo jon take care of your folks man. As far as heat shrink i find the best thing to use is a cigarette lighter to shrink it (non smoker). as foot well light goes do you think the best place to take a power feed would be the interior light.????

Yo jon take care of your folks man. As far as heat shrink i find the best thing to use is a cigarette lighter to shrink it (non smoker). as foot well light goes do you think the best place to take a power feed would be the interior light.????

 

What about from the fuse box? finding the fuse for the interior light and straight in to the back of that. Would that be easier? i don't know but i like the idea of the foot well lighting

not sure glen would like to hear from anybody that has done the footwell mod.

Right i have now finished the LED lights and im really pleased. So what did id do? 

 

I removed the side trim on the boot pillar, start in the top corner closest to the glass

work your way down pulling it off, it takes a little effort but no tools needed

once off you will see a hole in the frame - This is where i poked the cable through, you cant do it with the light box attached so i had to chop it off, Remember to tape the wires together at the end so you get all 4 through!

get your fingers in the hole for the boot light and fish round to grab the cables.

pull them through then proceed with the wiring of them as mentioned in the first post

place the trim back on, check to make sure cables are set ok. line the bottom trim clips up and work your way back up.

 

super easy, around 10-15 mins

 

Heres the pictures and results:

 

 

 

 

 

Now to look for a place for the foot well lighting!

Edited 3 October, 201312 yr by GLENT54321

Glass job glen ....now get stuck into those footwell lights dude and get one of your first class theads up.  :love:  :love:  :love:

What about from the fuse box? finding the fuse for the interior light and straight in to the back of that. Would that be easier? i don't know but i like the idea of the foot well lighting

Not sure if I want to go fiddling in the back of the fuse box but I will certainly look at it and see. Does the box pull out easily? And this may be a daft question but if you wire directly into the back of the fuse box how will the lights work, would they still come on with the interior lamp or would you need a switch?

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Not sure if I want to go fiddling in the back of the fuse box but I will certainly look at it and see. Does the box pull out easily? And this may be a daft question but if you wire directly into the back of the fuse box how will the lights work, would they still come on with the interior lamp or would you need a switch?

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Scrap the fuse box idea.....i just looked in the manual the fuse for the interior light is also powering other items in the car meaning the LEDs would never go out if wired to the fuse. 

 

Heres my plan:

 

Pop the interior light out

wire the led light to each of the bulbs i.e passenger side light to passenger LED strip and visa versa, that way by turning on the light individually whilst in the car (and pnce the lights are out)  will mean the LED comes on as well. So when you drop the your phone in the foot well (we've all done it!) at least you stand a chance f seeing it this time haha

 

The wire for he lights will be tucked over the headliner trim to the side pillar then pushed behind the side pillar

 

Then from the side pillar ill tuck it in to the door frame interior seal (like i did on the boot)  then find a home for the LED strip! 

 

Time to order some more LED strips! 

This should take around the same time as the boot lights did. 

you go glen , make sure you take plenty of pics so we can follow your instructions for this mod.

Same idea here GLENT.

Do you mean you will go between the roof skin and the headliner out to the pillar? That's my plan. Strips will go beneath the glove box and beneath the cover for the fuse box. And possibly down the sides of the centre console.

If there is any space I will use super slim strips under the door pockets as puddle lights in a mixture of white and red. ... white underneath and red on the outer edge as a warning to traffic when my door is open..... well that's the plan anyway.

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Same idea here GLENT.Do you mean you will go between the roof skin and the headliner out to the pillar? That's my plan. Strips will go beneath the glove box and beneath the cover for the fuse box. And possibly down the sides of the centre console. If there is any space I will use super slim strips under the door pockets as puddle lights in a mixture of white and red. ... white underneath and red on the outer edge as a warning to traffic when my door is open..... well that's the plan anyway. Sent from my GT-N7105 using Tapatalk 4

You just said exactly what was then!

For the puddle light wire i will follow thebsame route from main light then break away an in to the removable flap on side of drivers dash side then thread it through the door rubber cable channel when it comes out on the door side ill let gravity do its bit and the cables will hopefully fall to the bottom of the door vard where ill be able to get then by removing the bottom door card screws. Then the lighy strip will sit on the bottom of door card. Im not going for red as if they dont see the white floor lit up then they shouldnt drive!

P.s not sure how im gunna get in the passenger door cable tunnel....ideas?

You just said exactly what was then!

For the puddle light wire i will follow thebsame route from main light then break away an in to the removable flap on side of drivers dash side then thread it through the door rubber cable channel when it comes out on the door side ill let gravity do its bit and the cables will hopefully fall to the bottom of the door vard where ill be able to get then by removing the bottom door card screws. Then the lighy strip will sit on the bottom of door card. Im not going for red as if they dont see the white floor lit up then they shouldnt drive!

P.s not sure how im gunna get in the passenger door cable tunnel....ideas?

As I'm not with the car in not sure but the wiring for the electric mirror should come in somewhere? I will try to identify that point and use that, if not I will revert to 'Blue Peter' type actions. ...

I was just thinking about red as a way to make things harder lol. I would also like to feed into the rear somehow and get some lighting in there. ... looks rather than practicality, I don't sit in the back so why do I need it lit? There is no rear lights at all in the Monte. I was thinking under the lip of the rear seats depending on how the rear seats fold. And possibly under the front seats somewhere pointing rearward. Still in the ideas stage at the moment though.

I was wondering what all this would do to the warranty, if anything. Would it void anything to do with electrics? To that end I would make sure there is some easy removal of the wires from the interior light without removing the strips. So I could do a quick hide of my handy work if any problems arise.

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Im going to place 2 strips in the rear up by the handles in the roof seal, this cable will run along the roof trim edge and round to the light. This ones pretty simple. Rear footwell lighting would be pretty simple. Along the roof down the centre side trim and then on the aide somewhere. It would be difficult to attach to seat as the move back and forth so you need extra wire hanging to allow it to move.

As for warranty i cant imagine it will void it. Your just piggy backing from the light power source.

Any idea how to get the interior ligght off?